Canonical titles are a fancy name for a metadata structure that allows users to move through a set of objects using categories and tags, (much like this WordPress site.)

SUBTXT developed this product concept work around how the information architecture (IA) for a canonical music/video catalog might look for a band. Basically, the IA is based around the organization of media types (audio, images, videos), groups (albums, concerts, singles, bundles, movies, video compilations) and categories (“remix”, “stem”, “cover”, etc.). The idea is that as user moves through a catalog, they can navigate and discover related media that share the same attributes.

Example User Story:

Navigating a catalog as rich as Pearl Jam’s is not easy. Keeping track of multiple versions of songs, live concert performances, albums, videos and singles can get extremely confusing. Canonical organization allows the user to easily explore the richness of such a catalog however they would like.

1) As users move through the catalog, they may search the “Songs” nav for a given song. That song may have many Performance Versions, such as a Studio Master, live performances and remixes. In the example below, a user searches for the song, “Brain of J” and selects a given performance of that song, performed live at Coachella in 2004. From here, the user can see details about that performance, and also navigate to see all the other songs performed at that concert. The user then may want to navigate to another concert, and so on.

2) As well, users may navigate by individual categories, such as remix or B-Side. In the example below, the user navigates from the San Diego performance of “All Along The Watchtower” to see all “Covers” performed by Pearl Jam. From here the user may decide to see all performances of the song “All Along The Watchtower”, or view other songs, and so on.

3) We must also determine if/which certain categories will be mutually exclusive, e.g., “live” or “studio” version, etc. Also, to exclude some categories based on groupings, for example studio tracks could not be added to concerts, etc.

4) When media is uploaded, users would have an opportunity to add media to these categories and groups.