• From: Bush country
  • Registered: 2011-12-10

Topic: Customer images from Amazon as cover art

I've been wavering as to whether or not to go this route when adding cover art to our database. I remember in one FAQ I read it said the Cover Art Downloader for Picard couldn't deliver images from Amazon for legal reasons (despite this I've still gotten Picard to do so, most often against my wishes), so I assumed that it was taboo to add images from Amazon as cover art and stopped doing so. So do we have any set rules as to where cover art images have to come from, or a whitelist/blacklist like we had when we had to provide links for cover art? The reason I bring this up now is because I'm stuck in the inevitable quandary of trying every other route and getting nothing but low-resolution or watermarked images and the only place that has a decent-quality image is Amazon. I fear being banned as I still have a lot left to contribute.

  • Registered: 2008-04-25

Re: Customer images from Amazon as cover art

I don't think MusicBrainz will start banning users for uploading copyrighted content to the Album Art Archive, at least not without giving a warning first. I also don't think Amazon owns the copyright to those cover images, such copyright would only apply to the copyright holder of the release, but I'm no lawyer.

mfmeulenbelt's Website

  • From: Tartu, EE
  • Registered: 2010-11-24

Re: Customer images from Amazon as cover art

There are no rules, as long as the images are not watermarked. And the content doesn't even touch MB servers, so there's no reason whatsoever for MB to ban anyone because of that. At most if a complaint is received, the Archive will take the image down.

  • From: Tartu, EE
  • Registered: 2010-11-24

Re: Customer images from Amazon as cover art

Also, note the customer images from Amazon are uploaded by *customers* - the legal reason they can't allow others to use them is actually probably on *their end* (say, that they can't "charge" for images uploaded by third persons)