Discogs
APIComprehensive music database API for artists, releases, and collections
Overview
Discogs API is a RESTful service offering access to a massive community-curated music database. It provides endpoints for retrieving artist profiles, album releases, tracklists, label information, user collections, and marketplace listings. Responses are in JSON format. Use cases include building music discovery apps, integrating discography data into media players, managing personal vinyl/CD collections, or creating price comparison tools for music releases. Authenticated requests (via OAuth 1.0a) enable actions like updating collections, while public endpoints support read-only access to core metadata, ideal for niche and rare release coverage.
Example Integration (JavaScript)
fetch('https://www.discogs.com/developers/')
.then(res => res.json())
.then(data => console.log(data))
.catch(err => console.error(err)); Key Features
- RESTful
- JSON Support
- OAuth 1.0a Auth
- Music Metadata Access
- Collection Management
- Marketplace Data
Frequently Asked Questions
? Is Discogs API free to use?
Yes, it offers a free tier with rate limits; paid tiers are available for higher request volumes and advanced features.
? Does it require an API Key?
Most endpoints need an API key for access; OAuth 1.0a is required for write operations like updating collections.
? What is the response format?
All responses are in JSON format, providing structured metadata for artists, releases, tracks, and more.
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Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ Extensive community-curated database
- ⊕ Covers rare/niche music releases
- ⊕ Supports read/write operations
- ⊕ Well-documented endpoints
- ⊕ Includes cover art URLs
Cons
- ⊖ Rate-limited free tier
- ⊖ OAuth 1.0a implementation complexity
- ⊖ Some endpoints require API key
- ⊖ No SLA for free users
- ⊖ Occasional community-driven data inconsistencies