Skip to main content
Glama

musicbrainz-mcp-server

by io.github.cyanheads

musicbrainz-mcp-server: get artist

musicbrainz_get_artist
Read-onlyIdempotent

Artist profile by MBID: type (person/group/…), country, life span, gender, area, aliases, tags/genres, plus the discography (release-groups) and band-membership / collaboration relationships and external links (Wikidata QID, Discogs, official site — surfaced as url-rels chainable to those servers). The 80% artist-detail call. Discography and relationships are capped at one page (25); for a prolific artist's complete release-group list, call musicbrainz_browse_entities with target_type=release-group and the artist link.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
mbidYesArtist MBID (36-character UUID).
inc_relationshipsNoInclude band-membership / collaboration relationships and external links (url-rels).
inc_release_groupsNoInclude the discography (release-groups). Capped at one page; use browse for the full set.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
capNoThe one-page cap that was applied. Absent when not truncated.
areaNoAssociated area name. Omitted when unknown.
mbidNoArtist MBID.
nameNoArtist name.
tagsNoCommunity tags/genres with vote counts (may be empty).
typeNoArtist type (Person, Group, Orchestra, …). Omitted when unknown.
errorNoPresent when the call failed. Absent on success.
shownNoNumber of release-groups returned. Absent when not truncated.
genderNoGender, for person-type artists. Omitted when unknown/inapplicable.
noticeNoHow to fetch the complete discography when truncated.
aliasesNoAlternate names (may be empty).
countryNoISO country code. Omitted when unknown.
lifeSpanNoBirth/death or formation/dissolution span. Omitted when unknown.
sortNameNoSortable name form. Omitted when absent.
truncatedNoTrue when the discography hit the one-page cap and more release-groups exist. Absent when the full set fit in one page.
externalLinksNoExternal resource links (url-rels) — Wikidata, Discogs, official site (may be empty).
relationshipsNoBand membership and collaboration relationships (may be empty).
releaseGroupsNoDiscography — release-groups (one page; may be empty or capped).
disambiguationNoShort qualifier distinguishing same-named artists. Omitted when absent.

TDQS

A4.5/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, and openWorld hints, so the description does not need to restate safety. It adds useful behavioral context: the one-page cap, the content included in the profile, and that external links are url-rels chainable to external servers. No annotation contradiction exists.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the core purpose, followed by key content details and the important limitation/alternative. Three sentences cover what the tool returns, its scope, and when to switch tools; no sentence is wasted or redundant.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a read-only artist lookup with a rich output schema and strong annotations, the description is complete. It covers the primary use case, the data returned, the pagination cap, and an alternative for extended results, so an agent can confidently select and invoke the tool without needing additional context.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents mbid and the two boolean flags thoroughly. The description repeats the cap and browse alternative already present in the inc_release_groups parameter description, but does not add new parameter-level meaning beyond the schema, warranting the baseline score.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with 'Artist profile by MBID' and enumerates concrete content: type, country, life span, gender, area, aliases, tags/genres, discography, relationships, and external links. It also distinguishes itself from siblings by identifying itself as 'The 80% artist-detail call' and pointing to browse_entities for the complete list.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage context is explicit: this is the go-to artist-detail call, with a clear caveat that discography and relationships are capped at one page (25). For a full release-group list, the description explicitly directs the agent to musicbrainz_browse_entities with target_type=release-group and the artist link, providing a concrete alternative.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All musicbrainz-mcp-server toolsInspect
Try in Browser
RayrunBuild, deploy, and operate MCP servers without becoming an infrastructure team.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Disambiguation5/5

Each tool has a distinct purpose: browsing for paginated lists, getting individual entities, resolving identifiers, and text search. No overlap in functionality.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tools follow the musicbrainz_ prefix with clear verb-noun patterns (browse_entities, get_artist, lookup_identifier, search_entities), providing a consistent and predictable interface.

Tool Count5/5

With 10 tools covering all core MusicBrainz entity types, pagination, identifier resolution, and search, the count is well-scoped for a comprehensive API without being excessive.

Completeness5/5

The set covers all primary entity types (artist, label, recording, release, release-group, work), plus browsing, searching, identifier lookup, and cover art—providing a complete surface for MusicBrainz operations.

Resources