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musicbrainz-mcp

musicbrainz-mcp

by chrischall
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Remote

Browse MusicBrainz entities linked to another

musicbrainz_browse
Read-onlyIdempotent

List all MusicBrainz entities directly linked to a given entity, such as releases by an artist or recordings on a release. Page through complete relationship sets with limit and offset.

Instructions

List all entities of one type directly linked to a given entity — e.g. every release by an artist (entity: "release", linkedBy: "artist", mbid: ), recordings on a release, releases in a collection (a private collection needs OAuth: MUSICBRAINZ_OAUTH_*), or events at a place. This is the complete, paged set for a relationship (unlike search, which ranks fuzzy matches). Use inc for extra detail and limit/offset to page (max 100/page). Read-only. Data from MusicBrainz (https://musicbrainz.org), the open music encyclopedia.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
incNoSubqueries to include, e.g. ["labels","recordings"]
mbidYesMBID of the linking entity
viewNoResponse shape: "compact" (default) drops fields the response already carries elsewhere; "full" returns every field this server understands. compact strips image/avatar URLs from the response; "full" returns MusicBrainz's payload untouched. No field projection: this server has no verified record of which MusicBrainz fields matter, and inventing one would risk dropping a field a caller needs.
limitNoMax results (1–100, default 25)
entityYesResult entity type to list
offsetNoResult offset for paging (default 0)
linkedByYesThe relationship to browse by (the linking entity type)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv1.0.0
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Changed1 schema field changedv0.3.1
    • addedInput schema / properties / view
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Response shape: \"compact\" (default) drops fields the response already carries elsewhere; \"full\" returns every field this server understands. compact strips image/avatar URLs from the response; \"full\" returns MusicBrainz's payload untouched. No field projection: this server has no verified record of which MusicBrainz fields matter, and inventing one would risk dropping a field a caller needs.",
+  "enum": [
+    "compact",
+    "full"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}
  3. First observedv0.2.2

TDQS

A4.3/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already carry readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, and openWorldHint, so the safety profile is covered. The description still adds real value beyond them: the OAuth (MUSICBRAINZ_OAUTH_*) requirement for private collections and the paging cap of 100 per page, both of which are behavior an agent needs and neither annotation provides.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

Front-loads the core action, then examples, then the search contrast, then param usage, then read-only and source. Efficient and well-ordered, though the trailing 'the open music encyclopedia' tagline is mild marketing padding rather than information an agent needs to invoke the tool.

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

Completeness4/5

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

With no output schema, the description does useful work by covering completeness ('the complete, paged set for a relationship'), paging limits, and auth prerequisites. It never describes the response shape directly, but the view parameter's schema documents the compact/full return behavior, so the gap is minor for a 7-param read tool.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description earns above baseline by showing how entity/linkedBy/mbid combine in practice and by noting that inc adds extra detail and limit/offset control paging. This operationalizes the parameters rather than merely restating them.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ('List all entities of one type directly linked to a given entity') and grounds it with concrete examples mapping parameter values (release/artist/mbid). It explicitly distinguishes itself from search ('unlike search, which ranks fuzzy matches'), so an agent can tell it apart from its siblings.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

Gives clear when-to-use context through multiple examples (releases by an artist, recordings on a release, releases in a collection, events at a place) and names search as the alternative for fuzzy matching. It lacks an explicit contrast against the closest sibling, musicbrainz_lookup, and offers no when-not guidance beyond the search distinction.

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

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