Official Release

正式发行 (Official Release) is a version authorized by the party entitled to control the distribution of the relevant recording or program and actually made available to the intended audience. The licensor may be an artist, record company, a producer, a broadcaster, or a successor in title who has acquired the relevant rights, depending on the rights structure associated with the work, recording, performance, or audiovisual work.

“Official” describes the authorization status and is not synonymous with commercial retail. Free digital downloads, promotional copies for radio stations, member giveaways, and limited-edition event versions may all be considered official releases; while their distribution is limited, they are produced or endorsed by the rights holder. Whether an internal reference copy not intended for public sale constitutes a “release” depends on whether it has been distributed to intended recipients outside of internal production processes, as well as on the definition adopted by the database. Attractive packaging, barcodes, or pressing plant codes do not, by themselves, prove official status, as unofficial products can mimic these characteristics. Conversely, live recordings uploaded spontaneously by artists without a record label number may be officially authorized. Determining official status typically requires considering a combination of rights holders’ announcements, credible distribution channels, copyright attributions, record label catalogs, and the source of the version—rather than relying solely on production quality.

Official releases may still contain errors, master tapes not approved by the artist, or be subsequently withdrawn by the rights holder. “Official” does not imply that the content is complete, of the highest quality, or permanently available, nor does it preclude the discontinuation of sales after regional licenses expire. The core difference between “bootleg” and “official” is authorization, not sound quality or rarity.

Both official and unofficial versions of the same program may exist simultaneously, and specific physical editions may also be counterfeit. A pirated copy of an official recording is not a new official release; it reproduces authorized content without obtaining authorization for reproduction and sale.