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Looking at my music collection, I just wonder... what do these mean:

  • Author Z feat. Author W (featuring)
  • Author X pres. Author Y (presents)
  • Author Y vs. Author Q (versus)
  • Author A & Author B (and)

Do they mean a different type of collaboration? What "types" are there really? Who choses who comes first (does it even matter)?

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As far as I know there is no formal agreement on when these may or may not be used.

I tend to assume they mean the following, and would use them in these ways if I were in these situations:

  • X featuring Y: Generally Author X's work, but includes some significant contribution by Author Y. For example, Y sings a lead melody on one of X's tracks, but isn't X's usual lead singer.

  • X presenting Y: Same as "featuring," except that Y is generally more unknown at this point and this is their first highly-visible production with X.

  • X versus Y: Either X and Y are collaborating, or this is a mashup of two songs, one by X and one by Y, generally mixed by a third party, Z. I've also seen this used to describe competitions, such as rap battles.

  • X and Y: X and Y co-wrote or co-produced this track.

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    Great answering. I'm wondering if there are legal reasons for the different collaboration terms. Where 'featuring' might get around a contract clause that forbids collaboration with artists not on your label (making 'and' impossible). Or maybe I'm over thinking it...
    – Ian C.
    Feb 2, 2011 at 19:27
  • I certainly hope there's no legal trickery about it becuase I'd like to use "featuring" and "and" on some of my own work within the year and I'd prefer not to get myself in trouble :) Hopefully if someone knows or can find anything official they'll post an answer that I can vote up.
    – Warrior Bob
    Feb 2, 2011 at 21:08
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Pres. is also used when an artist ''A'' presents his new/other alias ''B'' (normally because another genre or style is used). Then again ''A'' is more famous then ''B'' Examples: *Daniel Kandi pres. 147 - ''track name''. *Armin Van Buuren pres. Gaia - ''track name''.

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