User talk:SNUGGUMS/Archive 2

Archive 1

Archive 2

"Respectively"

(Just a friendly chat re. this edit. This is not an official MOS whatsoever, but WP:RESPECTIVELY discusses the overuse of this word (an idea corroborated by The Elements of Style, which I find pretty useful in editing not only Wikipedia but also my papers). For example: The song charted at numbers 2 and 12 in Canada and the US, respectively omitting that word does not impact the meaning nor presentation. Ippantekina (talk) 14:35, 23 July 2025 (UTC)

That book and the linked essay are definitely not things I had come across before. Nevertheless, I do see what you're getting at with how the meaning isn't changed just by leaving out a single word for the provided sample. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 16:55, 23 July 2025 (UTC)

Katy Perry certifications

Hi! I need some guidance on a situation I'm dealing with regarding certifications for various Katy Perry albums. I just received an email from Universal Music Switzerland stating that the albums "One of the Boys," "Teenage Dream," and "Prism" are now certified Platinum in Switzerland. Here is the screenshot of the email: https://imgur.com/5SJ6bsf

However, there are existing certifications from IFPI Switzerland that list these albums as Gold. I'm unsure if I should update the certifications to reflect the new Platinum ones from Universal Music, or if I should keep the existing Gold certifications from IFPI Switzerland as they are.

I have a similar issue with the Brazilian certification for "Prism." There's an existing certification from Pro-Música Brasil, but I found a more recent certification from Universal Music Brasil, which says it is certified 2 x Diamond.

What would you recommend I do in both cases? Thank you. 143kittypurry (talk) 12:09, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

Depending on how recent the newer certifications are, 143kittypurry, you might just have to wait for the main publication to update those levels. If over a month has passed with no updates, then I don't see any reason to not use what's shown in that email screenshot as long as you are transparent about where they come from. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 12:13, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

I just received the summary of certifications for Switzerland. Based on your suggestion, I will wait for a month for IFPI Switzerland to update those levels. If there are no updates after that, I will proceed to update the certifications using the information issued by Universal Music Switzerland.

Regarding PRISM, it's been over several years since Pro-Música Brasil (PMB) updated its certification. Therefore, I believe that the newer certification issued by Universal Music Brasil about a year ago can now be accepted as the current certification in Brazil.

Thank you for clarifying this. 143kittypurry (talk) 12:20, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

In that case, it already feels quite safe to implement for Prism, and you're welcome. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 12:27, 29 July 2025 (UTC)

Discussion at Talk:Britney Spears § GA plans

 You are invited to join the discussion at Talk:Britney Spears § GA plans. Lord Sjones23 (talk - contributions) 21:10, 30 July 2025 (UTC)

As the person who delisted it, I admittedly would feel awkward giving much input there let alone reviewing any future FAC or GAN. What you see here is all I can give for the foreseeable future. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 22:32, 30 July 2025 (UTC)

Much thanks

Much thanks for this edit, i've never uploaded an audio file so thanks for the notice. i must have missed this when I was looking at one of the upload file pages. 750h+ 23:57, 31 July 2025 (UTC)

Sure thing, 750h+, and I admittedly don't even know how to upload those myself. All I previously have uploaded to Wikipedia is photos. Along with what I wrote in that edit summary on WP:SAMPLE, I do however know that 30 seconds is the most allowed for non-free samples of tracks that run for 5 minutes or longer. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 00:05, 1 August 2025 (UTC)

Katy Perry claimed sales

Hey, I need your wisdom. I am currently involved in a discussion about moving Katy Perry up the list of best-selling music artists. In the talk page, I have presented several reasons supporting my proposal, and I stand by my reasons. You can read our discussion there if you have the time. Unfortunately, there is another user who continues to revert this change.

Previously, the certifications listed for Katy were outdated, so I took the initiative to recalculate and verify those figures, ensuring they are current. Also, I did extensive research to source her sales figures, including those for her albums and singles. In the talk page, I provided a breakdown of her pure album sales worldwide and reported pure single sales from various reputable sources. Despite this, the user remains unconvinced and argues that a significant portion of her claimed sales comes from streaming.

I have explained that Katy debuted and peaked during the digital downloads era, and most of her sales occurred during that time, prior to the rise of streaming. However, this user continues to insist and now references Katy's US certifications to quantify her worldwide claimed sales, which are not directly comparable. They have not engaged with the reasons and points I've presented in the discussion and have dismissed them entirely.

I am unsure how to proceed. Should I continue to explain my perspective, or would it be wiser to let it go? I appreciate any advice you may have on this matter. Thank you, SNUGGUMS! 143kittypurry (talk) 08:12, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

On one hand, 143kittypurry, streaming numbers can easily mislead people into believing pure sales to be higher than they actually are. TheWikiholic bringing those up was fully understandable. At the same time, it does help how you were able to locate individual numbers for albums and songs like that. Since I personally don't know how to calculate certified figures (which include streams) to align closest with actual copies sold when accounting for years active, I'm sorry to say that I can't tell what to go with here. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 12:07, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

Let go and just be free...

Alright. I understand, thank you. 143kittypurry (talk) 14:39, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

Lady Gaga has an RfC

Lady Gaga has an RfC for possible consensus. A discussion is taking place. If you would like to participate in the discussion, you are invited to add your comments on the discussion page. Thank you. PHShanghai | they/them (talk) 17:27, 10 August 2025 (UTC)

Look here for my input. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 18:50, 10 August 2025 (UTC)

Shawn Mendes: For Friends and Family Only (A Live Concert Film)

Hi! I just wanted to let you know, in case you'd be interested, but there's this IP user making a case regarding this article's usage of audience score, saying they're "not allowed" on Wikipedia and have been trying to use Wikipedia rules to back their point. They have been questioning the integrity of the GA status because of this and, since you were the reviewer, I thought I should let you know, just in case. I'd love to know your input on the matter. Thank you - Artmanha (talk) 21:54, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

Note: The IP user took the discussion to Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Film#WP:UGC User voted scores - Artmanha (talk) 22:03, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

You can find my opinion here. I don't know what will happen next. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 22:31, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

Thank you. - Artmanha (talk) 22:42, 13 August 2025 (UTC)

US presidential bio infoboxes

Hello. If you're going to 'again' remove the italics from the US presidential bios' infoboxes? Would you please be consistent, with all of them? GoodDay (talk) 00:44, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

I was already planning to remove the uses from other pages, GoodDay, and cannot think of any good reason they were ever inserted into the infoboxes. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 00:47, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

FWIW, they've been italicized for years. GoodDay (talk) 00:48, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

It was a questionable practice at best. Italics are supposed to be used for titles instead, and "none" definitely doesn't count as one of those. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 00:49, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

If you're going to remove'em from Madison, Jackson, Tyler, Fillmore, Pierce, A. Johnson, Grant, Arthur, Cleveland, McKinley, T. Roosevelt, Taft, Coolidge, Truman, L. Johnson, Nixon & Ford? Than cool. GoodDay (talk) 00:53, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

UPDATE: I've removed some more of these, and since it looks like you got the rest before I could do so, I believe the absence is now consistent from the infoboxes. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 01:08, 18 August 2025 (UTC)

Certifications posted on social media

Hi, SNUGGUMS! I just wanted to ask this. Is there a specific rule about including certification information from credible sources posted on social media, like Instagram or Twitter? Just a while ago, one user removed One of the Boys's Brazil certification because it is sourced from Instagram. The publisher is the official account of UMG-Brazil, so I don't see any issue with that, as long as proper citations are followed. News outlets nowadays tend to mainly report certifications from major certifying bodies like the RIAA. They rarely cover certifications from less prominent countries. Thank you. 143kittypurry (talk) 21:15, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

Nothing comes to my mind for specific rules, 143kittypurry, but I might be missing something there. If posts from certifying bodies can be found, then you'd be better off using those instead of accounts affiliated with one's label or its parent corporation. It regardless has never been entirely clear why certifications and other stats for some nations don't get as much press attention as others. A portion of that could be a general bias some writers have towards/against particular markets (which brings the agenda-setting theory to mind) while other cases might be them only knowing of stats from particular places. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 21:35, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

Some official certifying bodies have become inactive in certifying foreign records, particularly in Latin countries. In Brazil, the PMB, which is the official certifying body, only certified "Prism" then they stopped updating after certifying it at the Platinum level. They haven't certified any of her other albums. UMG-Brasil, which works closely with PMB in the Brazilian music market, has certified all of Katy Perry's albums.

Regarding my other concern, I believe there isn't a specific rule against using information from Instagram or Twitter, as long as the sources are credible. All of the sources I cited for Katy's album certifications are from verified accounts of various UMG national companies. Does that make it less valid if information is only shared on social media and not reported in news articles or magazines? Would it matter if the same credible source posted it on a news site instead of social media? I don't see much difference. For example, music certifications used to be featured in news outlets like MTV or Billboard, but now they're often just posted on social media. For these minor markets that lack an active certification database, updates are primarily communicated through social media. 143kittypurry (talk) 23:53, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

Binksternet appears to believe social media shouldn't be used at all for sales claims, which I think is an oversimplified stance given the observations you've accurately laid out. RachelTensions on the other hand showed more concern over the fact that you implemented something from a record company regardless of the platform used for sharing such information, which I'm guessing is because of a potential for inflating things for their affiliated artists. I do wish more certifying bodies would get publicity for their updates as we otherwise wouldn't be in as difficult of a spot for those. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 01:51, 25 August 2025 (UTC)

I understand it better now, specifically why EMI Music's claim that Teenage Dream is the "first album to sell 50 million singles in the US" was removed. Thanks so much for your insights! I hope you're doing well and staying safe. 🫶🏼🦋 143kittypurry (talk) 02:09, 25 August 2025 (UTC)

Of course, and the wishes are appreciated :). Lately I have been safe and hope you can say the same. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 03:14, 25 August 2025 (UTC)

Worldwide sales on discography articles

Hey there! I wanted to ask if you know why worldwide sales were removed from the Katy Perry discography. I remember they were listed there before as early as 2015. The user who took them out is having health issues, according to his talk page, and isn't very active anymore. I read somewhere that worldwide sales shouldn't be included in discography articles, but I've seen them included in others, like Madonna albums discography and Michael Jackson singles discography. Can we really include worldwide sales? 143kittypurry (talk) 10:45, 29 August 2025 (UTC)

There actually is no formal restriction against them, 143kittypurry, so it's beyond me why anyone would suggest otherwise. SNUGGUMS (talk / edits) 13:21, 29 August 2025 (UTC)

Thank you so much for clarifying. 143kittypurry (talk) 13:25, 29 August 2025 (UTC)