Should we add Music ID to the FAQ?

Question

We've gotten a little influx of Music ID questions as of late. I was wondering if we should specifically add Music Identification to the off-topic section of the FAQ.

Maybe changing it to:

Please note that the following subjects are considered off-topic here:

• Distribution
• Movie/TV purchasing/viewing locations
• The operation of playing a movie whether it be digital or physical format.
• Unimportant trivia that does not add to the understanding or appreciation of the title.
• Music Identification
• TV news and current affairs
• A title's release date or rumors about a specific title or series.
• Opinions about or recommendations for a movie or TV show

There might be a better way to word it, but that's the general gist of my thoughts.

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List of recently closed music id questions:

• Awake Pilot ending song
• Name of the opera music in American Horror Story
• Electronic Piece in American Dad
• What songs has lyle lovett performed
• What other movies use this song
• Music when Barney is absent minded

Answer 1

I agree with Robert that adding this to the list would make it a bit unwieldy. That list of items is getting pretty big. If Music Identification is to be added, I'd recommend that you take this time to also consolidate that list a bit. Several of those items overlap, and could better be summed up in a short, general statement. Namely:

• These all deal with how/when movies are available, and could be combined into a general 'where to buy or shopping questions'
  1. Distribution
  2. Movie/TV purchasing/viewing locations
  3. A title's release date
• I think these could be combined into a 'current events' sort of item:
  1. TV news and current affairs
  2. rumors about a specific title or series.

With these consolidated, you get a shorter list of items that give a quicker impression of what is off-topic.

Answer 2

You're running a bit into "bulleted list from hell" territory here. I'd be disinclined to add this unless it becomes a frequent and prominent problem.

Creating a long list of all the ways you can go wrong on this site is somewhat user hostile. The two lists (what belongs, what doesn't) is there to convey the gist of what this site is about. Certainly you know better than I, but this additions looks a bit reactionary. Wait until there's a problem you feel warrants announcing to every new member of your community when they first come to visit.

When you tell 80% of your audience something that only affects 0.020% of your participants, that's where the "all the rules you can break" list goes bad.

Answer 3

If music identification questions are decided to be off-topic then let it be posted in the FAQ section. In fact we should not delay it. I think new users are taking it granted anything related to movies can be asked here and also movie-identification question played catalyst in asking music-ID questions. So we should explicitly write it in the FAQ. It would not be a hearty welcome for a new user if his question is closed without any prior notice from the FAQ.

Answer 4

Music identification is off-topic? The policy doesn't seem to be consistently applied then.

The questions you listed were all downvoted and closed, but mine ended up with 5 upvotes. It sounds like there's more discussion to be had among the community on whether or not these questions are acceptable before you/we talk about modifying the FAQ.