Request Format

The eMusic API is a RESTful, service-oriented platform that allows developers to easily access eMusic data and functionality. REST uses the HTTP protocol and, as such, requests use the common URL format.

Request URL Format

All eMusic API requests consist of a host name ("http://api.emusic.com"), a path that contains an object and an action (e.g. "/album/search" or "/artist/info") and a query string that contains the method parameters (e.g. "apiKey", "term", "artistId", etc.). The request URL template looks like:

http://api.emusic.com/object/action?apiKey=myKey&param1=value1&param2=value2

Let's look at an example:

http://api.emusic.com/album/search?apiKey=myKey&term=bob+marley

In this case, the host name is "api.emusic.com". The object name is "album". The action name (also called the "method name") is "search". And the method parameters are "apiKey" and "term" with their corresponding values. Let's take a look at a few more examples:

http://api.emusic.com/album/info?apiKey=myKey&albumId=11002212
http://api.emusic.com/artist/editorial?apiKey=myKey&artistName=Jimi+Hendrix
http://api.emusic.com/book/review?apiKey=myKey&bookName=hitchhiker

All eMusic API requests follow the pattern of host + object + action + parameters.

HOST

The host is always "http://api.emusic.com".

OBJECTS

Examples of common objects include: Albums, Artists, Books, Catalogs, Labels, Tracks, Users, etc.

METHODS

Examples of common methods include: Search, Info, Rating, Related, Picks, Charts, Editorial, etc.

Query String Parameters

eMusic API request parameters are submitted using the query string.
Click here to view a list of common query string parameters.