# artist.getInfo

Get the metadata for an artist. Includes biography, truncated at 300 characters.

# Example URLs

JSON: /2.0/?method=artist.getinfo&artist=Cher&api_key=YOUR_API_KEY&format=json
XML: /2.0/?method=artist.getinfo&artist=Cher&api_key=YOUR_API_KEY

# Params

artist (Required (unless mbid)] : The artist name
mbid (Optional) : The musicbrainz id for the artist
lang (Optional) : The language to return the biography in, expressed as an ISO 639 alpha-2 code.
autocorrect[0|1] (Optional) : Transform misspelled artist names into correct artist names, returning the correct version instead. The corrected artist name will be returned in the response.
username (Optional) : The username for the context of the request. If supplied, the user's playcount for this artist is included in the response.
api_key (Required) : A Last.fm API key.

# Auth

This service does not require authentication.

# Sample Response

<artist>
  <name>Cher</name>
  <mbid>bfcc6d75-a6a5-4bc6-8282-47aec8531818</mbid>
  <url>http://www.last.fm/music/Cher</url>
  <image size="small">http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/50/285717.jpg</image>
  <image size="medium">http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/85/285717.jpg</image>
  <image size="large">http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/285717.jpg</image>
  <streamable>1</streamable>
  <stats>
    <listeners>196440</listeners>
    <plays>1599101</plays>
  </stats>
  <similar>
    <artist>
      <name>Madonna</name>
      <url>http://www.last.fm/music/Madonna</url>
      <image size="small">http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/50/5112299.jpg</image>
      <image size="medium">http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/85/5112299.jpg></image>
      <image size="large">http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/5112299.jpg</image>
    </artist>
    ...
  </similar>
  <tags>
    <tag>
      <name>pop</name>
      <url>http://www.last.fm/tag/pop</url>
    </tag>
    ...
  </tags>
  <bio>
    <published>Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:59:18 +0000</published>
    <summary>...</summary>
    <content>...</content>
  </bio>
</artist>

# Errors

• 2 : Invalid service - This service does not exist
• 3 : Invalid Method - No method with that name in this package
• 4 : Authentication Failed - You do not have permissions to access the service
• 5 : Invalid format - This service doesn't exist in that format
• 6 : Invalid parameters - Your request is missing a required parameter
• 7 : Invalid resource specified
• 8 : Operation failed - Something else went wrong
• 9 : Invalid session key - Please re-authenticate
• 10 : Invalid API key - You must be granted a valid key by last.fm
• 11 : Service Offline - This service is temporarily offline. Try again later.
• 13 : Invalid method signature supplied
• 16 : There was a temporary error processing your request. Please try again
• 26 : Suspended API key - Access for your account has been suspended, please contact Last.fm
• 29 : Rate limit exceeded - Your IP has made too many requests in a short period