# 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>https://www.last.fm/music/Cher</url>
<image size="small">https://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/50/285717.jpg</image>
<image size="medium">https://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/85/285717.jpg</image>
<image size="large">https://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>https://www.last.fm/music/Madonna</url>
<image size="small">https://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/50/5112299.jpg</image>
<image size="medium">https://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/85/5112299.jpg></image>
<image size="large">https://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/5112299.jpg</image>
</artist>
...
</similar>
<tags>
<tag>
<name>pop</name>
<url>https://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