   Note: This page is a placeholder or work-in-progress. Content should not be referenced or treated as reliable.

Generation Dates

Gen	Rel Type	Rel Date	Date Source	Artist	Label	Catalog	Matrix

Attributes by Generation

Attribute	Gen1	Gen2	Gen3	Gen4	Gen?	Gen5	Gen6	Gen7	Gen?	Gen?	Gen?
Surrounding blocks	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Unused space	filled	filled	filled	empty	empty	asterisks	empty	empty	empty	empty	empty
Matrix text style^[1]	DOT-MATRIX	DOT-MATRIX	DOT-MATRIX	DOT-MATRIX	DOT-MATRIX	DOT-MATRIX	COURIER	COURIER	COURIER	BOLD SANS	BOLD SANS
Single-digit label ID^[2]	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mother/Stamper ID (M#S#)	none	none	monospace	monospace	monospace	monospace	monospace	proportional	proportional	proportional	proportional
Barcode blocks^[3]	none	none	none	thick	none	none	thin	thin	thinner	thinner	thinner
Possible SRC/digit separators	dash, blank					## or **	## or **	## or **
Logo	none	none	none	none	none	none	SRC swirl	SRC swirl	wea	wea	none

^ Dot-matrix text can be 5x5 or 7x5 in any generation. This is probably due to differences in the model of mastering equiment used.
^ 1: Warner Bros.; 2: Elektra; 3: Atlantic
^ For "thick" blocks, the smaller blocks are 1/2 the size of the larger ones; for "thin" blocks, the smaller blocks are 1/3 the size of the larger ones.