Relational Data Model
The database is centered around albums as the primary unit of discovery. Artists, genres, subgenres, countries, and scenes connect to albums through structured relationships instead of being stored as flat text.
Music Database
A relational music database designed to explore how albums, artists, genres, regions, and historical context can be structured, queried, and meaningfully explored.
Project Overview
This project began as an effort to model music beyond simple playlists or genre labels. Instead, it focuses on capturing relationships between sound, era, geography, and cultural context using a structured relational database.
The goal is to support flexible querying and exploration, such as browsing by artist, country, scene, genre, subgenre, or time period, rather than relying on rigid musical categories.
System & Technology
- Python
- Flask
- PostgreSQL
- SQL / Relational Database Design
- JavaScript
- HTML / CSS
Data Model & Design Decisions
The database is centered around albums as the main unit of discovery. Artists, genres, subgenres, countries, and scenes are connected through relational tables so that albums can be explored through multiple overlapping forms of context.
This design prioritizes clarity, extensibility, and meaningful relationships over rigid classification. Many albums can belong to multiple genres and subgenres, which better reflects how music actually moves across style, place, and time.
Music Database Explorer
A curated album discovery database
Explore albums through artists, countries, scenes, genres, subgenres, release years, and related musical connections. This project is built around the idea that music discovery should feel relational, not just searchable.
Interactive Layer
Interactive Database Interface
Search, filter, sort, paginate, and explore the database through albums, artists, genres, subgenres, countries, scenes, and related records.
Loading the music database...
Curated Discovery
Listening Paths
These paths use the database as a discovery tool rather than a static archive. Each one points visitors toward a different way of moving through the collection: by sound, region, scene, or musical lineage.
Path 01
Memphis Soul Thread
Start with albums connected to Memphis, soul, deep groove, and regional Southern recording traditions.
Explore path → Path 02New Orleans Groove Map
Follow piano-driven, rhythm-heavy, and scene-based albums connected to New Orleans musical history.
Explore path → Path 03Funk Foundations
Browse albums tagged with funk connections and explore how the genre overlaps with soul, rock, jazz, and regional scenes.
Explore path → Path 04Soul Across Scenes
Move through soul albums by country, decade, artist, subgenre, and related-album recommendations.
Explore path →Project Architecture
How the Music Database Explorer Works
Music Database Explorer is built as a layered Flask and PostgreSQL application. The project separates the database model, backend API routes, frontend interface, and discovery logic so the site can grow without becoming tightly coupled or difficult to maintain.
PostgreSQL Query Layer
SQL queries join albums, artists, genres, and subgenres so the frontend can receive complete album records with related metadata. Many-to-many junction tables allow albums to belong to multiple genres and subgenres.
Flask API Routes
Flask routes expose database-backed endpoints for albums, artists, genres, and statistics. Detail routes provide deeper archive pages for individual albums, artists, genres, and subgenres.
Frontend State Management
JavaScript manages the active tab, search query, sorting mode, filters, pagination, expanded modal state, and return position so the interface feels more like an application than a static project page.
Discovery & Recommendation Logic
Related albums are generated through shared metadata such as artist, country, genre, and subgenre overlap. This gives the project a recommendation-style discovery layer without needing machine learning or user accounts.
Portfolio-Focused Presentation
The interface is designed to show database design, backend development, SQL querying, frontend rendering, filtering, pagination, and dynamic detail pages in one cohesive project.