AMG started out in 1991 in Big Rapids, MI. Our original mission was to create books to help consumers find the "best" music. But, as our databases grew, we saw they could be powerful tools for online retailers and entertainment destinations. We started licensing the All Music Guide in 1993. In 1994, we added the All Movie Guide. Our award-winning websites started in 1995 and helped us find even more licensing customers. In 1998 we created the All Game Guide to address that growing market. In order to accommodate the growth of our business, we moved to Ann Arbor, MI in 1999. Since then, our staff has tripled in size.

AMG licenses our entertainment content databases and technologies to a number of clients. We also maintain our websites, continue to produce new editions of our successful music guide series with Backbeat Books, and, in conjunction with Medalist Entertainment, we recently released the first group of CDs enhanced by our content.

Below are three examples of common questions where AMG cannot help users.

No, AMG does not provide lyrics to any songs.

No, fan mail/e-mail that we receive does not get forwarded on to performers. We recommend sending fan mail/e-mail to the address listed on a performer's official website or fan sites.

No, we don't compile this type of information.

We are always on the lookout for talented people; you can learn more about working at AMG by viewing our job listings.

We have a very dedicated, substantial group of full-time editors; their duties include writing reviews, biographies, and editing submissions made by the hundreds of expert freelancers who regularly contribute to AMG.

Our relationship with CDNOW expired near the end of 2002. We are now using Barnes and Noble for music and movie sales.

Products that are available for purchase on AMG websites are not being purchased from AMG -- they are being purchased directly from our retail partners. AMG cannot assist you with purchases. Here is the customer service contact information for our retail partners:

Barnes and Noble.com Customer Service:
Phone: 1-800-THE-BOOK (1-800-843-2665)
International Phone: 201-272-3651
Or online

Allposters.com Customer Service:
Phone: 888-654-0143
Email: orders@allposters.com

Musicnotes.com Customer Service:
Phone: 800-944-4667
Email: service@musicnotes.com

Gamestop.com Customer Service:
Phone: 1-817-424-2200
Email: orders@gamestop.com

AMG is currently taking a sabbatical from the online advertising game. We may return to it in the future. At this time, we are not accepting advertising.

How many titles are in your database?

At the time of this writing there are over 220,000 titles but that number increases on a weekly basis.

How do you determine a film's rating?

Above all else, an All Movie Guide rating is an expression of how successfully a film achieves its thematic goals however ambitious or modest with star ratings from1 to 5 stars. All Movie ratings are generally determined by taking a number of factors into consideration, including -- but not limited to -- the critical consensus on a film at the time of its release; its quality versus other films in its genre, era, or director/star's filmography; its historic or social importance; its performance in year-end industry and critics' awards; and its success or failure with its intended audience.

How long does it take for corrections to be added to the website?

We appreciate the time users take to submit corrections. Because of the vast amount of email that we receive, it can take quite awhile before corrections show up on our website (up to six weeks). For corrections to the All Movie Guide, please contact us at feedback@allmovie.com.

Where do you get all of your information from?

AMG gets information from a variety of sources. We look for any pertinent information available on the packaging of videos, promotional materials, press releases, watching the movies, etc.

Do all the titles have separate reviews and synopses?

No. We try very hard to insure that almost every release has a synopsis. Films that receive reviews tend to be of artistic or historic importance, or major box office hits.

How do you determine a film's date?

The date the film was first released is the date we use. At times a release is delayed by the studios, we then update the database to reflect the actual release date. For a foreign film, we use the release date from the country of origin.

What does the "Years Active" graphic mean?

This is meant to show the working years of performers and directors.

How many cast/crew credits do you list?

We have 1.5 million cast and production credits in the database. You can see current statistics here.