diff --git a/prometheus_client/bridge/graphite.py b/prometheus_client/bridge/graphite.py
index 6b8f2417..c73d4931 100755
--- a/prometheus_client/bridge/graphite.py
+++ b/prometheus_client/bridge/graphite.py
@@ -60,16 +60,16 @@ def push(self, prefix=''):
             prefixstr = prefix + '.'
 
         for metric in self._registry.collect():
-            for name, labels, value in metric.samples:
-                if labels:
+            for s in metric.samples:
+                if s.labels:
                     labelstr = '.' + '.'.join(
                         ['{0}.{1}'.format(
                             _sanitize(k), _sanitize(v))
-                            for k, v in sorted(labels.items())])
+                            for k, v in sorted(s.labels.items())])
                 else:
                     labelstr = ''
                 output.append('{0}{1}{2} {3} {4}\n'.format(
-                    prefixstr, _sanitize(name), labelstr, float(value), now))
+                    prefixstr, _sanitize(s.name), labelstr, float(s.value), now))
 
         conn = socket.create_connection(self._address, self._timeout)
         conn.sendall(''.join(output).encode('ascii'))
diff --git a/prometheus_client/core.py b/prometheus_client/core.py
index 1f66d30e..94a2a16a 100644
--- a/prometheus_client/core.py
+++ b/prometheus_client/core.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 from threading import Lock
 from timeit import default_timer
+from collections import namedtuple
 
 from .decorator import decorate
 
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@
 _unpack_integer = struct.Struct(b'i').unpack_from
 _unpack_double = struct.Struct(b'd').unpack_from
 
+Sample = namedtuple('Sample', ['name', 'labels', 'value', 'timestamp', 'exemplar'])
+# Timestamp and exemplar are optional.
+Sample.__new__.__defaults__ = (None, None)
 
 class CollectorRegistry(object):
     '''Metric collector registry.
@@ -142,9 +146,9 @@ def get_sample_value(self, name, labels=None):
         if labels is None:
             labels = {}
         for metric in self.collect():
-            for n, l, value in metric.samples:
-                if n == name and l == labels:
-                    return value
+            for s in metric.samples:
+                if s.name == name and s.labels == labels:
+                    return s.value
         return None
 
 
@@ -175,7 +179,7 @@ def add_sample(self, name, labels, value):
         '''Add a sample to the metric.
 
         Internal-only, do not use.'''
-        self.samples.append((name, labels, value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(name, labels, value))
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return (isinstance(other, Metric) and
@@ -208,7 +212,7 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, value):
         labels: A list of label values
         value: The value of the metric.
         '''
-        self.samples.append((self.name, dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name, dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), value))
 
 
 class CounterMetricFamily(Metric):
@@ -237,9 +241,9 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, value, created=None):
           value: The value of the metric
           created: Optional unix timestamp the child was created at.
         '''
-        self.samples.append((self.name + '_total', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_total', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), value))
         if created is not None:
-            self.samples.append((self.name + '_created', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), created))
+            self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_created', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), created))
 
 
 class GaugeMetricFamily(Metric):
@@ -264,7 +268,7 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, value):
           labels: A list of label values
           value: A float
         '''
-        self.samples.append((self.name, dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name, dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), value))
 
 
 class SummaryMetricFamily(Metric):
@@ -292,8 +296,8 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, count_value, sum_value):
           count_value: The count value of the metric.
           sum_value: The sum value of the metric.
         '''
-        self.samples.append((self.name + '_count', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), count_value))
-        self.samples.append((self.name + '_sum', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), sum_value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_count', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), count_value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_sum', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), sum_value))
 
 
 class HistogramMetricFamily(Metric):
@@ -323,10 +327,10 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, buckets, sum_value):
           sum_value: The sum value of the metric.
         '''
         for bucket, value in buckets:
-            self.samples.append((self.name + '_bucket', dict(list(zip(self._labelnames, labels)) + [('le', bucket)]), value))
+            self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_bucket', dict(list(zip(self._labelnames, labels)) + [('le', bucket)]), value))
         # +Inf is last and provides the count value.
-        self.samples.append((self.name + '_count', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), buckets[-1][1]))
-        self.samples.append((self.name + '_sum', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), sum_value))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_count', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), buckets[-1][1]))
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_sum', dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), sum_value))
 
 
 class GaugeHistogramMetricFamily(Metric):
@@ -353,7 +357,10 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, buckets):
               The buckets must be sorted, and +Inf present.
         '''
         for bucket, value in buckets:
-            self.samples.append((self.name + '_bucket', dict(list(zip(self._labelnames, labels)) + [('le', bucket)]), value))
+            self.samples.append(Sample(
+                self.name + '_bucket', 
+                dict(list(zip(self._labelnames, labels)) + [('le', bucket)]),
+                value))
 
 
 class InfoMetricFamily(Metric):
@@ -378,7 +385,7 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, value):
           labels: A list of label values
           value: A dict of labels
         '''
-        self.samples.append((self.name + '_info', 
+        self.samples.append(Sample(self.name + '_info', 
             dict(dict(zip(self._labelnames, labels)), **value), 1))
 
 
@@ -407,7 +414,7 @@ def add_metric(self, labels, value):
         labels = tuple(labels)
         for state, enabled in value.items():
             v = (1 if enabled else 0)
-            self.samples.append((self.name,
+            self.samples.append(Sample(self.name,
                 dict(zip(self._labelnames + (self.name,), labels + (state,))), v))
 
 
diff --git a/prometheus_client/exposition.py b/prometheus_client/exposition.py
index 1ba9c73a..bfd3cd74 100644
--- a/prometheus_client/exposition.py
+++ b/prometheus_client/exposition.py
@@ -85,17 +85,17 @@ def generate_latest(registry=core.REGISTRY):
         output.append('# HELP {0} {1}'.format(
             mname, metric.documentation.replace('\\', r'\\').replace('\n', r'\n')))
         output.append('\n# TYPE {0} {1}\n'.format(mname, mtype))
-        for name, labels, value in metric.samples:
-            if name == metric.name + '_created':
+        for s in metric.samples:
+            if s.name == metric.name + '_created':
                 continue  # Ignore OpenMetrics specific sample.
-            if labels:
+            if s.labels:
                 labelstr = '{{{0}}}'.format(','.join(
                     ['{0}="{1}"'.format(
                      k, v.replace('\\', r'\\').replace('\n', r'\n').replace('"', r'\"'))
-                     for k, v in sorted(labels.items())]))
+                     for k, v in sorted(s.labels.items())]))
             else:
                 labelstr = ''
-            output.append('{0}{1} {2}\n'.format(name, labelstr, core._floatToGoString(value)))
+            output.append('{0}{1} {2}\n'.format(s.name, labelstr, core._floatToGoString(s.value)))
     return ''.join(output).encode('utf-8')
 
 
diff --git a/prometheus_client/multiprocess.py b/prometheus_client/multiprocess.py
index b605a8f3..7dd74b2b 100644
--- a/prometheus_client/multiprocess.py
+++ b/prometheus_client/multiprocess.py
@@ -48,17 +48,18 @@ def collect(self):
         for metric in metrics.values():
             samples = defaultdict(float)
             buckets = {}
-            for name, labels, value in metric.samples:
+            for s in metric.samples:
+                name, labels, value = s.name, s.labels, s.value
                 if metric.type == 'gauge':
                     without_pid = tuple(l for l in labels if l[0] != 'pid')
                     if metric._multiprocess_mode == 'min':
                         current = samples.setdefault((name, without_pid), value)
                         if value < current:
-                            samples[(name, without_pid)] = value
+                            samples[(s.name, without_pid)] = value
                     elif metric._multiprocess_mode == 'max':
                         current = samples.setdefault((name, without_pid), value)
                         if value > current:
-                            samples[(name, without_pid)] = value
+                            samples[(s.name, without_pid)] = value
                     elif metric._multiprocess_mode == 'livesum':
                         samples[(name, without_pid)] += value
                     else:  # all/liveall
@@ -74,11 +75,11 @@ def collect(self):
                         buckets[without_le][bucket[0]] += value
                     else:
                         # _sum/_count
-                        samples[(name, labels)] += value
+                        samples[(s.name, labels)] += value
 
                 else:
                     # Counter and Summary.
-                    samples[(name, labels)] += value
+                    samples[(s.name, labels)] += value
 
             # Accumulate bucket values.
             if metric.type == 'histogram':
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ def collect(self):
                     samples[(metric.name + '_count', labels)] = acc
 
             # Convert to correct sample format.
-            metric.samples = [(name, dict(labels), value) for (name, labels), value in samples.items()]
+            metric.samples = [core.Sample(name, dict(labels), value) for (name, labels), value in samples.items()]
         return metrics.values()
 
 
diff --git a/prometheus_client/parser.py b/prometheus_client/parser.py
index 1afd90f7..06b81eb8 100755
--- a/prometheus_client/parser.py
+++ b/prometheus_client/parser.py
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def _parse_sample(text):
         label = text[label_start + 1:label_end]
         # The value is after the label end (ignoring curly brace and space)
         value = float(_parse_value(text[label_end + 2:]))
-        return name, _parse_labels(label), value
+        return core.Sample(name, _parse_labels(label), value)
 
     # We don't have labels
     except ValueError:
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def _parse_sample(text):
         name = text[:name_end]
         # The value is after the name
         value = float(_parse_value(text[name_end:]))
-        return name, {}, value
+        return core.Sample(name, {}, value)
 
 
 def text_fd_to_metric_families(fd):
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ def build_metric(name, documentation, typ, samples):
             pass
         else:
             sample = _parse_sample(line)
-            if sample[0] not in allowed_names:
+            if sample.name not in allowed_names:
                 if name != '':
                     yield build_metric(name, documentation, typ, samples)
                 # New metric, yield immediately as untyped singleton
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index 78696615..d1ec031e 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -14,16 +14,17 @@
     CollectorRegistry,
     Counter,
     CounterMetricFamily,
+    Enum,
     Gauge,
+    GaugeHistogramMetricFamily,
     GaugeMetricFamily,
     Histogram,
     HistogramMetricFamily,
-    GaugeHistogramMetricFamily,
     Info,
     InfoMetricFamily,
-    Enum,
-    StateSetMetricFamily,
     Metric,
+    StateSetMetricFamily,
+    Sample,
     Summary,
     SummaryMetricFamily,
     UntypedMetricFamily,
@@ -682,7 +683,7 @@ def test_restricted_registry(self):
         Summary('s', 'help', registry=registry).observe(7)
 
         m = Metric('s', 'help', 'summary')
-        m.samples = [('s_sum', {}, 7)]
+        m.samples = [Sample('s_sum', {}, 7)]
         self.assertEquals([m], registry.restricted_registry(['s_sum']).collect())
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_parser.py b/tests/test_parser.py
index 3218a2bc..a421678d 100644
--- a/tests/test_parser.py
+++ b/tests/test_parser.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     GaugeMetricFamily,
     HistogramMetricFamily,
     Metric,
+    Sample,
     SummaryMetricFamily,
 )
 from prometheus_client.exposition import (
@@ -89,8 +90,8 @@ def test_untyped(self):
 """)
         m = Metric("redis_connected_clients", "Redis connected clients", "untyped")
         m.samples = [
-            ("redis_connected_clients", {"instance": "rough-snowflake-web", "port": "6380"}, 10),
-            ("redis_connected_clients", {"instance": "rough-snowflake-web", "port": "6381"}, 12),
+            Sample("redis_connected_clients", {"instance": "rough-snowflake-web", "port": "6380"}, 10),
+            Sample("redis_connected_clients", {"instance": "rough-snowflake-web", "port": "6381"}, 12),
         ]
         self.assertEqual([m], list(families))
 
diff --git a/tests/test_platform_collector.py b/tests/test_platform_collector.py
index 9eda5bb5..529d397c 100644
--- a/tests/test_platform_collector.py
+++ b/tests/test_platform_collector.py
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ def test_system_info_java(self):
 
     def assertLabels(self, name, labels):
         for metric in self.registry.collect():
-            for n, l, value in metric.samples:
-                if n == name:
-                    assert l == labels
+            for s in metric.samples:
+                if s.name == name:
+                    assert s.labels == labels
                     return
         assert False