Music metadata, guide
Metadata is the DNA of your music in the digital ecosystem. Correct metadata ensures your songs are properly identified, your royalties are accurately tracked, and your income reaches the right people. Bad metadata is the #1 cause of lost royalties.
Key music identifiers explained
The music industry uses several standardized codes to identify songs, recordings, and rights holders. Understanding these is essential.
International Standard Recording Code
Unique identifier for each specific recording. Assigned by labels or distributors. Different versions (remixes, live) get different ISRCs.
- Applies to
- Sound Recordings
- Format
- CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN
- Example
- US-S1Z-23-00001
International Standard Musical Work Code
Unique identifier for the underlying musical work (composition). Assigned by collection societies. Multiple recordings of the same song share one ISWC.
- Applies to
- Compositions
- Format
- T-NNNNNNNNN-C
- Example
- T-070237182-1
Interested Party Information
Unique identifier for each songwriter and publisher in the CISAC global database. Essential for routing royalties to the correct party.
- Applies to
- Songwriters & Publishers
- Format
- Numeric (9-11 digits)
- Example
- 00123456789
International Standard Name Identifier
Broader identifier linking all creative works by a single person across industries. Used to disambiguate common names.
- Applies to
- Creators
- Format
- 16 digits
- Example
- 0000 0001 2345 6789
Universal Product Code
Identifies the product (album, EP, single) for retail and distribution. Different from ISRC which identifies individual tracks.
- Applies to
- Releases/Albums
- Format
- 12-13 digits
- Example
- 123456789012
Essential metadata fields
Complete metadata covers five categories. The more complete your metadata, the more accurately your royalties are tracked.
CORE IDENTIFICATION
- Song Title
- Alternative Titles
- ISWC
- ISRC
- UPC/EAN
OWNERSHIP & RIGHTS
- Songwriter Names
- IPI Numbers
- Publisher Names
- Publisher IPI
- Ownership Splits (%)
- PRO Affiliations
CREATIVE DESCRIPTORS
- Genre
- Sub-genre
- Mood/Vibe Tags
- Tempo (BPM)
- Key
- Instrumentation
RECORDING DETAILS
- Recording Date
- Studio
- Producer
- Engineer
- Featured Artists
- Version Type (Original/Remix/Live)
RELEASE INFORMATION
- Release Date
- Release Title (Album/EP)
- Label
- Distributor
- Territory Rights
Common metadata problems & their impact
Misspelled songwriter names
Very CommonRoyalties attributed to wrong or non-existent accounts. Societies can't match payments.
Missing or incorrect IPI numbers
Very CommonCollection societies can't identify the correct rights holder. Royalties held in suspense.
Wrong ownership percentages
CommonSome writers overpaid, others underpaid. Disputes and recoupment issues.
No ISWC registered
CommonHarder for societies to match the composition across recordings and territories.
Inconsistent titles across platforms
ModerateSame song registered differently in different territories. Royalties fragmented.
Missing publisher information
Very CommonPublisher's share of performance royalties goes uncollected.
Duplicate registrations
ModerateConflicting claims create disputes that freeze royalty payments.
No genre/mood tags
CommonSong is invisible to sync supervisors searching catalogs by mood and genre.
Metadata best practices
- Use consistent spelling of names across all platforms and registrations
- Keep a master spreadsheet of all songs with ISRCs, ISWCs, and splits
- Register ISWC codes through your PRO or publisher as early as possible
- Include all contributors — don't forget producers who contributed creatively
- Update metadata immediately when splits change or errors are found
- Use official legal names, not stage names, for ownership registration
- Tag songs with detailed genre, mood, and tempo data for sync discovery
- Verify IPI numbers with your PRO before submitting registrations
Get your metadata right from day one
JukeHouse validates and registers your song metadata with 60+ collection societies — ensuring accurate tracking and maximum royalty collection.