Understanding the Various Identifiers Used in the Music Industry

In the modern music industry, effective identification of musical works, recordings, and contributors is essential for distribution, tracking, and royalty payments. Various identifiers have been established to facilitate the accurate and consistent management of music data across platforms and organizations. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the key identifiers used in the industry.

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International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)

The ISRC is the primary identifier for individual sound recordings (tracks) and music videos. It’s used internationally to distinguish one recording from another and remains unique even if the same track appears on multiple albums or platforms.

Key Features:

• Format: The ISRC consists of 12 characters, broken down into four parts:
  • Country Code (2 characters)
  • Registrant Code (3 characters)
  • Year of Reference (2 characters)
  • Designation Code (5 characters, unique to the recording)
• Use Case: ISRCs are crucial for tracking streams, downloads, and physical sales across various platforms, ensuring that artists, producers, and rights holders are paid appropriately.

Example:

USUM72000123

This ISRC tells us that the recording was registered in the U.S. (US), by a specific registrant (UM7), in the year 2020 (20), and is the 123rd unique recording by that registrant.

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International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC)

The ISWC is used to identify musical compositions, as distinct from sound recordings. Compositions can have multiple recordings, arrangements, or interpretations, and the ISWC ensures that the original work is properly recognized.

Key Features:

• Format: An ISWC is typically 11 characters long:
  • It starts with a letter (“T” for music works).
  • Followed by a 9-digit number, and a check digit at the end.
• Use Case: ISWCs are used by performing rights organizations (PROs) and music publishers to track performance royalties for songwriters and composers.

Example:

T-034.524.680-1

This code represents a specific composition and is used to ensure that the composer is compensated when the work is performed or reproduced.

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International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI)

The ISNI is a global standard for identifying the public identities of creators, including songwriters, composers, and performers. It helps to disambiguate people with similar names and ensures that each individual or organization involved in the creation or distribution of music is correctly credited.

Key Features:

• Format: ISNIs are 16 digits long and can be used for both individuals and organizations.
• Use Case: ISNIs are essential in databases, helping to clarify the identity of contributors across different countries, genres, and languages.

Example:

0000 0001 2281 955X

This ISNI uniquely identifies a specific artist or contributor to a musical work.

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Global Release Identifier (GRid)

The GRid is used to uniquely identify releases (such as albums, EPs, or singles) in the music industry. It helps with the identification of the release as a whole, rather than individual tracks or recordings.

Key Features:

• Format: The GRid is a 14-character alphanumeric string:
  • Example: A1B2C3D4E5F6G7
• Use Case: Used primarily by digital distributors and platforms to track and manage full releases.

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Entertainment Identifier Registry (EIDR)

The EIDR is primarily used in the film and television industry, but it’s increasingly being applied to music videos and other multimedia works. It provides a unique identifier for any audiovisual content, including music-related productions.

Key Features:

• Format: Similar to a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for research papers, an EIDR is a persistent identifier.
• Use Case: EIDR is useful for tracking music videos and other audiovisual assets, ensuring proper attribution and rights management.

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Catalog Numbers

A Catalog Number is often assigned by record labels to specific physical or digital releases. While not a standardized global identifier like ISRC or GRid, catalog numbers are widely used in the industry to keep track of inventory and differentiate between different editions or versions of a release (e.g., vinyl, CD, or digital formats).

Example:

ABC1234LP might refer to a specific vinyl release of an album, where “ABC” is the label code, and “1234LP” indicates the product and format.

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Universal Product Code (UPC)

The UPC is used mainly for physical product distribution, such as CDs or vinyl records. It is a barcode assigned to each product, helping retailers and distributors manage sales and inventory.

Key Features:

• Format: The UPC is a 12-digit number, typically encoded as a barcode.
• Use Case: It’s essential for physical retail sales, ensuring that a product can be scanned and tracked in stores.

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TLDR

These identifiers—ISRC, ISWC, ISNI, GRid, EIDR, catalog numbers, and UPCs—form the backbone of the music industry’s infrastructure, ensuring that music is properly tracked, credited, and monetized. Whether you’re an artist, producer, or rights holder, understanding these codes is crucial to navigating the complex world of music distribution and rights management.

By using these identifiers correctly, the industry can ensure that all contributors are recognized and compensated for their work, which ultimately supports a healthier and more sustainable music ecosystem.