Royalties... ISWC??? and IRSC???

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Royalties & the role of an ISWC and ISRC.

ISWC stands for International Standard Musical Work Code. It Identifies a musical composition (the underlying song or piece of music), not any recordings thereafter.

-  Unique to each musical work

- Assigned by a national ISWC agency

- Contains information about the country, registrant, and work identifier. 

When a musical work is performed, broadcast, or used in any way that generates royalties, the ISWC ensures that the correct rights holders are identified and paid accordingly.   While the ISWC itself doesn't provide copyright protection, it aids in identifying the copyrighted work and its owners, assisting in copyright enforcement.

ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. It's a unique identifier for a specific recording (like a song or music video).  Basically, an ISRC ensures a recording is properly tracked, which is crucial for identifying your music across different platforms:

- Unique to each recording

- Assigned by a national ISRC agency

- Contains information about the country, registrant, year, and unique recording identifier.

The 12-character identifier

An ISRC is a unique 12-character identifier for a specific sound recording. It's broken down into four parts (CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN).

- CC: Two-letter country code (e.g., US, UK, FR). This changes if the recording is made in a different country.

- XXX: Registrant code assigned to the rights holder (can be alphanumeric). This identifies the specific rights holder (record label, independent artist, etc.) and remains constant for that entity.

- YY: Year of recording. This indicates the year the recording was made. If a recording is reissued or remastered in a different year, it will have a different ISRC.

- NNNNN: Serial number assigned by the rights holder. This is assigned sequentially by the rights holder for each new recording.

Example: ISRC US-XYZ-12-00001

- US: Country code (United States)

- XYZ: Registrant code (specific record label)

- 12: Year of recording (2012)

- 00001: Serial number assigned to the recording

Embedding an ISRC simply means adding it to the meta data of your recorded audio or video file. This ensures that the code is associated with the correct recording.

- It helps identify your recording for royalty payments, sales, and streaming data.

- It prevents confusion with other recordings.

- Many platforms require ISRCs for uploading and distribution.

In summary, a unique ISRC is assigned to each unique recording of a song (e.g., a specific performance by an artist), whilst the ISWC is assigned for the composition itself (the underlying melody, lyrics, and harmony).

Example: A popular song like "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen would have one ISWC for the composition written by Freddie Mercury, and multiple ISRCs for different recordings (e.g., the original recording, a cover version, a live performance).  When a recording is played publicly, the ISRC can be automatically detected and used to identify the rights holders for royalty payments.

Both ISRCs and ISWCs are crucial for tracking and managing music rights. They help to ensure that songwriters, composers, and recording artists are properly compensated for their work.


ISWCs are assigned by national ISWC agencies. These agencies are typically associated with copyright offices or collecting societies in different countries...

  1. Identify your national ISWC agency: This will depend on your country of residence or the country where you claim copyright.
  2. Contact the agency: Reach out to the agency to inquire about the process of obtaining an ISWC. They will provide specific instructions and requirements.
  3. Provide necessary information: You will likely need to provide details about the musical work, such as the title, composer, and copyright owner.
  4. Pay the required fee: Most ISWC agencies charge a fee for assigning an ISWC.
  5. Await assignment: Once your application is processed, the agency will assign a unique ISWC to your musical work.

Important Considerations:

  • Timing: It's generally recommended to obtain an ISWC as soon as possible after creating the musical work to protect your copyright.
  • Multiple ISWCs: If you have multiple versions or arrangements of a song, each version might require a separate ISWC.
  • Collecting societies: Some collecting societies offer ISWC registration as part of their services.

Note: The specific procedures and requirements for obtaining an ISWC can vary between countries. It's essential to contact your national ISWC agency for accurate and up-to-date information.

Steps to Purchase and Embed an ISRC

  1. You can purchase ISRCs from various ISRC agencies. They will provide you with a set of unique codes for your recordings.

  2. Some digital distribution platforms offer ISRC purchase as part of their services.

  3. You can manually embed ISRCs into your audio or video files using software like Sonoris ISRC Editor: For WAV file or MP3tag: For MP3 files

  4. Some audio mastering or production studios can embed ISRCs for you.

  5. Many digital distributors offer ISRC embedding as part of their upload process.

  6. An ISRC is a digital fingerprint for a recording of a specific mix, or performance of the musical works.


Important Considerations

  • Ensure the ISRC code is correctly associated with the corresponding audio or video file.
  • ISRCs should be embedded in a specific format.
  • Follow relevant metadata standards (e.g., ID3, MPEG-4) for embedding ISRCs
  • Helps identify your music correctly on various platforms.
  • Ensures accurate royalty payments.
  • Improves overall metadata management.

Additional Tips

  • Double-check the embedded ISRCs to avoid errors.
  • Consider using a digital distributor that handles ISRC management for you.
  • You can manually embed ISRCs into your audio or video files using software like Sonoris ISRC Editor: For WAV filrs or MP3tag: For MP3 files
  • Some audio mastering or production studios can embed ISRCs for you.
  • Many digital distributors offer ISRC embedding as part of their upload process.
  • Ensure the ISRC code is correctly associated with the corresponding audio or video file.
  •  Follow relevant metadata standards (e.g., ID3, MPEG-4) for embedding ISRCs.
  • If you have different versions of a song (e.g., radio edit, album version), each version requires a unique ISRC.
  • Consider using a digital distributor that handles ISRC management for you.

By using ISWC and ISRC, the music industry can efficiently manage the complex world of music rights and ensure fair compensation for creators.

UK REGISTRATION

For an IRSC?...See PPL

For an ISCW?...See PRS for Music; which is the primary organization responsible for assigning ISWCs in the UK. 

PPL ID & UK Music Recording

Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) is a UK-based organization that collects and distributes royalties for record companies and performers when their recorded music is played publicly. While PPL doesn't directly influence the recording process itself, it plays a crucial role in ensuring that those involved in creating music are fairly compensated for their work.

Every unique recording, even different versions or mixes of the same song, requires a separate ISRC,and record labels and performers need to register their recordings with PPL. This involves providing details about the recording, including the ISRC, performers, and rights holders.

Royalty Collection

When a recorded song is played on radio, TV, in public places, or online, PPL collects royalties on behalf of the record label and performers. The collected royalties are then distributed to the registered rights holders based on the usage data. In essence, the PPL ID system, primarily through the ISRC, acts as a digital fingerprint for a recording, allowing it to be tracked and monetized effectively.

PRS for Music

While PPL focuses on the public performance of recorded music, other organizations like PRS for Music, deal with the copyright of the musical composition itself (songwriting). They are a collective management organization representing the rights of composers, songwriters, and music publishers.




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