What metadata do I need before releasing music?
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Metadata is the digital DNA of your music. Accurate metadata ensures you get paid, credited, and discovered by algorithmic playlists. Missing or incorrect data can lead to your release being rejected by stores or royalties being lost in 'black boxes.'
- 1.Organize all Primary/Featured Artist names and the final song/album titles exactly as they should appear on streaming platforms.
- 2.Collect the full legal names and PII/IPI numbers for all songwriters, lyricists, and producers to ensure correct royalty distribution.
- 3.Assign or generate ISRC codes for every individual track and a UPC for the overall release (single or album).
- 4.Determine the specific Genre and Sub-genre, and confirm the 'Release Date' and 'Original Release Date' if the track was previously issued.
- ×Ensure legal names are used for publishing credits, not stage names.
- ×Avoid using generic titles like 'Track 1' or 'Untitled' which often cause distribution errors.
- ×Double-check that your IPI number is 9 digits; this is different from your CAE or member ID.
Keep a 'Master Metadata Spreadsheet' or use a tool like Session Studio to store all legal names and IDs in one place before you ever open your distributor's upload page.
Based on AI training data — may not reflect current information.
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