SAMPLED

MIDI, formats and standards · updated 2026-08-16

DDEX

The messaging standards distributors, labels and DSPs use to exchange release and royalty data.

MIDI DIN in/out connectors on an RME audio interface card — the physical ports behind the MIDI, interface and I/O terms in this section.
MIDI, formats and standards — MIDI DIN in/out connectors on an RME audio interface card — the physical ports behind the MIDI, interface and I/O terms in this section.

Photo: RME Hammerfall DSP 9652 MIDI connectors (opens in a new tab) by Dan Lynch (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab)

Key takeaways

  • The messaging standards distributors, labels and DSPs use to exchange release and royalty data.
  • ERN messages deliver releases; DSR messages report back usage.
  • When a distributor asks for exact contributor roles, it is because DDEX defines them and services reject anything outside the list.
  • Watch out: treating credit fields as free text.
  • Sits under midi, formats and standards in this glossary, with 2 primary sources below.

Quick checklist

  • Can you define ddex in one sentence without looking?
  • Can you point at ddex in a real session, mix or contract?
  • Have you tried the practical move above at least once?
  • Would you catch the common mistake before it costs you a take?
  • Have you opened one of the primary sources below rather than a forum thread?

DDEX IN DEPTH

DDEX is the family of standards the industry uses to exchange release data and reporting between labels, distributors and streaming services. ERN messages deliver releases; DSR messages report back usage.

How it works in practice

When a distributor asks for exact contributor roles, it is because DDEX defines them and services reject anything outside the list.

The mistake people make

Treating credit fields as free text. Non-standard role names get dropped or rejected somewhere in the chain.

WHERE DDEX SITS

DDEX belongs to midi, formats and standards in the Sampled music glossary. The plumbing — the specs your gear, files and delivery pipeline agree on.

TEST YOURSELF

0/3 answered · 0 correct

3 quick questions on ddex. Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

  1. 1. Which statement best describes ddex?

  2. 2. What is the mistake people most often make with ddex?

  3. 3. In practice, which of these applies to ddex?

Ready for the full thing? Take the 25-question terminology test and get a certificate with your name and score.

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for ddex — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

  • DDEX standards (opens in a new tab)

    Primary reference · ddex.net

    “The messaging standards distributors, labels and DSPs use to exchange release and royalty data.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: Published by the organisation responsible for the thing being defined, so it is a first-hand source rather than a summary of one.

  • DDEX knowledge base (opens in a new tab)

    Primary reference · kb.ddex.net

    “DDEX is the family of standards the industry uses to exchange release data and reporting between labels, distributors and streaming services.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: Published by the organisation responsible for the thing being defined, so it is a first-hand source rather than a summary of one.

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