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

METADATA (ISRC, UPC, ISWC)

The identifiers that route money and credits: recordings get ISRCs, releases get UPCs, compositions get ISWCs.

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.

Key takeaways

The identifiers that route money and credits: recordings get ISRCs, releases get UPCs, compositions get ISWCs.
Together they connect streams and sales to the right recording, the right release and the right writers.
Embed the ISRC before delivery so play counts on a re-release aggregate against the same recording.
Watch out: issuing a new ISRC for the same recording on a later release.
Sits under midi, formats and standards in this glossary, with 2 primary sources below.

Quick checklist

Can you define metadata (isrc, upc, iswc) in one sentence without looking?
Can you point at metadata (isrc, upc, iswc) 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?

METADATA (ISRC, UPC, ISWC) IN DEPTH

ISRC identifies a specific recording, UPC identifies a release as a product, and ISWC identifies the underlying composition. Together they connect streams and sales to the right recording, the right release and the right writers.

How it works in practice

Embed the ISRC before delivery so play counts on a re-release aggregate against the same recording.

The mistake people make

Issuing a new ISRC for the same recording on a later release. It splits the streaming history in reporting systems.

WHERE METADATA (ISRC, UPC, ISWC) SITS

Metadata (ISRC, UPC, ISWC) belongs to midi, formats and standards in the Sampled music glossary. The plumbing — the specs your gear, files and delivery pipeline agree on.

TERMS THAT DEPEND ON METADATA (ISRC, UPC, ISWC)

Broadcast WAV (BWF)
A WAV file with an embedded metadata chunk carrying timecode, originator and coding history. The standard delivery format for post.

TEST YOURSELF

0/3 answered · 0 correct

3 quick questions on metadata (isrc, upc, iswc). Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

1. Which statement best describes metadata (isrc, upc, iswc)?
2. What is the mistake people most often make with metadata (isrc, upc, iswc)?
3. In practice, which of these applies to metadata (isrc, upc, iswc)?

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 metadata (isrc, upc, iswc) — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

IFPI — ISRC handbook (opens in a new tab)
Primary reference · isrc.ifpi.org
“The identifiers that route money and credits: recordings get ISRCs, releases get UPCs, compositions get ISWCs.”— 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.
CISAC — ISWC (opens in a new tab)
Primary reference · iswc.org
“ISRC identifies a specific recording, UPC identifies a release as a product, and ISWC identifies the underlying composition.”— 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.

RELATED TERMS IN MIDI, FORMATS AND STANDARDS

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