<aside> 🏷️

TL;DR: The music industry runs on standardized identifiers — codes that uniquely identify songs, recordings, releases, and people. Knowing what these are, who issues them, and when you need them separates amateurs from professionals.

</aside>

flowchart LR
    subgraph Person["👤 Person"]
        IPI["IPI: 123456789"]
    end
    
    subgraph Work["📓 Composition"]
        ISWC["ISWC: T-123456789-C"]
    end
    
    subgraph Master["🔊 Recording"]
        ISRC["ISRC: USRC17607839"]
    end
    
    subgraph Product["💽 Release"]
        UPC["UPC: 012345678901"]
    end
    
    IPI --> |"wrote"| ISWC
    ISWC --> |"recorded as"| ISRC
    ISRC --> |"packaged in"| UPC
    
    classDef person fill:#f3f4f6,stroke:#6b7280,color:#1f2937
    classDef comp fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#d97706,color:#78350f
    classDef rec fill:#ede9fe,stroke:#7c3aed,color:#4c1d95
    classDef rel fill:#d1fae5,stroke:#059669,color:#064e3b
    
    class IPI person
    class ISWC comp
    class ISRC rec
    class UPC rel

Why identifiers matter

Imagine two songs both called "Yesterday." Without a unique identifier, how does Spotify know which one to pay royalties for? How does your PRO know which "Yesterday" you wrote?

Identifiers solve this. They're the industry's way of saying "this specific thing" without ambiguity.

The identifiers you need to know

ISWC — International Standard Musical Work Code

<aside> 📓

What it identifies: A composition (the underlying song)

Format: T-123456789-C (always starts with T)

Who issues it: Your PRO or publisher (via CISAC)

When you need it: After registering with your PRO (assigned automatically)

Key point: All recordings of the same composition share one ISWC. The original, covers, and remixes all reference the same underlying work.

</aside>

ISRC — International Standard Recording Code

<aside> 🔊

What it identifies: A specific recording (the master)

Format: CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN (e.g., USRC17607839)

Who issues it: Your distributor, label, or you (via your national ISRC agency)

When you need it: Before distributing to DSPs

Key point: Different versions of the same song get different ISRCs. The studio version, acoustic version, and remix each have their own ISRC.

</aside>

UPC/EAN — Universal Product Code

<aside> 💽

What it identifies: A release (album, EP, single)

Format: 12-13 digit barcode number

Who issues it: Your distributor or label

When you need it: Before distributing a release

Key point: Each release gets one UPC. A single, its parent album, and a deluxe edition each have different UPCs — even if they contain the same recordings.

</aside>

IPI/IPN — Interested Party Information

<aside> 👤

What it identifies: A person or entity (songwriter, publisher)

Format: 9-11 digit number

Who issues it: CISAC (via your PRO when you register)

When you need it: For PRO registrations and royalty tracking

Key point: Your IPI follows you across all your works. It's how societies worldwide identify you as a rights holder.

</aside>

How these connect

You (IPI: 123456789)
  └── wrote Composition (ISWC: T-123456789-C)
        └── recorded as Recording (ISRC: USRC17607839)
              └── packaged as product for Release (UPC: 012345678901)

Each level has its own identifier. Together, they create an unambiguous chain from you to your distributed music.

When you need what

Industry standards (not identifiers, but important)