PMApub / Academy lessons / Module 1

Essential Metadata for Releases

By PMApub Academy · Last reviewed 2026-10-13 · About 6 min read

Why metadata matters for getting paid

Royalty systems depend on matching. A streaming service reports a play of a recording. A society or collection organization then has to connect that play to a composition and to the people who wrote it. If the names do not match, the code is missing, or the percentages do not add up, that connection can fail and the money may go unmatched.

Unmatched money is sometimes called the "black box." It does not vanish immediately, but recovering it can be slow and is never guaranteed. Clean metadata at the start prevents most of these problems far more easily than fixing them later.

Use legal names for songwriters

Your stage name is how fans know you. Your legal name is how collection organizations identify you. When you list songwriters, use full legal names rather than stage names or aliases, and spell them the same way every time. PROs register writers by legal name and match works against that registration.

Consider a collaborator whose stage name is Kay Rivers but whose legal name is Katherine Rivera-Lopez. If the release lists "Kay Rivers" as a writer, a PRO may not connect it to her registered account. A small mismatch like that can delay or misdirect her share. Keep a list of legal names, and ask each collaborator to confirm spelling and their PRO affiliation.

ISRC: one code for every recording

An ISRC, or International Standard Recording Code, is a 12-character identifier assigned to an individual sound recording. It identifies the master. The same recording keeps the same ISRC wherever it appears, including on a single, an album, and a compilation, which lets platforms and collection organizations track it consistently.

Different versions generally need different codes. A radio edit, an instrumental, and a remix are distinct recordings, so each normally gets its own ISRC. Most distributors can generate ISRCs for you, or you can use ones you already hold. Whichever route you take, record the code next to the song title in your catalog sheet so you can always find it.

UPC: one code for the whole product

A UPC, or Universal Product Code, identifies the release as a product: a single, an EP, or an album. Think of the ISRC as the code for a track and the UPC as the code for the package the track is sold in. A three-song EP has one UPC and three ISRCs.

Your distributor will typically assign a UPC when you create a release. Keep it on file, because you may need it when fixing store listings or matching reports.

Publishing splits: who owns what percentage

Publishing splits describe how ownership of the composition is divided among the songwriters and publishers. They should add up to exactly 100 percent. If Maya wrote the lyrics and melody alone, she has 100 percent. If she wrote with a co-writer on equal terms, each has 50 percent.

Do not leave this for after release. Agree on splits in writing, sign or confirm them by email at minimum, and then enter the same numbers wherever you register the song. Disagreements are much easier to settle when everyone remembers the session and the song has not yet earned anything. For binding terms, a music attorney can draft or review a split agreement.

Cover art and other release details

Artwork is part of the delivery package. Most stores require a square image, and 3000 by 3000 pixels is a commonly requested size, though you should confirm the current requirement with your distributor. The PMApub platform includes an AI cover art generator that can help you produce artwork in a compliant format so that design does not delay a release. As with any tool, review the output and make sure you have the rights to use it as you intend.

Other details worth preparing include the exact release title, primary and featured artist names, genre, language, release date, explicit content flag, and any credits you want shown.

Your pre-release metadata checklist

1. Confirm the song and release titles, with consistent capitalization.
2. Collect legal names and PRO details for every songwriter.
3. Agree and record publishing splits that total 100 percent.
4. Record the ISRC for each track and the UPC for the release.
5. Prepare compliant artwork and double check spelling on it.
6. Note who owns the master and any agreements about it.
7. Save a copy of everything, with the date, in one folder.

If anything about ownership or contracts is unclear, a qualified music attorney can advise on your situation.

For labels, managers, and teams

Metadata errors multiply at label scale. One misspelled songwriter name on a single is a nuisance; the same error repeated across a catalog becomes a pattern of lost or misdirected money.

Build a single source of truth. A shared catalog sheet should hold, for every track, the exact title, version, legal names of all writers, splits, publisher or administrator, master owner, ISRC, the UPC of each release it appears on, and the date and place of each registration. Make one person responsible for approving changes, and require that every release is checked against the sheet before delivery.

Standardize your habits. Decide how your team writes featured artists, remix versions, and punctuation, and apply it every time. Collect legal names, PRO affiliations, and contact details from each writer at signing, not at release. Ask collaborators to confirm their splits in writing, and store the confirmation with the sheet.

Plan for reconciliation. When statements arrive from distributors, PROs, and The MLC, compare them with your sheet. Unmatched or missing items are your signal that metadata or registration needs correction. Keep a log of what you fixed and when.

Finally, protect your records. Back up the sheet, limit who can edit it, and keep earlier versions. If you are ever audited, sold, or asked to prove ownership for a license, a clean, dated trail is worth far more than memory. For ownership or contract questions, consult a qualified music attorney.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using stage names instead of legal names when listing songwriters, which can stop a PRO from matching a work to its writer.
• Letting splits total more or less than 100 percent.
• Leaving splits to be settled after release.
• Reusing one ISRC for different versions, such as a remix or radio edit.
• Giving a new ISRC to the same recording each time it appears on a new release.
• Treating the UPC as a track code or the ISRC as a product code.
• Spelling a title differently in a distributor delivery than in a PRO or MLC registration.
• Not keeping a dated copy of everything sent to stores and organizations.

Action checklist

1. Confirm the exact title and version for every track.
2. Collect legal names and PRO affiliations from every writer.
3. Agree each writer's percentage and confirm that the total is 100.
4. Get the split confirmation in writing before release.
5. Record the ISRC next to each track and the UPC next to each release.
6. Confirm that the same recording keeps the same ISRC on every release.
7. Prepare square artwork at the size your distributor requires and proofread it.
8. Enter the same data in your PRO and The MLC registrations.
9. Save a dated copy of everything in one folder.
10. Review your first statements to check that the right writers were matched.

Key terms

• Metadata: Information that identifies and describes a recording, release, and the people and rights behind it.
• ISRC: International Standard Recording Code, a 12-character identifier for one sound recording that stays with that recording across releases.
• UPC: Universal Product Code, a barcode-style identifier for a release as a product.
• Black box: A common term for royalties that cannot be matched to an owner, usually because of missing or conflicting data.
• Publishing split: The percentage of a composition owned by each writer or publisher; the shares should total 100 percent.
• Legal name: The name on a person's official identification, used by PROs to identify and register writers.
• PRO affiliation: The performing rights organization a writer belongs to.
• Featured artist: An artist credited as performing on a track alongside the primary artist.
• Version: A distinct form of a recording, such as an edit, remix, or instrumental, which is usually a separate recording.
• Registration: Entering a song or recording into an organization's database so royalties can be matched and paid.