Tracking royalties and important ISRC codes

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Tracking royalties and important ISRC codes - by John Vestman

Ready to be sure your royalties can get tracked properly? Here's the scoop - you need to get ISRC codes for each song. No problemo, lots of folks are doing it.

The ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is the international identification system for sound recordings and music videorecordings. Each ISRC is a unique and permanent identifier for a specific recording, to help identify recordings for royalty payments. It's assigned PER TRACK, not per CD. Remember a recording is different than a song - the code belongs to the specific recording of each song. Remixes, singles or soundtracks that differ in any way from a specific recording will need a separate code number.

ISRC codes can be gotten without special equipment or technological measures. No service charge. (Unlike the UPC Barcode.) Most digital-download stores require them and it's even possible that European radio requires them as well. Simply get on the stick and do it! When we master your project for you, be sure to discuss the approach we need to take for your codes.

How to get ISRC codes for your music
Contact the National ISRC Agency for your territory. An up to date, alphabetical list is available here. If there is no ISRC Agency in your territory, just email to obtain an ISRC from the International ISRC Agency.

Here's the homepage for the International Standard Recording Code
RIAA's informational page about ISRCs (excellent!)

If you run a record label with lots of projects, you may want to get your own ISRC registrant code, by downloading this PDF file, and faxing it to the RIAA.

...and you can read the whole handbook, or skim ahead...

Q) Does our company have to be a member of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) or my national music industry trade association in order to be eligible to assign ISRCs to our recordings?

No. The ISRC System is constructed so that any entity creating sound or music video recordings can issue ISRCs regardless of their membership of, or standing with, industry associations and other bodies.

What's in the actual code?

An ISRC is made up of four elements:
* ISO Country, e.g. GB for the UK, or US for the USA, DE for Germany, etc
* Registrant Code, a three alpha-numeric unique reference
* Year of Reference, the last two digits of the current year, e.g. '05' for 2005
* Designation Code, a five digit unique number, e.g. '00013'

The ISO Country Code and the Registrant Code are issued by the National Agencies or by the International ISRC Agency; the rest of the identifier is then allocated by the entity wishing to identify their sound or music video recordings.

Are the hyphens included when encoding an ISRC onto a CD?

No. The hyphens are only used when the ISRC Code is visually presented. Check out Section 3.5.1. More detailed information about ISRC implementation in software can be found in the ISRC Handbook, Section 4.10

Our company has just acquired the rights to a recording that already has an ISRC. Do we have to apply for a new ISRC for this recording?

No. The ISRC remains the same, regardless of changed ownership. The first owner of the rights to a recording normally assigns an ISRC. Once assigned that ISRC identifies the recording throughout its life. Changes in ownership do not affect the ISRC. However if changes are made to the recording that involve new artistic input and these affect the rights associated with that recording, and it is re-issued, the new owner must assign a new ISRC, using their Registrant Code.

What sorts of changes to an existing recording that already has an ISRC require a new ISRC?

These are some of the modifications to a recording that would require the allocation of a new ISRC:

* Restoration of historical recordings
* Changes in playing time
* Remixes/edits
* Compilations

More detailed information can be found in the ISRC Handbook Section 4.9

Our company uses an in-house code for identifying our sound and music video recordings. We then use this in the desgination code of the ISRC. Sometimes an in-house code may apply to two versions of the same recording because we have remastered some of our backstock for re-issue. Can we use the same ISRC for the new remastered version?

No. Re-use of an ISRC that has already been allocated to another recording or to another version of a recording is not permitted in order to guarantee the unique and unambiguous identification provided by an ISRC. A new ISRC should be assigned whenever a recording has been re-issued in a revised or re-mastered form, even if both items have the same in-house code.

If a recording has been issued without an ISRC, can it be assigned one retroactively?

Yes. Recordings, which have not been assigned an ISRC, should be provided with one before it is re-released. If the recording has changed ownership, and did not have an ISRC originally and is being released unchanged by the current rights holder, the Registrant Code should be that of the current rights holder. The Year of Reference should be the year of allocation of the new ISRC.

Our artist plans to issue both sound and music video recordings. Do both types of product get an ISRC?

Yes. As well as using the ISRC to identify sound recordings and music video recordings, ISRC may be used to identify associated audio and audiovisual material, more detailed information can be found in the ISRC Handbook - Section 4.4 and Section 4.5

Does the ISRC System distinguish between sound and music video recordings released by the same company?

As national legislation often differentiates between the administrations of rights in sound recordings and in music video recordings (for instance as phonograms or videograms), it is recommended that the procedures for assigning ISRC include a means of distinguishing between audio and audiovisual formats in order to facilitate rights management.

It is left to the discretion of the National ISRC Agencies to decide the appropriate method of administering this distinction, more detailed information is available in the ISRC Handbook - Section 3.6

Which part of our company should be responsible for issuing ISRCs to our releases?

The head honcho... the record company.... the main dude or dudette... whoever's in charge, but ultimately it's up to YOU to be sure it gets done....! Be sure you get it right. It is important that ISRCs are actually encoded into appropriate digital products. And since ISRCs are normally allocated at the point prior to the preparation of the final production Pre-Master it is recommended that the responsibility for assigning ISRCs is linked to the area responsible for this process.

What happens when an ISRC is assigned to the wrong item? How can the problem be solved? Can we re-use the ISRC on the item for which it was originally intended?

Once set up, an ISRC must not be re-used under any circumstances, more detailed information is available in the ISRC Handbook - Section 4.1.3

Can ISRCs be applied to promotional material?

Yes, ISRCs can be applied to promotional material such as 30-second clips and hidden tracks particularly if at any time in the future the asset may be separately exploited- this does not necessarily imply monetary value. More detailed information is available in the ISRC Handbook, please see Section 4.1.2 & Section 4.9.3

How are Classical recordings identified using an ISRC?

In classical music, the performers often vary from movement to movement (consider for example Handel's Messiah) and increasingly the individual movements are being broadcast separately. Because the rights often vary from movement to movement, it is recommended that separate ISRCs be allocated to each part (e.g. track) of a composite recording as well as an overall ISRC to the recording as a whole. More detailed information is available in the ISRC Handbook - Section 4.9.11.

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John Vestman is a veteran mastering engineer with over 26 years in the industry. His credits include: Hole (Courtney Love), Juice Newton, Ambrosia, Andre Crouch, The Wynans, Great White, Candyman, Billy Davis Jr./Marilyn McCoo and more. John Vestman Mastering is located in Orange County, California, and his web site http://johnvestman.com offers over 40 pages of information about successful studio recording techniques and sound philosophy.

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