ISRC
ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is the globally recognised identifier for sound recordings and music videos, used by DSPs and rights organisations to track streams, sales, and royalty payments.
The International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is a unique identifier for sound recordings and music video recordings.
ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a permanent, 12-character identifier for a specific sound recording or music video, formatted as CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN:
- CC – Country code of the issuing agency
- XXX – Registrant code (assigned to the label/issuer)
- YY – Year of registration
- NNNNN – Unique sequential number for that recording
Each distinct recording (e.g., different mixes, live versions, remasters) must have its own ISRC, even if the underlying song is the same. ISRCs are used across the digital music ecosystem—by DSPs (like Spotify), PROs, mechanical licensing agencies, and distributors—to track usage and route royalties to the correct recording and rights holders.
Incorrect or missing ISRCs frequently cause royalty mismatches and contribute to "black box" royalty pools where income cannot be properly attributed.
National ISRC agencies (e.g., RIAA in the US, PPL in the UK) authorize registrants and assign registrant codes. Many distributors and aggregators, including melabel, automatically generate ISRCs for tracks during release submission. Artists can also obtain their own registrant code from their national agency to self-issue ISRCs and retain direct control over their code space.
A crucial feature of ISRCs is permanence: once assigned, an ISRC stays with that specific recording for its entire life, regardless of re-releases, label changes, or platform changes. This continuity preserves the recording’s rights and royalty history.
melabel integrates ISRC assignment into its release creation workflow so that every track is properly coded before delivery to DSPs and registration with collection societies.