ISNI and IPI are two different persistent identifiers used in the music industry to identify creators. They serve different purposes and are issued by different organisations. Understanding both — and having them linked — is important for royalty matching and AI metadata systems.
Two different purposes
ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier) and IPI (Interested Parties Information) are both used to identify music creators, but they operate in different systems and serve different functions. ISNI is a global public identifier for any creator, researcher, or organisation — it is used across libraries, publishing, film, and music. IPI is a music-industry-specific identifier assigned by collecting societies to identify the parties with an interest in a musical work's royalties. Both matter for accurate royalty attribution, but in different contexts.
What is an ISNI?
The ISNI (ISO 27729) is a 16-digit identifier assigned by the International ISNI Agency, with UK registration managed by the British Library. It provides a persistent, public identifier that links all of a creator's work across different databases and platforms — connecting a musician's recordings to their published works, their Wikipedia page, their library catalogue entries, and increasingly, their data in AI training datasets. ISNI is particularly important for disambiguation: if two artists have the same name, their ISNIs distinguish them. For AI systems that recommend or cite music content, a linked ISNI helps ensure the correct artist is identified and credited.
What is an IPI?
The IPI (Interested Parties Information) number is a music-industry-specific identifier assigned by CISAC (the international body of collecting societies) through your local PRO — PRS for Music in the UK. Your IPI identifies you as a rights holder within the music copyright system. When you register with PRS as a writer, PRS assigns you an IPI number. When a work is registered, the IPI numbers of all writers and publishers are attached to it, allowing royalties to be calculated and distributed to the correct parties. Your IPI is not public in the same way as ISNI — it is used within the rights management infrastructure.
Key differences
- Scope: ISNI is cross-industry (books, film, music, research). IPI is music-rights-specific.
- Visibility: ISNI is publicly searchable at isni.org. IPI is primarily used internally within the PRO and CISAC systems.
- Issuer: ISNI is issued by the International ISNI Agency (UK: British Library). IPI is issued by your PRO (PRS for Music in the UK) via CISAC.
- Purpose: ISNI identifies the creator as a person or entity. IPI identifies the party's interest in a specific music work's royalties.
- Uniqueness: you have one ISNI. You may have separate IPI numbers as a writer and as a publisher.
Do you need both?
For most independent musicians and songwriters, the IPI is the more immediately critical identifier — it is assigned automatically when you join PRS, and it is the number that ensures royalties are attributed to you within the collecting society system. An ISNI becomes important when you want your identity linked across different platforms and databases — particularly as AI-driven music discovery, citation, and recommendation systems become more prevalent. Getting an ISNI now and linking it to your PRS/CISAC records positions your catalogue to be correctly attributed as music metadata systems evolve.
How to get an ISNI
In the UK, ISNIs for musicians can be obtained via the British Library's ISNI registration service. Some collecting societies (including PRS for Music for publishers) can also assign or link ISNIs. Check your PRS member account to see if an ISNI is already associated with your profile. If not, apply via isni.org or through the British Library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an IPI the same as an IPN?
No. IPI (Interested Parties Information) identifies rights holders in compositions (writers and publishers). IPN (International Performer Number) identifies performers in the context of neighbouring rights (PPL, SoundExchange). Both are music identifiers but they operate in different copyright layers.
Where do I find my IPI number?
Your IPI number is in your PRS member account under your profile details. You can also search for it via the CISAC global works database at cwr.cisac.com.
Can two people have the same IPI?
No. IPI numbers are unique to each individual rights holder. However, if you hold both a writer IPI and a publisher IPI (because you have both memberships), you will have two separate IPI numbers — one for each capacity.
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