A music metadata check catches ISRC errors, missing credits, and distributor mismatches before they cost you royalties. Running one before every release takes minutes and prevents problems that can take months to fix after the fact.
What a metadata check covers
A metadata check is a review of the information attached to a release at every level: the recording (track-level), the release (album or EP-level), and the rights registration (PRO and distributor-level). At a minimum it should cover:
- ISRC codes: present, correctly formatted, and unique per recording.
- UPC/EAN barcode: present for the release as a whole.
- Track titles: consistent across all delivery formats (WAV, MP3, distributor metadata form).
- Writer and publisher credits: all contributors listed with correct IPI numbers.
- Composer/lyricist split: percentages add to 100% and match the publishing agreement.
- Recording artist name: spelled exactly as it will appear on DSPs, matching the artist profile already established.
- Genre and sub-genre tags: correctly set for DSP editorial matching.
- Release date and label name: present and accurate.
Why metadata errors cost you royalties
Royalty collection relies on matching: a usage event (a stream, a broadcast, a sync) is reported with metadata attached. If that metadata does not match the registered work at PRS, the ISRC at SoundExchange, or the recording at PPL, the royalty goes unmatched. Unmatched royalties sit in a holding pool and are eventually redistributed to other rights holders - typically within two to three years of the usage event. The most common metadata errors that trigger this:
- ISRC not registered with the issuing distributor or recording society.
- Track title on the distributor platform differs from the PRS registered title (featuring credits formatted differently, subtitle omitted).
- Writer not registered with a PRO, so their IPI number is missing from the reporting chain.
- Multiple ISRCs assigned to the same recording by different distributors - happens when a track is re-delivered without preserving the original ISRC.
How to run a metadata check before release
Follow this sequence before every new release submission:
- Check that each track has an ISRC. If your distributor assigns ISRCs, confirm they have done so before the release goes live. If you own your ISRCs (via PPL or a registered ISRC manager), embed them in the audio file's BWF/AXML chunk.
- Cross-reference track titles against your PRS work registrations. The title in PRS must match the delivered title exactly, including featuring credits.
- Verify writer splits add to 100% and that every writer has an IPI number. Missing IPIs mean the writer's share may not be assigned during royalty distribution.
- Confirm the label name on the release matches your PPL recording label registration.
- Check the release against your distributor's metadata style guide - each DSP has slightly different requirements for capitalisation, featuring credit format, and explicit content flags.
Running a check on existing releases
For releases already live, a retrospective metadata check compares what is on the DSPs against what is registered at PRS, PPL, and your distributor. The most common issues found on back catalog:
- Tracks delivered with placeholder metadata (Track 1, Artist Name TBC) that were never updated.
- ISRC assigned by a distributor the artist has since left, with no mechanism to port the ISRC to a new delivery.
- Works registered at PRS without the corresponding ISRC link, breaking the chain between the composition royalty and the recording royalty.
- Publisher assignments in PRS not matching the current publishing administration agreement.
Code Group Music runs metadata audits as part of the catalog assessment process - identifying registration gaps, ISRC conflicts, and unmatched royalties across your full catalog. Start at codegroupmusic.co.uk/#catalog-assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What metadata do music distributors require?
Most distributors require: track title, primary artist, featuring artists (if applicable), ISRC, UPC/EAN barcode, release date, label name, genre, and cover art meeting their spec. Some also require writer and publisher information for publishing royalty passthrough. Check your specific distributor's submission guide for the complete field list.
How do I check my metadata on Spotify?
Log into Spotify for Artists and navigate to your catalog. Click on any track to see the metadata Spotify has on file. Compare this against your distributor's submission data and your PRS registration. Discrepancies in title or ISRC are the most common issues. To correct errors, submit a metadata update through your distributor - Spotify pulls metadata from the distributor, not directly from rights holders.
What happens if my metadata is wrong after release?
Incorrect metadata after release can cause royalty mismatches, incorrect chart credits, and DSP catalogue errors. To fix it, submit a metadata correction through your distributor. PRS and PPL corrections are made via their member portals. Changes typically take 2 to 6 weeks to propagate across all DSPs. The sooner you catch and fix errors, the smaller the royalty gap.
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