Metadata errors are one of the most common reasons royalties go unpaid, and most artists never know it is happening. Here are the five mistakes we see most often and how to fix them.
Why metadata errors are a royalty problem
Streaming platforms, collection societies, and broadcast systems all rely on metadata to identify your music and route payments to the correct rights holders. When that metadata is wrong, even by a single character, the identification chain breaks. A royalty is generated, it cannot be attributed, and it either sits in an unmatched pool or is distributed to someone else. The music industry loses an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars annually to metadata errors. A disproportionate share of that loss falls on independent artists.
Mistake 1: Releasing tracks without ISRC codes
The most fundamental metadata error is also the most common: releasing a recording without an ISRC code, or allowing a distributor to assign a generic or temporary code that is never properly registered. Without a correctly issued and registered ISRC, the track cannot be reliably identified by collection societies, meaning performance and neighbouring rights royalties cannot be attributed to you. Always confirm your ISRC codes with your distributor before release and register them with your relevant PRO and neighbouring rights society (PPL in the UK).
Mistake 2: Inconsistent artist name formatting
If your artist name appears as three different variants across your catalog, with different capitalisation, punctuation, or spelling, streaming platforms may not aggregate your streams into a single artist profile. Beyond the branding problem, inconsistent naming creates mismatches in society databases, which can prevent royalty collection. One canonical form of your name should appear identically on every release, every registration, and every society membership.
Mistake 3: Missing or incorrect writer and publisher splits
Co-written tracks require accurate split information to be registered with collection societies. If a song is registered with incomplete or disputed splits, even by the original author, PRS, ASCAP, and other societies will typically hold the royalty in suspense until the split is resolved. That resolution can take months or years. Getting splits agreed, documented, and correctly submitted before release prevents this problem entirely.
Mistake 4: Not registering works with international societies
Most independent artists register their compositions with their home PRO and assume reciprocal agreements handle the rest. In theory they do, but in practice, matching relies on the work being correctly registered with enough identifying information that the foreign society can cross-reference it against their domestic rights holder. Works with minimal metadata are frequently unmatched in international distributions. Explicit multi-territory registration through a publishing administrator closes this gap.
Mistake 5: Treating metadata as a one-time task
Metadata administration is ongoing, not a box to tick at release. New catalog additions need registering. Existing registrations need auditing against distribution reports. Platform data needs reconciling against society data. When catalog grows and releases accumulate, errors compound. A systematic approach, or a partner who handles it on your behalf, is the difference between a catalog that earns reliably and one that continuously leaks revenue.
How to audit your existing catalog
A basic audit involves cross-referencing your catalog against three data sources: your distributor's ISRC records, your PRO's works database, and your neighbouring rights society's recordings registry. Discrepancies between these three indicate where royalties may be misattributed or uncollected. For large or complex catalogs, this is where a metadata administration service becomes genuinely valuable.
If you suspect your catalog has metadata gaps, our free Catalog Assessment is a clear starting point; we will review your situation and tell you honestly what we find.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my streaming royalties not being paid to me?
One of the most common reasons is a metadata error. Streaming platforms, collection societies and broadcast systems rely on metadata to identify your music and route payments - when it is wrong, even by a single character, the royalty either sits in an unmatched pool or is distributed to someone else. The industry loses an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars annually this way, and a disproportionate share falls on independent artists.
Do I need an ISRC code for every track I release?
Yes. Without a correctly issued and registered ISRC, a recording cannot be reliably identified by collection societies, so performance and neighbouring rights royalties cannot be attributed to you. Confirm your ISRC codes with your distributor before release and register them with your PRO and neighbouring rights society (PPL in the UK).
Does my artist name need to be spelled the same on every release?
Yes - one canonical form of your name should appear identically on every release, every registration and every society membership. If your name varies in capitalisation, punctuation or spelling, streaming platforms may not aggregate your streams into a single profile, and mismatches in society databases can prevent royalty collection.
How do I check my music metadata for errors?
A basic audit cross-references your catalog against three data sources: your distributor's ISRC records, your PRO's works database, and your neighbouring rights society's recordings registry. Discrepancies between the three indicate where royalties may be misattributed or uncollected. If you suspect gaps, Code Group Music's free Catalog Assessment is a clear starting point.
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