Music identification codes are an important part of professional music distribution, publishing, rights management, and royalty administration. Two identifiers that are often confused are the ISRC and ISWC.
Although both help identify music, they identify different things. Understanding the difference can help artists, songwriters, publishers, labels, and distributors maintain accurate music metadata.
What Is an ISRC?
ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code.
An ISRC identifies a specific sound recording. In simple terms, it identifies a particular recorded version of a song.
For example, if an artist records a song in a studio, that particular recording can have its own ISRC.
A different recording, remix, or other eligible version may have a different ISRC.
What Is an ISWC?
ISWC stands for International Standard Musical Work Code.
An ISWC identifies the underlying musical composition, rather than a particular recording.
The composition may contain the lyrics and musical elements created by the songwriter or composer.
A single composition can therefore be associated with multiple sound recordings, and each recording can have its own ISRC.
ISRC vs. ISWC
The easiest way to understand the difference is:
ISRC = the recording
ISWC = the composition
For example, imagine a songwriter writes a song and three different artists record their own versions.
The underlying composition can have an ISWC, while each eligible recording can have its own ISRC.
Why Is the ISRC Important?
ISRC information is important in digital distribution and recording identification.
It can help platforms, distributors, labels, rights administrators, and other industry participants identify a specific recording and associate usage information with the correct recording.
Accurate ISRC metadata can also help reduce confusion when different versions of a recording exist.
Why Is the ISWC Important?
The ISWC is connected to the musical composition.
This makes it particularly relevant to publishing and composition rights administration.
When a composition is registered and used, accurate information about the work and its writers and publishers can help rights organizations and administrators identify the appropriate rights holders.
Can One Song Have Both?
Yes.
A musical work can have an ISWC associated with the composition and an ISRC associated with a particular sound recording.
This is because the composition and the recording are separate rights concepts.
Understanding this distinction is important when preparing music for distribution and publishing administration.
Why Accurate Metadata Matters
Identification codes are only one part of music metadata.
A professional music record may also contain:
- Song title
- Artist name
- Songwriter names
- Composer information
- Publisher information
- Ownership shares
- Release date
- Recording information
- Genre
- Language
- UPC
- ISRC
- ISWC
Keeping this information consistent can make rights administration easier and help reduce errors.
Common Metadata Mistakes
Some common problems include entering incorrect writer names, using inconsistent song titles, failing to document ownership splits, or confusing a recording identifier with a composition identifier.
Creators and rights holders should review their metadata carefully before submitting music for distribution or registration.
Conclusion
ISRC and ISWC serve different purposes within the music industry.
The ISRC identifies a sound recording, while the ISWC identifies the underlying musical composition.
Understanding the difference helps artists, songwriters, publishers, labels, and distributors maintain accurate records and manage music rights more effectively