Metadata for musiciansMonday: setting up a release

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Presented at Future of Music Policy Summit October 27-28, 2014 | Washington, DC

In the studioStudio and recording session details

Composer/songwriter details

Recording artist details

Session player details

Song data tracking sheet

Preparation for masteringWhat mastering engineer will need

IRSC codes

UPC barcodes

Mastering dashboardUS IRSC

Agreements, licenses

ISWC codes

Prepare for release

Bio/one sheet

Submit works to PRO

Type out lyrics

Artwork and album credits

SoundScan, Mediabase, BDS

Gracenote instructions

BMI dashboard

SoundScan title reg Mediabase BDS

SX dashboardSoundExchange

GS1

CD Baby

ISRC + barcodes

ASCAP ACE

SX data

Submit bio/info to Rovi Rovi instructions

Register your copyrights US Copyright Office

Data, artwork, music to aggregator

*

Data aggregators need

Music Biz Metadata Standards Guide

Naxos release pages

Data list CubeTriangle Schema

Click on any title below to go to that slide

In the studioSTUDIO AND RECORDING SESSION DETAILS

Studio name(s)

Date(s) of recording session

Location (city, country) of recording studio(s)

Personnel working on the sessionExecutive producerProducerEngineer(s)

ArrangerConductorRemixer

MixingMastering

Do any producers have deal points? Table of contents

In the studioCOMPOSER/SONGWRITER DETAILS FOR EACH TRACK

Names of songwriters/composers

What they wrote (music, beats, lyrics)

What % of credit they get for their contribution (aka splits)

Name of each songwriter’s publishing company

Which PRO they belong to (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, other)

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In the studioRECORDING ARTIST DETAILS FOR EACH TRACK

Names of featured artists/performers

What they performed or instrument they played

What % of credit they get for their contribution (aka splits)

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In the studioSESSION PLAYER/FREELANCERS FOR EACH TRACK

Names of any session players/session vocalists/freelancers

What they performed or instrument they played

Whether they belong to a union (AFM or SAG-AFTRA), and their membership #

Whether this recording session is a union session

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In the studioLICENSES, PERMISSIONS and AGREEMENTS

Did you record any covers?

Did you use any samples?

Various agreements

• Intra-band agreement that spells out creator splits• Producer agreement• Side artists’ agreements

Table of contents

Song data tracking workbook from Music Business Toolbox

This template and related pre-release checklists will be available in early 2015.

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Preparation for mastering

ISRC codes for each track

UPC barcode for the assembled product

Mastering engineer will need text-based data:Album titleSong titlesPerformers

Mastering engineer would also like to have:

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Sample mastering dashboard Table of contents

ISRC codesSet of numbers that identify a unique sound recording

Become a registrant at US ISRC http://usisrc.org

Get ISRCs assigned for free/nominal cost from your aggregator.

US Z10 14 12345Country Company

prefixYear Unique digits

or

If you are on an indie label, your label will generate the ISRC codes using their prefix number.

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http://usisrc.org Table of contents

How to get ISRCs from CD Baby (video tutorial) Table of contents

UPC barcodesSet of numbers that identify a packaged collection of music

84501 97432Become a registrant at GS1 http://www.gs1us.org/

Get UPC barcode assigned for free/nominal cost from your aggregator (CD Baby, TuneCore, Ditto, DistroKid, etc).

or

If you are on an indie label, your label will generate the barcode.

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http://www.gs1us.org/ Table of contents

ISRC and UPC

Mastering engineer can embed the ISRC on each track

Add your tracks’ ISRCs to your song tracking workbook. You’ll need to enter them in other places

Mastering engineer can also embed UPC barcode

Both ISRC and UPC are now required for iTunes store, and many other digital platforms

Add your project’s UPC barcode to your song tracking workbook. You’ll reference it again

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ISWC codesSet of numbers that identify a composition

T-070.076.790-3

Assigned by your PRO (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC) when you upload your repertoire

Keep track of your ISWCs with your other data

“Hotel California” by Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley

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ASCAP ACE search Table of contents

Prepare for releaseIf applicable, type out your lyrics• For artwork• For your website

Album artwork• Album name• Song titles• Writer credits

(including PRO and publisher)• Performer credits, including any

session players or freelancers• Recording studio name, location,

date, personnel

P

• For lyric videos• Can be submitted via your

publisher to lyric sites

• Record label (even if it’s yourself)• Copyright notice © and • UPC barcode image• Other credits: photographer,

illustrator, etc.• If relevant, timed length of songs

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Prepare for releaseWrite your bio/one sheet• Album name• Song titles• UPC barcode on one sheet

Submit your song track data to Gracenote• Free to do• Submission process via iTunes software on your computer• Delivers album and track data to services

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http://www.gracenote.com/company/faq/owner/ Table of contents

Prepare for release

Submit your sound recording information to SoundExchange• Free to do• SoundExchange has an online interface and a repertoire template• Tracks digital performances on Sirius XM, Pandora, any webcast

stations

Composers/songwriters: submit your musical compositions to your PRO• Register your new titles with ASCAP, BMI or SESAC• Free to do if you are already a PRO writer/publisher member• Your PRO will automatically assign ISWC codes to your new titles

Table of contents

BMI works registration Table of contents

http://register.soundexchange.com/welcome Table of contents

Prepare for releaseWhat SoundExchange needs• Artist• Track title• Album title• Record label• % of the Featured Artist

Performance Royalty that you claim (aka, your split)

• Do you own the master sound recording of this track? Y/N

Improve music identification by also including:• ISRC for each track• Album UPC• Release date• Recording location• Distributor

(if different from label name)• Publisher

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Alternate spellings? Different languages? Talk to SoundExchange

Prepare for releaseSubmit your release information to Nielsen SoundScan• Free to do• Online form• SoundScan tracks retail sales, including downloads from iTunes,

Amazon, CD Baby, Bandcamp, and streams

Submit your release information to Mediabase (owned by Clear Channel) and Nielsen BDS• Free to do• Online forms available for both Mediabase and BDS• Both services track commercial radio airplay

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http://titlereg.soundscan.com/soundscantitlereg/ Table of contents

http://www.musicinfosystems.com/faq/ Table of contents

Search for “Nielsen BDS how to submit music” Table of contents

Prepare for releaseSubmit your bio and data to Rovi for All Music Guide• Free to do• Need to mail a CD + bio• Powers the bios you see on iTunes, Pandora. AMG is very selective.

Acceptance by Rovi/AMG is not guaranteed

Register your works with the US Copyright Office• Under US law, copyright is automatically granted when you create

the original work or “fix” it to a medium, like tape or hard drive• Use Form SR or Form PA to establish a public record of creation• Official registration provides creators with more legal protections

in event of infringement

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http://www.allmusic.com/product-submissions Table of contents

http://copyright.gov/eco/ Table of contents

Prepare for releaseData, artwork and music delivered to your aggregator• Give yourself enough time to do this right• Fill in as many descriptive fields as possible to increase searchability

and proper attribution• Spellcheck everything!• Use consistent spelling, capitalizations (Music Biz has a cool guide)

Your aggregator will deliver to dozens of digital retail stores, streaming services, and discovery platforms.

Bandcamp + your own website + social media• Populate your other platforms with the same data, artwork and music

Table of contents

Prepare for releaseWhat data aggregators need• Artist name• Album title • Song titles• Are any of the songs covers?

• Names of songwriters• Label name (even if it’s your name)• Catalog number (if applicable)• ISRC for each track, or have them assigned by aggregator• UPC barcode for album, or purchase one from aggregator• Release date• Genre, secondary genre• Artist location

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Metadata Level Data FieldTrack Parental AdvisoryTrack Composition Ownership TypeTrack Artist NameTrack SongwriterTrack PublisherTrack ISRCTrack Extended TracksTrack Album-Only TracksTrack Track Pricing

N = 31 Album = 22 Track = 9

http://www.cdbaby.com

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SONG

http://www.cdbaby.com

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Consider a Data Cube - 6 sides

- 12 dimensions

Genre

Track Title

Mood

Publisher

ISRC Songwriter

Artist Sounds Like

Sub-Genre

Artist Location

Release Date

Label

http://www.cdbaby.com

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Star Data Schema

http://www.cdbaby.com

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http://musicbiz.org/knowledge/whitepapers/ Table of contents

http://www.naxos.com Table of contents

#FMC14http://www.naxos.com

#FMC14http://www.naxos.com

#FMC14http://www.naxos.com

#FMC14

DVO\ÁK, A.: Requiem 8.572874-75 www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.572874-75

Page 1 of 3

Requiem, Op. 89 CD 1: Part I [1] Introitus: Requiem aeternam – Kyrie Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus Deus in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem: exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis caro veniet. Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. [2] Graduale Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. In memoria aeterna erit justus: ab auditione mala non timebit. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. Sequentia [3] Dies irae Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla, teste David cum Sybilla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando judex est venturus cuncta stricte discussurus! [4] Tuba mirum Tuba mirum spargens sonum, per sepulchra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum. Mors stupebit et natura, cum resurget creatura, judicanti responsura. Liber scriptus proferetur, in quo totum continetur, unde mundus judicetur. Judex ergo cum sedebit, quidquid latet apparebit, nil inultum remanebit. Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla, teste David cum Sybilla. Quantus tremor est futurus, quando judex est venturus cuncta stricte discussurus! Tuba mirum spargens sonum, per sepulchra regionum, coget omnes ante thronum.

CD 1: Part I [1] Introit: Requiem aeternam – Kyrie Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. A hymn, O God, is fitting for you in Sion and a vow shall be paid to you in Jerusalem: hear my prayer, to you all flesh shall come. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. [2] Gradual Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. The just will be remembered for ever: he will not fear from evil report. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord. Sequence [3] Dies irae Day of wrath, that dreadful day, the world will melt in ashes as David and the Sybil foretold. What trembling there will be when the judge shall come dealing strictly with everything. [4] Tuba mirum The trumpet scattering wonderful sound through earth’s sepulchres shall bring all before the throne. Death will stand stupefied and nature when the creature shall rise to meet the one that judges. The book written shall be brought out, in which all is contained by which the world shall be judged. When the judge, then, takes his seat whatever was hidden shall be revealed, nothing shall remain unavenged. Day of wrath, that dreadful day, the world will melt in ashes as David and the Sybil foretold. What trembling there will be when the judge shall come dealing strictly with everything. The trumpet scattering wonderful sound through earth’s sepulchres shall bring all before the throne.

http://www.naxos.com

Takeaways from Monday

Ultimately, it is the artists’ responsibility to document creators and contributions

Be consistent with spelling, diligent with data entry

Metadata is the text and numbers that uniquely describe and identify your music

Presented at Future of Music Policy Summit October 27-28, 2014 | Washington, DC Table of contents

Metadata is increasingly important. It underlies discoverability, proper attribution and payment across an increasing number of platforms