What is an ISRC?

An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is like a digital fingerprint for your music. It’s a unique code that identifies each individual song or sound recording, ensuring it’s easily trackable across different platforms—whether it's streaming on Spotify, playing on the radio, or getting licensed for use in a movie. Think of it as a barcode for your song, helping the music industry recognize your work no matter where it’s played.

Why is Having an ISRC Important?

1. Tracking Plays and Earnings: If your music is played on a radio station, like Swade Soul Radio, or streamed on a platform like Spotify, having an ISRC ensures that these plays are tracked. This is crucial for royalties—ISRC codes help track who owes you money every time your music is played.

2. International Recognition: ISRC codes are recognized globally. No matter where your music is played in the world, the ISRC will always identify it as your song, making sure you get the proper recognition and payments.

3. Simplifies Licensing: If your music is used in a TV show, movie, or commercial, the ISRC helps identify and license your song quickly and accurately, ensuring that all legal and financial processes are smooth.

4. Music Distribution: Whether you're uploading to YouTube, Spotify, or other streaming services, an ISRC is required for them to distribute your music properly.

Breaking Down an ISRC Code

Let’s take the ISRC code for Swade Soul Radio as an example: US-DEL-24-50000

Here’s what each part means:

1. US – Country Code: The first two letters represent the country where the ISRC code was issued. In this case, USmeans the code was issued in the United States.

2. DEL – Registrant Code: The next three letters are a unique code assigned to the company or person issuing the ISRC. For Swade Soul Radio, DEL identifies the entity that is managing the ISRC assignment.

3. 24 – Year of Reference: These two digits represent the year the ISRC was assigned. Here, 24 means the ISRC was issued in the year 2024.

4. 50000 – Designation Code: The last five digits are the unique identifier for the specific recording. This number distinguishes the song from all other recordings made by the same entity in that year.

Why You Should Get Your ISRC Code

If you're serious about your music career, getting an ISRC is a must. It ensures that your work is properly recognized, tracked, and paid for wherever it is used. With an ISRC, you protect your music and maximize your earnings, allowing you to focus on creating while the system works behind the scenes to manage your royalties and licensing.

By registering your songs with an ISRC, like the one used by Swade Soul Radio, you guarantee that your music will be handled professionally and distributed globally with ease.