Does Metadata Match Across All Platforms?
Why consistency in your music’s data is the key to unlocking full royalties
In the global digital music ecosystem, your metadata — song title, artist name, composer, ISRC, ISWC, rights holder info, and more — travels across dozens of platforms, databases, and collection societies. But here’s the challenge: if your metadata doesn’t match everywhere, you could be losing royalties without even knowing it.
Why Metadata Consistency Matters
When you release a song, your distributor sends metadata to Digital Service Providers (DSPs) like Spotify, Apple Music, and JioSaavn, as well as to Performance Rights Organisations (PROs) such as IPRS, ISAMRA, PPL, MLC, PRS, ASCAP, and BMI.
If even a small difference appears — like an extra space in your name, a missing composer credit, or a mismatched ISRC — systems may treat them as different works, breaking the chain that links plays to payments.
Example
• DSP Metadata: “Ananya Sharma”
• PRO Metadata: “Ananya S.”
Result: Royalties may not flow to you because the system doesn’t match the two entries.
Common Causes of Metadata Mismatch
• Multiple distributors used for the same track.
• Incorrect ISRC or ISWC assignment.
• Changes in artist or label name mid-catalog.
• Human error in manual data entry.
• Missing songwriter or composer fields.
The Cost of Inconsistency
• Lost royalties from unmatched plays.
• Delayed payments due to manual dispute resolution.
• Loss of visibility in DSP search algorithms.
How MRM India Ensures Metadata Matches
At MRM India, we:
• Audit your entire catalog across DSPs, PROs, and licensing databases.
• Correct inconsistencies in ISRC, ISWC, and ownership data.
• Coordinate with global PROs to align metadata for maximum royalty tracking.
• Keep metadata future-proof by updating every platform simultaneously when changes occur.
Pro Tip: Before releasing a song, double-check that your metadata fields — especially ISRC, ISWC, and rights holder info — are consistent across all platforms and societies.