ISRC vs ISWC: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters?
In music rights management, ISRC and ISWC are two essential identifiers - but they serve different purposes.
- ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) identifies a specific sound recording - the audio file you hear on Spotify, Apple Music, or radio. Each version, remix, or live recording of a song gets its own ISRC.
- ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) identifies the underlying composition -the melody, lyrics, and music as written by the composer and lyricist. Regardless of how many recordings exist, the composition has one ISWC.
Why it matters: ISRC ensures recording royalties are tracked, while ISWC ensures composer and publishing royalties are paid through PROs like IPRS, ISAMRA, PRS, or ASCAP.
At MRM India, our Music Metadata Management and Music Publishing Administration services make sure both codes are correctly assigned and registered worldwide - so you never lose revenue.