Step-by-Step Guide: How Artists Can Fix Metadata Issues

Metadata may sound technical, but for an artist it is deeply personal. It is the digital DNA of your work - the information that tells the world who created the music, when it was released, and who must be paid. When metadata goes wrong, it can feel like your identity is missing from your own song. Bad metadata is the invisible reason why royalties go astray, why credits appear incomplete, and why an artist’s voice sometimes gets lost in the system.

At Music Rights Management (MRM), we believe every artist, label, publisher, and production house-big or small-deserves to have their catalogue respected, their data accurate, and their income safeguarded. As our Founder Sherley Singh often says: “Metadata is respect in digital form. Fixing it is not paperwork-it’s giving creators back their rightful place in history.”

Here is our step-by-step guide for artists who want to correct existing metadata issues:

1. Conduct a Metadata Health Check

Begin with an audit. Create a master spreadsheet listing:

Song title and release date
ISRC (recording code) and ISWC (composition code)
Names of composers, lyricists, performers, producers
Publisher and PRO (IPRS, ASCAP, PRS, BMI, etc.) registration details

Compare this with what is live across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and in the PRO databases. This comparison is your “health report.”

2. Spot Errors Quickly

Most issues fall into a few patterns:

Missing or misspelled credits
Duplicate ISRC codes
Songs linked to the wrong publisher
PRO registrations that have not been connected to recordings

These are the silent culprits behind lost royalties. Identifying them early is the key to fixing them.

3. Correct at Source

Errors must be fixed where they originate:

Streaming platforms: Raise requests through your distributor or label to correct names, credits, or track details.
PROs: File amendments directly with societies like IPRS, ASCAP, BMI, or PRS to update songwriter/composer details.
Identifiers: If your ISRC or ISWC codes are wrong or missing, apply for reassignment so that your work is correctly tracked worldwide.

4. Keep Records Organized

One mistake we see often is artists relying only on distributors or managers to “have the data.” Protect yourself by maintaining a clean “master metadata sheet” with contracts, cue sheets, and royalty splits alongside the codes. This simple discipline ensures clarity today and avoids disputes tomorrow.

5. Partner with Experts

Fixing metadata can be tedious-it means communicating with multiple entities across countries, filling forms, and following up until the correction reflects globally. Many artists feel drained by this. That is where experts can help. At MRM, we specialize in metadata clean-up, fingerprinting, and royalty administration. Our role is to give artists peace of mind so they can focus on their creativity.

As one of our partner artists once told us, “I didn’t realize how many royalties I had been losing until MRM corrected my metadata. For me, it was not just money-it was recognition.”

Conclusion

Metadata mistakes are not permanent. With diligence, process, and the right support, they can always be corrected. Fixing metadata is more than an administrative task-it is about restoring dignity to the creator, ensuring that their work is remembered and their income protected.

At MRM India, our promise is simple: to ensure that every rupee earned reaches the rightful owner, and that no artist ever feels invisible in the very world they helped create.