Tutorials, Glossary & FAQ

The CD number identifies a specific disc within a release. In pre-digital times, it was also used to suggest the listening order of the discs.

Remastering, also called remastering or re-mastering, involves creating a new master for a music album. This process involves revising the original recording using modern techniques to produce a sound quality more faithful to the original performance.

The term “Special Edition” refers to an enhanced version of an original format, created to mark a particular occasion. This edition can take various forms, such as the addition of unreleased tracks, the inclusion of a second CD alongside the original album, or the addition of bonus features previously only available on physical media, now accessible on digital platforms. It can also be a limited or numbered edition. The occasions for creating a special edition are varied, including celebrating the anniversary of an original album’s release or commemorating a number of years in the artist’s career.

The term “reissue” refers to the addition of new tracks to an original musical project. This can take various forms, such as the integration of unreleased tracks, the inclusion of a second CD with the original album, or the addition of bonus material that was previously only available in physical format, now available on digital platforms.

The format name is the name under which a work appears depending on its format. It is rare for the publication name to vary from one format to another. Example: Original Album + “publication name”

We distinguish between record labels and sound recording makers. A record label is involved in the release process, and therefore in the format. It will notably handle the marketing and promotional aspects of a release, while the maker is involved in the production of the master tapes. This implies that there is also a financial contribution towards part or all of the sound recording.

The UPC, commonly referred to as a barcode, is designed to hold the physical product code, if applicable, and can also be used for digital-only products. In Canada, you can contact GS1 to obtain this code. Codes can vary in length, from 8 to 14 characters, depending on the country or territory where the album is intended and the type of Universal Product Code used.

The track number identifies the order in which a title appears in a release.

A contributor is someone who makes a significant contribution to a musical creation. This can include the performing artists and musicians featured in the sound recordings, the creators of the work (whether in terms of lyrics or musical composition), studio technicians, arrangers, producers who oversee the recording, or design collaborators involved in creating the components included in the marketing of the final product.

Each contributor brings their own expertise and talent to shape the overall creation.

The product format refers to how a release is published and distributed. It can encompass various media, such as:

– Physical media: Physical album formats include CDs, vinyl records, cassettes, etc. Each format can influence audio quality, album length, and the listening experience.

– Digital: Albums can be distributed as digital files via streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, or as downloads from online stores like iTunes.

– Special editions: Some albums are released in special editions with bonus content, extended booklets, or other exclusive features.

The product format refers to how a release is published and distributed. It can encompass various media, such as:

– Physical media: Physical album formats include CDs, vinyl records, cassettes, etc. Each format can influence audio quality, album length, and the listening experience.

– Digital: Albums can be distributed as digital files via streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, or as downloads from online stores like iTunes.

– Special editions: Some albums are released in special editions with bonus content, extended booklets, or other exclusive features.

Aliases are primarily used for translating publications or when multiple spellings are possible. Examples: numbers written out in words, characters not found in certain alphabets, the full spelling of abbreviations.

A subgenre is a category of musical style that replaces the musical genre, thus being able to refine towards a more specific musical current and allowing more detail to be added to the initially selected genre.

The genre of the album defines the musical style or musical family to which the album belongs.

The title of a release is the name under which a collection of recorded music tracks (a product or single) is grouped and published, whether on physical media such as a CD or vinyl record, or in digital format. It serves to identify and market all the sound recordings presented in that specific album. It should be noted that a product title can vary depending on the country and territory.

Defines an album recording captured in a concert or live recording context.

This is an optional field. Check this box if several featured artists participated in the release.

An album is a compilation of sound recordings, usually created by an artist or group and released together on an audio or digital medium. These collections can vary in size, from a few songs to ten or more, and are often linked by a theme, concept, or period of creation. Albums are a popular format for distributing recorded music, offering a cohesive musical experience.

They can tell stories, express emotions or ideas, and are available on various media such as vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, downloads, and online streaming services.

Whether it is original or has undergone modification (remixing, re-recording, etc.), this field allows you to specify which version of a track it is.

MetaMusic lets you specify your musical genres and subgenres by selecting from lists used by various sources within the digital music ecosystem.

While a musical genre represents the main style of your work, a subgenre offers a more specific categorization within a broader genre. For example:

Genre: Rock
Subgenre: Punk rock

It is agreed that the studio name will always be that of a legal entity. The name of a legal entity, whose syntax is similar to that of a natural person, is entered only in this field. Thus, the artist name Marie-Mai, acting as the studio, will be entered in the “name” field.

This refers to the name of the studio(s) used solely for recording. The studio used for mixing is entered separately. The mastering studio must be added to the Release by the record label or distributor.

The sound recording identifier is an internal number specific to the MetaMusic platform which facilitates the search for a recording without needing to identify it by name.

This refers to the end of the recording session in question. This field, associated with sound recording sessions, constitutes the official recording date required by certain recipients.

This refers to the start of the relevant recording sessions. This field, along with the sound recording sessions, constitutes the official recording date required by some recipients.

The maker is responsible for carrying out the essential operations related to the initial sound recording, including negotiating contracts with performing artists and financing the production of the sound recording and its distribution media. Generally, the maker assumes the financial risk, which can be divided into two main categories: the financing of the sound recording, repaid primarily through sales, and marketing investments, including the production of the media, which are not recoverable.

Percentage of each language expressed in the multiple entries of the language field.

The submission date is automatically generated and corresponds to the date on which the user completed and submitted their submission.

This field allows the main artist to be associated with one or more musical instruments. When dealing with a group, each individual within the group will be documented under the musicians and singers fields, and their instrument will be associated with the fields provided for this purpose.

This field allows you to specify the role or status of a musician or artist during a sound recording, with three options available:

Lead Artist: The main artist featured on the recording.
Featured Artist: An artist participating in the recording, also considered a featured artist.
Accompanying Artist: A musician or backing vocalist accompanying the main artist.

The “name” field can contain the surname of an individual or the identity of a legal entity or brand, for example, in the case of a musical group. If the artist is primarily identified by their stage name or the name of the group, this information is entered only in this field, without a first name. This field is equivalent to various English synonyms such as “Lead performer,” “Solist,” “Performing Group,” “Main Artist,” “Main Performer,” “Main Performing Artist,” or “Primary Artist.”

A title alias is an alternative name or variation of the original title, under which the work or sound recording may also be known. This can include:

Linguistic variations of the sound recording: in cases where the title is translated into other languages ​​for international releases and where several spellings are possible during translation. This includes writing out numbers in full, representing characters absent in some alphabets, or expanding acronyms and abbreviations.
Abbreviations or simplifications: shortened or simplified versions of the title, or conversely, expanding acronyms and abbreviations or writing out numbers in full.
Common or popular names: informal titles that fans often use.
Alternative versions: slightly modified titles for remixes, covers, or special editions.

Among other things, they allow you to:

Facilitate searches: If a song is known by different names, an alias allows fans to easily find it, regardless of the title they use to search for it.
Manage linguistic variations: When songs are broadcast or sold in countries with different languages, translations or adaptations of the title may be used, and the alias allows you to group all these versions under the same work. Harmonize titles across different versions: Artists sometimes release remixes, acoustic versions, or re-recordings with slightly modified titles. Aliases make it easy to identify all these versions as being related to the original song. Take into account popular or informal titles: Some song titles are shortened or modified by the public (for example, fans shorten “Don’t Stop Believin'” to “Don’t Stop”). An official alias allows you to recognize these variations without confusion.

Optimizing rights and license management: In music databases, aliases help track all uses of a song, facilitating the management of copyright and licenses associated with all its versions.

In short, title aliases are used to simplify the management, search, and recognition of a song in all its possible forms and versions.

The term “Track Title” refers to the name given to a specific sound recording.

This required, open-ended field allows you to enter the complete lyrics of the work, if applicable. It can include multiple languages ​​and has no text length restrictions.

You will be asked to add the lyrics to both the written work and the audio recording. The lyrics in the written work and the audio recording do not have to be identical.

The ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It allows for the identification of sound recordings, particularly music tracks, using a 12-character sequence, such as CB-YZ9-22-00001. The first two letters of the ISRC code identify the country where the first owner code was assigned. The first owner code, composed of three alphanumeric characters, precedes the ISRC and serves to identify the original producer.

This information indicates the total duration of a work listed in the track list. It is usually displayed next to the track title and is read, displayed, and encoded by playback software.

The parental warning is a warning system created in the United States in 1985. Its use is not legally mandatory. However, the disclosure of explicit content is mandatory.

Three possible values: None, Cleaned, Explicit Content
None: The audio recording contains no explicit content.
Clean: The original audio recording had explicit content that has been replaced or silenced.
Explicit: The audio recording contains obscene or vulgar words or speech.

The name of a publisher must always correspond to a legal entity. If a legal entity has a syntax similar to that of a natural person, its name must be entered in this field.

Specifies the role the creator plays in this specific work. For the definition of each role, refer to the “Individuals and Roles” section of the repository.

This is the creator’s unique identifier. It allows the creator to be identified unambiguously and linked to the work to which they contributed.

This field represents the percentage of languages ​​recorded using the ISO-639-2 code, which refers to a standardized list of languages ​​and includes the main Indigenous languages ​​spoken in Canada.

The “Instrumentation” section provides details on the instruments used, including a description of the instrument accessible via a drop-down list and the number of musicians playing it in a work. You can specify the number of musicians playing the same instrument in the work.

Specifies the number of musicians playing the same instrument in the work.

The details about the instruments relate to the description of the instrument used and the number of musicians who play it in a work.

The title of the work corresponds to the name given to a musical creation.

An original work in the public domain is an artistic creation that is no longer subject to copyright. These works are accessible to the public without copyright restrictions and can be freely reproduced or reinterpreted. This option is only valid if you have selected “The work is an adaptation or an arrangement”.

The SOCAN number is an identifier that allows you to recognize a member of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).

The opus number is a term used in classical music to designate a musical composition. The number that accompanies it indicates the position of the musical piece within the composer’s complete works.

In classical music, a movement represents an internal section of a musical composition. Each movement is identified by a number that indicates its position in the chronological sequence of the work.

A catalog number is a combination of numbers, letters, or both, which varies in length and is used to identify a work according to its producer. The catalog number is an internal number assigned by the producer or record label to list the products in their catalog.

Number of singers participating in a work.

The International Standard Work Code (ISWC) is a standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for identifying musical works. It is also an identifier managed by CISAC, and its association with the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is an important industry objective for linking works to their recordings. The code consists of one letter and ten numbers: T-123.456.789-C

The instrumental work option is dedicated to works without lyrics and entirely instrumental.

The duration in minutes and seconds is the third field to be completed in the details of the work.

The year in which a work was composed and completed. This implies having composed the melodic lines for the main instruments, including the voice, but excluding arrangements. Writing a large majority of the lyrics is required.

A musical adaptation is a transformation of an existing composition to create a new version while preserving certain original elements. This can involve changes in instrumentation, harmony, rhythm, melody, or musical style. Adaptations allow artists to offer their own interpretation of a work while retaining its core. They are common in music and can lead to a variety of artistic approaches to the same song, whether through re-orchestration, re-harmonization, transposition, remixing, or stylistic adaptation.

This is your collective management society membership number.

An account manager with a “Read-only” status has limited access to view works, sound recordings and/or publications without the possibility of modification.

An account manager with administrator status has full access to the account, including creating metadata and managing stakeholders.

The head office corresponds to the main administrative and legal address of a company, serving as the official domicile where the management and administration of the company are usually located.

All the names under which your company could have been identified.

For example, MetaMusic Records could have the following aliases:
– Disques MetaMusic
– MetaMusic Inc
– MetaMusic Records
– MetaMusic Records Inc

Pen names are fictitious or alternative names commonly used in the music industry by creators to represent themselves in the creation of their works rather than using their real name. Creators adopt pen names for various reasons, including artistic, marketing, or privacy considerations.

Are you an emerging artist as defined by the CRTC?

Definition:

A Canadian artist is considered an emerging artist until 48 months have passed since the release of their first commercially released song.

For the purposes of this definition, the concept of an artist includes duos, trios, or groups of artists operating under a defined identity. If a member of a duo, trio, or group embarks on a solo career or forms a new duo, trio, or group with other partners under a new identity, the solo artist or the duo, trio, or group will be considered an “emerging artist” according to the criteria above.

A song is defined here as a single audio track or recording that is broadcast and/or marketed online and on the radio.

If you claim to be an emerging artist, you will need to provide:

• Song title
• ISRC
• Release date

At the end of the 48-month period, emerging artist status will be automatically removed by the system.

In Canada, Indigenous status refers to the legal status and special recognition granted to the country’s Indigenous peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

Indigenous status in Canada is complex, with many variations and nuances from one Indigenous group to another, depending on their history, treaties, land claims, and governance.

If you identify as Indigenous—that is, First Nations, Métis, or Inuit—you can identify as such with your service provider.

According to the CRTC, a Canadian is defined as one of the following:

• a Canadian citizen
• a permanent resident as defined by the Immigration Act of 1976
• a person whose ordinary place of residence was in Canada for the six months preceding their contribution to a musical work

The main role is defined as the predominant function that a person or legal entity performs in the accomplishment of their tasks.

Identifying the individual or legal entity by their role in the music ecosystem

This identification is essential for clearly defining what the person or company does in the music industry and will allow for modifications to the associated information in MetaMusic.

The artist’s pseudonym used for his career.

Aliases are names that you may have used or under which you have been identified periodically or exceptionally.

Permanent residence of the individual or registered office of the legal entity.

The attribution of Quebec origin status to individuals as creators (artists or artist collectives) is qualitative and based on a set of fundamental criteria. To be considered Quebecer, an individual must meet at least one of the following seven criteria:

• Their place of birth
• The place where they grew up
• The place where they began their career
• Their place of residence
• Whether their artistic practice has developed specifically and/or primarily in Quebec
• Whether, in general, the creator identifies as Quebecer in media contexts, marketing, etc.
• Whether the creator is considered Quebecer by the media and by explicit and credible sources

The ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier) ​​is an international standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is a unique public identifier assigned to contributors of creative works, whether they are lead artists, composers, sound engineers, or companies. The goal of the ISNI is to become a standard identifier that facilitates connections between different databases, such as Wikidata, VIAF, and MusicBrainz. The ISNI database is freely accessible and can be enriched by users. Ultimately, the ISNI constitutes a permanent link (URI) that connects an identity across the Web of Data.

The International Performer Number (IPN) is a unique identifier assigned to performing artists by SCAPR and registered in the International Performer Database (IPD). Primarily intended for the internal administrative operations of artists’ neighboring rights management societies, its use could expand further in the future.

What is it?
The Interested Parties Information (IPI) is a unique identifier for authors, composers, publishers, arrangers, adaptors, and translators. It is managed by CISAC, but its administration is outsourced to the Swiss collective SUISA. It is useful for copyright management societies to ensure proper distribution of royalties among rights holders.

Who is it for?
The IPI is an identifier for authors, composers, and publishers.

How do I get it?
To obtain your IPI, you must register as a member with a copyright management society such as SOCAN. An IPI will be assigned to you automatically. If you are already a member, you can retrieve your IPI on the SOCAN portal homepage: http://www.socan.com/fr/

In MetaMusic
For all authors, composers, songwriters, and publishers, MetaMusic requires you to enter your IPI.

In your profile, select and edit the relevant role(s), then add your IPI at the top of the page in the “Role Details” section.

If your IPI is validated by the system, you will be able to import your SOCAN catalog into MetaMusic.

Import all the works you have registered with SOCAN for the past three weeks or more.

A person’s date of birth or a group’s or company’s founding date. It is used to differentiate between two people, groups, or companies with the same name.

The date of death of an individual or the dissolution of a group or company. This date can impact a person’s copyright and provides information about a company over time.

A band member is an individual who is part of a musical or artistic ensemble. Being a band member involves close collaboration in the creation and performance of music, sharing artistic responsibility and often the profits. Members contribute to the collective sonic identity and must often coordinate their creative efforts.

Name of the group of members who are known artistically or commercially and form a distinct entity.

Year of departure of a member of a musical group. A member’s departure places them among the group’s former members. This does not affect their acquired rights to the songs they contributed to, but it releases them from any future obligations to the group.

An individual’s joining date in a group or musical ensemble is the date from which they officially joined the group. This excludes musicians who were present only occasionally at live performances or who were only present during studio recordings. These are referred to as “guest musicians.”