Yes, you generally do need ISRC codes for vinyl, especially if you intend to distribute your music. An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique, international identifier for sound recordings and music video recordings. Even though vinyl is a physical format, ISRCs are necessary if you plan to distribute your music, whether digitally or physically. This unique code helps significantly in tracking and managing your music efficiently across various platforms and distribution channels, including physical releases like vinyl.
What is an ISRC Code?
An ISRC is a globally recognized, unique identifier for each individual sound recording. Every distinct version of a track (e.g., album version, radio edit, live version) should have its own ISRC. This code is assigned to the master recording, not the physical product itself (that's typically a UPC code). It's crucial for identifying recordings for royalty collection and tracking usage.
Why ISRCs Matter for Vinyl Distribution
While a UPC (Universal Product Code) identifies the physical vinyl product (the album or single), the ISRC identifies the individual tracks on that vinyl. Here's why ISRCs are important even for a physical format like vinyl:
- Tracking and Management: ISRCs enable efficient tracking and management of your music across all distribution channels, including physical and digital. Even if your primary release is vinyl, the master recordings for those tracks will likely be used digitally for promotion, streaming, or even download codes included with the vinyl.
- Royalty Collection: Performance rights organizations (PROs) and collection societies use ISRCs to identify specific recordings and ensure that royalties are accurately attributed and paid to the correct rights holders whenever the music is publicly performed, broadcast, or streamed.
- Digital Interoperability: Most vinyl pressing plants require digital master files for production. These digital files should embed the ISRC for each track. This ensures that the metadata is consistent across all formats, linking your physical vinyl to its digital counterparts for online databases, streaming services, and sales tracking.
- Future-Proofing: Having ISRCs in place prepares your music for any form of distribution, now and in the future. It creates a permanent identifier for your recording, regardless of how it's consumed.
How ISRCs Are Used with Vinyl
Although ISRCs are embedded in the digital master files of your music, their utility extends to physical formats. When you submit your audio masters to a vinyl pressing plant, these files often contain the embedded ISRC codes. This ensures that even for a physical release, the underlying recording can be uniquely identified.
Here's a breakdown of the key benefits of ISRCs for vinyl:
| Benefit of ISRCs for Vinyl | Description |
|---|---|
| Efficient Tracking & Management | ISRCs are essential for streamlining the tracking and management of your music, irrespective of whether it's distributed digitally or physically as vinyl. |
| Accurate Royalty Collection | They serve as a critical tool for performance rights organizations and collection societies to precisely identify music usage and ensure proper distribution of royalties. |
| Seamless Digital Integration | Even for vinyl, the master recordings originate digitally. ISRCs link these physical products to their digital metadata, facilitating consistent identification across all platforms, including online ones. |
| Comprehensive Data & Analytics | ISRCs help gather comprehensive data on where and how your music is being consumed, providing valuable insights into audience engagement and market reach. |
| Long-Term Asset Management | Assigning ISRCs ensures your music recordings have permanent, unique identifiers, simplifying long-term management and cataloging for your entire discography. |
Obtaining ISRC Codes
ISRC codes are typically obtained through an ISRC Manager, which is usually your national ISRC agency (e.g., RIAA in the U.S., PPL in the UK), or directly from your distributor if they offer this service.
Here's a general process:
- Register as an ISRC Registrant: Apply to become an ISRC Registrant through your country's designated ISRC agency. This will give you a Registrant Code, which forms part of all your ISRCs.
- Assign Codes to Each Track: Once registered, you can generate unique ISRCs for each individual sound recording. Remember, each unique mix or edit of a song needs its own ISRC.
- Embed in Master Files: Ensure these ISRCs are correctly embedded into the metadata of your final master audio files (e.g., WAV, AIFF) before they are sent for vinyl pressing or digital distribution.
- Supply to Distributor/Pressing Plant: Provide your distributor and/or vinyl pressing plant with the correct ISRC for each track so they can include it in their systems and on any associated metadata.
In conclusion, while a UPC identifies your vinyl record as a whole, ISRCs are vital for the individual tracks. They ensure your music is properly tracked, royalties are collected, and your recordings are identified across the global music landscape, regardless of their physical or digital format.
