ARTISTS CLAIMWhat is music metadata?
Music metadata is the structured information attached to an audio file or release that describes what the track is (title, artist, album, genre, BPM, key), who owns it (songwriters, producers, publishers, label, ISRC, ISWC, UPC), and how it was made (bitrate, sample rate, codec, duration). It lives both inside the file and inside the databases of streaming services, PROs and distributors.
Why does music metadata matter?
Three reasons: discovery (Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok and YouTube use metadata to surface your track in search, playlists and recommendations), royalties (ISRC and ISWC codes match a play to a payment — wrong codes mean unmatched royalties), and credit (producers, session players and co-writers only show up in the Spotify credits panel if the metadata says so).
What fields should music metadata include?
At minimum: exact title (no "Official Audio" suffixes), primary artist, featured artists (in their own field, never in the title), songwriters and composers with split percentages, producers and engineers, ISRC, ISWC, UPC/EAN, genre and sub-genre, release date in UTC, language, and the explicit flag.
How do I add metadata to my music files?
Use MusicBrainz Picard (free, cross-platform) or Mp3tag (free, Windows with a Mac beta). Open the file, fill every field, embed high-resolution 3000x3000 sRGB artwork, save, and verify by reopening in a second app before uploading to your distributor.
How do I edit MP3 metadata on Windows?
Right-click the file and pick Properties → Details for basic edits, or install Mp3tag for full control over ID3v2 tags including artwork, ISRC, songwriter credits and custom fields.
How do I edit music metadata on Mac?
The Music app supports basic edits via File → Get Info, but it only writes a subset of fields. For full control use MusicBrainz Picard or the Mp3tag for Mac beta.
How do I edit music metadata on Android?
Star Music Tag Editor and AutoTagger handle the common ID3 fields including title, artist, album, genre and artwork. Pro versions add batch editing and lyrics support.
What is an ISRC code?
An International Standard Recording Code is a unique 12-character identifier for a specific recording. One ISRC per master. It is how DSPs and PROs match streams and plays to the right recording so royalties get paid. Most distributors will auto-generate one if you do not already have one.
What is an ISWC code?
An International Standard Musical Work Code identifies the underlying composition (the song itself), separate from any specific recording of it. Songwriters get an ISWC for the work; performers get an ISRC for each recording of that work.
What is the difference between ISRC, ISWC and UPC?
ISRC identifies a single recording, ISWC identifies a composition, and UPC (or EAN) is the barcode that identifies a release (single, EP or album) as a commercial product.
Can I change music metadata after release?
Yes, but it is painful. Most distributors let you push a metadata update to DSPs and it propagates in 24 to 72 hours. Some fields — notably primary artist and ISRC — are effectively locked. Changing them usually requires a full takedown and re-upload, which resets your stream count and playlist placements.
Can WAV files hold metadata?
Yes. WAV supports metadata via BWF (Broadcast Wave Format) and iXML chunks, although support is less consistent than ID3 on MP3 or Vorbis comments on FLAC. For long-term archival, store metadata in both the file and a sidecar text file.
What are the most common music metadata mistakes?
Putting "feat. X" inside the song title field, inconsistent spellings of your artist name across releases (which splits monthly listeners across duplicate Spotify profiles), missing ISRCs, wrong release year, no songwriter credits, and generic genre tags that send your track to the wrong audience.
How does PUNKSTAR use music metadata?
PUNKSTAR's AI reads metadata the same way Spotify and Apple Music do, then goes further by matching ISRCs, ISWCs and producer credits to surface underground artists that the majors ignore. Clean metadata means PUNKSTAR can find you, recommend you and route tips directly to the right wallet.
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