What is Metadata & Why is it Important in the Music Business?

Whether you’re working on a track alone or with collaborators or contributors, it pays to be aware of your metadata responsibilities from the start. It’s good practice to ensure everyone is aware of the need to record this data accurately. You should also settle on a naming convention and stick with it – consistency is critical when it comes to music distribution. An excellent way to name your file is: Catalog Number - Artist - Title - Mix - Version # - Date

If you need a hand keeping track of this information, these valuable resources can help.

Sound Credit is a great online tool to help you document who is responsible for what. You can embed credits directly into the audio files shared between collaborators. At the same time, its tracker plugin lets you capture full credits and production details (such as the version number and recording date) live during studio sessions.

Additionally, you should pick a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive and establish that every contributor has access to upload files. Organizing all your files in one place, including artwork, stems, and any contracts or paperwork (you can secure files by making them private), will save you time and allow you to access information quickly if any conflicts or negotiations arise.

With a lot of music now being made online, many songs get passed between contributors in rapid succession. You might record something, go to bed, then wake the next day to find another producer has added a new beat while you were sleeping. Because of this fast-paced creative environment, it's always a good idea to decide on songwriter splits or percentages early. You can make your own notes or use a Songwriter Split Sheet to record information such as:

• Song titles
• Writing session dates
• Recording artists
• Studio names and addresses
• Samples contained within the music and where each piece originated
• Composers and their addresses, phone numbers, publisher information, PRO affiliation, percentage of lyrics, percentage of music, IPI/CAE or social security number, and of course, their signature.

PROs such as ASCAP offer songwriting split sheets to help you record this information. It’s good practice to complete this with your fellow co-writers, then commit to a written agreement to ensure everyone is clear about who did what. Adhering to this best practice should help royalties flow as smoothly.

Try to be as precise as possible when inputting information and tagging your music. You will likely be required to enter the same information multiple times, so pay close attention to spelling and formatting, as it will need to be without errors to be accepted. Fixing a mistake can cost time and send you to the back of the queue with your music distribution partner, who has real humans checking your metadata’s accuracy.

In some cases, there may be rules that impact how you input your information. For example, most major streaming platforms have a set style guide for song titles and artist names.

Some basic rules apply:

• You should capitalize the first letter of every word, except for words like “or,” "and" or "it" unless they are the first or last word of the title. E.g., "Take Me or Take It"
• Most streaming platforms will not accept creative casing. You should input RoCkYoUrboDY as Rockyourbody, JohnDoe to Johndoe
• Tracks or album titles in all caps need to be in title case. You should input SUBTRACT as Subtract

However, there are some exceptions:

• Common acronyms like LOL, OMG, RIP, ASAP are accepted
• If you have a specific arrangement with the distribution platform, you may be exempt from these rules

Despite appearances, using a large variety of tags will not mean that more people will discover your music. The same applies to duplicating tags – it’s unnecessary and ineffective. Instead, it’s best to keep your tagging straightforward. This way, your music will only appear in searches that accurately reflect your sound.

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. If they are looking for a chill acoustic song, they don’t want a bass-heavy hip-hop track to come on instead. Tagging can be a career-changing moment. Do it right, and you could get noticed by a Spotify editor and added to one of their influential playlists. Similarly, it could mean a Music Supervisor finds your music suitable for a pivotal moment in a movie. But it can also have the opposite impact if you try to trick the system.

Lastly, remember that creativity is your ultimate goal. Yes, it pays to spend a reasonable amount of time accurately documenting your metadata, but it shouldn’t obscure your creative process. In some cases, your manager or record label may handle your metadata for you. Though if it does come down to you, don’t obsess over it. You can’t get everything right all the time. However, if you follow our tips, you will master the fundamentals and set yourself up for success.