SUR & SAUDASong metadata and credits sheet
The short answerMetadata is the information attached to your release: titles, artists, writers, codes and credits. Wrong or missing metadata is one of the most common reasons royalties go unpaid or songs end up on the wrong artist's profile. Fill in this sheet before you upload to your distributor, and use exactly the same names and titles on IPRS and every platform.
Fill in one sheet per release. Keep spellings identical everywhere.
1. Release
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Release title | |
| Release type (single / EP / album) | |
| Primary artist(s) | |
| Featured artist(s) | |
| Label name (or your own imprint) | |
| Release date | |
| UPC / EAN | |
| ℗ line (year and owner of the recording) | |
| © line (year and owner of the artwork and packaging) | |
| Primary genre / secondary genre | |
| Distributor |
2. Each track
Copy this table for each track.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Track title | |
| Version (original, acoustic, remix, radio edit, etc.) | |
| ISRC | |
| Duration | |
| Language of lyrics | |
| Explicit? (yes / no) | |
| Preview start time (for clips) | |
| Lyrics supplied? | |
| Samples (cleared?) | |
| AI use (none / assisted / generated, and how) |
3. Writers (from your split sheet)
| Name | Role (lyricist / composer) | Share (%) | IPRS member no. | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4. Recording credits
| Role | Name(s) |
|---|---|
| Producer | |
| Co-producer | |
| Vocals | |
| Backing vocals | |
| Instruments (list each) | |
| Programming | |
| Arranger | |
| Recording engineer | |
| Mixing engineer | |
| Mastering engineer | |
| Studio(s) |
5. Links and assets
| Item | Location (file or link) |
|---|---|
| Master WAV (24-bit or as distributor requires) | |
| Cover art, 3000 × 3000 px | |
| Lyrics file | |
| Signed split sheet | |
| Spotify artist profile link | |
| Apple Music artist profile link | |
| YouTube channel link |
Checks before you upload
- Artist names spelled exactly as on your existing profiles, so the release doesn't create a duplicate profile.
- Featured artists listed as featured, not in the title, unless your distributor's rules say otherwise.
- No emojis, all caps or extra words like "official" in titles.
- Writers' names match their IPRS registrations.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between an ISRC and a UPC?
An ISRC identifies a single recording. A UPC (or EAN) identifies a release, such as a single, EP or album. A single has one UPC and one ISRC per track. Most distributors assign both for free.
Why do credits matter?
Credits are how writers, producers and musicians get recognised and found, and they help royalties be matched to the right people. Spotify and other platforms show songwriter and producer credits supplied through distributors.
Do I need to declare AI use?
Platforms increasingly ask distributors to declare whether and how AI was used. Record it here so the answer is ready when your distributor asks.