Metadata is the structured information attached to your music that tells every platform who made it, what it's called, when it was released, and how it should be categorized. Without metadata, a song is just an audio file. Platforms cannot identify, attribute, or display it correctly.
Types of Metadata
Music metadata includes several categories of information:
Descriptive Metadata
- Track Title: The name of the song as displayed on platforms
- Artist Name: The primary performing artist or band
- Featured Artists: Additional artists appearing on the track
- Release Title: The name of the single, EP, or album
- Genre: Primary and secondary genre classification
- Language: The language of the lyrics or performance
Credits Metadata
- Composer: Who wrote the music/melody
- Lyricist: Who wrote the words
- Producer: Who produced the recording
- Arranger: Who arranged the composition
- Mixing Engineer: Who mixed the recording
- Mastering Engineer: Who mastered the final audio
Identification Metadata
- ISRC: International Standard Recording Code (track-level)
- UPC / EAN: Universal Product Code (release-level)
- Catalog Number: Your internal release identifier
Rights Metadata
- ℗ (Phonogram) Rights: Who owns the master recording
- © (Copyright): Who owns the composition/publication
- Label: The label or imprint releasing the music
Where Metadata Appears
When you search for a song on Spotify, the artist name, track title, and album artwork you see are all metadata. When Shazam identifies a song, it matches against metadata. When royalty organizations track plays, they use ISRC codes. Metadata is everywhere in the digital music ecosystem.
Why Accuracy Matters
Incorrect metadata creates real problems: your song appears under the wrong artist profile, royalties are sent to the wrong people, your genre classification sends your music to the wrong listeners, or platforms reject your release entirely. Professional metadata management prevents these issues before they occur.
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