What is an ISRC?
Why we wrote this guide As consumers take advantage of technology to stream and download music across a growing assortment of applications, it has become harder »
guide
Archive
- Exploration Weekly - IG to Share IGTV Ad Money to Creators / WMG IPO Filing Valued at $13.3B / Canadian Artists to Earn Performance from Livestreams
- Exploration Weekly - YT Select to Replace Google Preferred / Spotify Unveils Artist and Label Portal / Goldman Sachs Predicts 25% Drop in 2020 Revenue
- Exploration Weekly - Consumer Habits and Coronavirus / Spotify Signs Licensing Deal with Saregama / Google Play Music to Transfer to YouTube Music
- Exploration Weekly - 2019 Global Recorded Music Revenues Top $20B / Peloton Counts $49M Legal Costs / YT Music’s Explore Tab Now Available
- Exploration Weekly - MLC Hires Five New Leaders / YouTube Reports $4 Billion Q1 Ad Revenue / Spotify Counts 130 Million Paid Subscribers in Q1
- Exploration Weekly - Apple Music Expands to 52 Countries / Facebook Invests $5.7B in Reliance Jio / Spotify Launches “Artist Fundraising Pick” Tool
- Exploration Weekly - Finding Logan by Rene Merideth / Open Office Hours - Monday-Friday @ 10am-12pm PST
- Exploration Weekly - Open Office Hours - Monday-Friday @ 10am-12pm PST
- Exploration Weekly - Open Office Hours - Friday 4/3 @ 10am-12pm PST
- Exploration Weekly - Don’t Sell Your Catalog Webinar - Friday 3/27 @ 10am PST
- Exploration Weekly - Remote Work Webinar - Friday 3/20 @ 9am PST
- Exploration COVID-19 Business Continuity + Remote Work Webinar - Friday @ 9am PST
- How to Work Remotely in the Music Business
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify, Amazon Argue Against 44% Rate Hike / TikTok Unveils New Transparency Center / US Congress Discusses Copyright Reform
- Exploration Weekly - ByteDance Launches Resso in India / YT Posts 22% Reinstatement Rate / 2018 Global Value of Music Copyright Reached $30.1B
- Exploration Weekly - Peloton and NMPA Settle Copyright Infringement Dispute / 2019 Music Revenue Up by 13% / T-Series First to Reach 100 Billion Views
- Exploration Weekly - YouTube Paid $3B+ to Music Biz in 2019 / SoundCloud Allows Mobile Uploads / Reliance Invests $19.6M in JioSaavn Streaming Service
- Exploration Weekly - YouTube Testing “Viewer Applause” / SiriusXM Invests $75M in SoundCloud / Spotify Beta-Launches “Songwriter Pages”
- Exploration Weekly - YT Unveils $15.1B in 2019 Revenue / TME Antitrust Investigation Put On Hold / Spotify Increases Paid User Base to 124M
- Exploration Weekly - Peloton’s Antitrust Countersuit Dismissed / EU Copyright Directive Cancelled in UK / BMI and RMLC Settle Radio Royalty Dispute
- Exploration Weekly - TikTok and Merlin Enter New Licensing Deal / Amazon Music Counts 55M+ Customers / Spotify Unveils Influencer Stories Feature
- A Bird's Eye View
- Exploration Weekly - MLC Announces New CEO / Spotify and Warner End Licensing Dispute in India / iHeartMedia Initiates New Organizational Structure
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Unveils Podcast Ad Targeting / SiriusXM Counts 34.9M Subscribers / US On-Demand Streams Surpass Record 1 Trillion in 2019
- Exploration Weekly - UMG to Sell 10% to Tencent-Led Group / Streaming is 80% of US Recorded Music in 2019 / UK Breaks Record with 114B Music Streams
- Exploration Weekly - Pop Makes Massive Comeback in 2019 / TikTok Fuels No. 1 Hits / YouTube Updates Copyright Claims Platform
- Exploration Weekly - TME to Buy Back $400M of Its Shares / Maria Strong Named Acting US Copyright Register / YT Counts 800K Paid Subscribers in India
- Exploration Weekly - ByteDance Tests New Music Service Resso / Merlin Inks Deal with Boomplay / Katy Perry to Fight Back Against “Dark Horse” Verdict
- Exploration Weekly - American Law Institute Urged Not to Reinterpret Copyright Law / Spotify Drops Promo Tool / YouTube Unveils 2019 Most-Viewed Lists
- Exploration Weekly - MLC Leader and Partners Chosen for Data Portal / AM-FM Act Introduced in Congress / Indies Challenge Tencent’s 10% Buyout of UMG
- Exploration Weekly - ByteDance to Launch Streaming Service / Musicians File Amicus Brief on CRB Rate Increase / Amazon Music Now Offers Free Version
- Exploration Weekly - MLC Funding Deal Reaches Agreement / Disney+ Hits 10 Million Subs / Amazon Music Unlimited May Feature Music Videos
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Posts Q3 Operating Profit of $60M / ByteDance Reportedly Under US Investigation / PRS Launches New Data Portal
- Exploration Weekly - MLC Board Members Discuss Next Steps / Apple Earns $12.5 Billion in Services Revenue / Senators Call for TikTok Investigation
- Exploration Weekly - House of Representatives Passes CASE Act / IFPI and WIN Launch Data Exchange Service / Yellowcard Sues Juice WRLD Over Hit Single
- Exploration Weekly - Publishers and DSPs Negotiate MLC Costs / NMPA Requests TikTok Investigation / Katy Perry Appeals “Dark Horse” Ruling
- Exploration Weekly - US Congress Questions Spotify in Antitrust Probe / Artists Can Claim Recordings in SoundExchange / Apple Shuts Down iTunes
- Exploration Weekly - Double Damages in Peloton Copyright Case / YT Music Pre-Installed on Android / Spotify Users Can Now Add Podcasts to Playlists
- Exploration Weekly - SESAC Refinances Capital Structure / US Judiciary Committee Writes Letter to Remove Safe Harbor / YouTube Unveils New Ad Formats
- Exploration Weekly - MLC Requests $37.25M for 2021 Launch / NMPA Proposes Amendment of Consent Decrees / YouTube Excludes Paid-Ad Views from Charts
- Exploration Weekly - House Judiciary Committee Passes CASE Act / Alibaba Acquires 20% of NetEase Cloud Music / Apple TV+ Launching Nov. 1 at $5/Month
- Exploration Weekly - FB, IG Add Music to Stories in Latin America / Audio Network, Musiio Enter AI Partnership / Pandora Integrates with IG Stories
- Exploration Weekly - NMPA Challenges Spotify and Amazon Over CRB Rate / DOJ Reviewing Consent Decree / Tencent Music Entertainment Under Investigation
- Exploration Weekly - Former Pandora Investors Sue Over Sirius Deal / Disney+ Sets Nov 12 Launch / YT Tweaks Copyright Policy for Video Monetization
- Exploration Weekly - Streaming Companies Appeal CRB Rate Increase / ASCAP, BMI Comment on DOJ Consent Decree / Spotify’s Podcast Analytics Out of Beta
- Exploration Weekly - Vivendi to Sell Partial UMG Stake to Tencent / AT&T Offers Free Spotify Premium / Disney Bundles Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Counts 108M Paid Users in Q2 / Apple’s Services Division Hits $11B in Q3 / Katy Perry Faces Defeat in “Dark Horse” Trial
- Exploration Weekly - Bytedance Acquires Jukedeck / Vivendi Appointing Banks for UMG Sale / YT Music Unveils Seamless Song and Music Video Feature
- Exploration Weekly - Senate Judiciary Committee Passes CASE Act / Apple Investing in Original Podcasts / Sony Unites Recorded Music and Publishing
- Exploration Weekly - NMPA-Endorsed MLC Designated / USCO Confirms Digital Licensing Coordinator / YouTube Updates Manual Claiming Tool
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Ends Direct Upload Tool / Rolling Stone Launches US Music Charts / iHeartMedia Direct Listing Set to Debut July 18
- Exploration Weekly - Apple Disputes Spotify’s “App Tax” Complaint / NMPA Hits Back at Peloton / Spotify Requests Refund from Publishers
- Exploration Weekly - Pandora Sued by Wixen / UMG Part-Sale to Begin by End of Year / YouTube Iconic Music Videos to be Remastered in HD
- What are Music Industry Consent Decrees?
- Exploration Weekly - Apple Music Receives $15-$20B Valuation / Music on YT Represents 20% of All Views / Spotify Rolls Out Your Daily Drive Playlist
- Exploration Weekly - DOJ to Review ASCAP and BMI Consent Decrees / Apple to Replace iTunes / Goldman Sachs Predicts 1.15B Paying Subscribers by 2030
- Exploration Weekly - iTunes Users Sue Apple / Snap in Licensing Talks with Labels / CBS Hit With Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
- Exploration Weekly - ByteDance Plans Streaming Service / Labels Invest $5.8B in A&R and Marketing in 2017 / Tech Firms Sued by Harold Arlen's Estate
- Exploration Weekly - Disney Takes Over Hulu / YT Premium and YT Music Available in 50+ Countries / Apple Antitrust Lawsuit Allowed to Proceed in US
- Exploration Weekly - CASE Act Introduced in Congress / EU Begins Apple Antitrust Investigation / 500+ Hours of Content Uploaded to YT Every Minute
- What is an Exploration Audit?
- Exploration Weekly - Peloton Files Countersuit Against NMPA / YT CEO Posts New Copyright Claim Changes / iHeartMedia Completes Restructuring Process
- OPEN LETTER - Oppose Discrimination
- Exploration Weekly - Saregama Sues Spotify / SiriusXM Reports First-Quarter Profits / YT Music Adds Free Ad-Supported Tier for Google Home Speakers
- Exploration Weekly - Amazon In Talks of Adding Free Music Tier / EU Council Approves Article 13 / Disney+ Launch Date Announced
- Exploration Weekly - NMPA/NSAI Lead Nashville Town Hall / AMLC Leads Nashville Town Hall / YT Music India Hits 3M Downloads
- Exploration Weekly - iHeartMedia Files IPO / Global Recorded Music Revenues Up 9.7% / YouTube Music Adds 11 Artists to Foundry Program
- Exploration Weekly - Article 13 Approved by European Parliament / Industry Consensus Group Proposes MLC Budget / Apple Launches TV Streaming Service
- Exploration Weekly - NMPA Publishers Sue Peloton / Spotify Responds to Apple Over App Store / YouTube to Add Timestamp Feature to Manual Claiming Tool
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Files Antitrust Complaint Against Apple / NMPA Responds to Spotify’s Royalty Appeal / YouTube Music Launches in India
- Exploration Weekly - Tech Companies Appeal CRB Royalty Increase / Copyright Owners Must Register to Sue / ICMP Backs Warner in India Licensing Dispute
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify India Launches / Liberty Media, KKR, and Tencent to Purchase UMG / European Parliament Legal Approves Copyright Directive
- Exploration Weekly - SoundCloud Unveils New Distribution Tool / Vivendi Searches for UMG Buyers / Music Biz Reps Approve European Copyright Directive
- Exploration Weekly - Article 13 Negotiations Finalized / Librarian of Congress Appoints Chief Copyright Royalty Judge / Apple to Launch Video Service
- Exploration Weekly - NMPA Submits Bid for MLC / CRB Finalizes 44% Royalty Rate Increase / Spotify Acquires Gimlet Media and Anchor
- Exploration Weekly - Pandora CEO Roger Lynch Exits / SoundCloud Revenues Up 80% in 2017 / Spotify India Launch Date Postponed
- Exploration Weekly - iHeartMedia Bankruptcy Plan Approved / Article 13 Progress Stalled / YouTube Top Three Artists From India
- Exploration Weekly - YT Music May Become Android Default Audio Player / Spotify India to Launch by January 31 / Free Apple Music with Verizon Wireless
- The Team
- Types of Music Releases
- Exploration Weekly - Streaming Direct-to-Artist Tools Impact Labels / AMLC Seeking Tech Partners / Apple’s Profit Warning Points to Music and Video
- Copyright Registration
- Music Industry Contracts
- Exploration Weekly - 1923 Works Enter Public Domain / US Song Consumption Hits $5.8 Billion / Streaming Music in 2018
- What is On-Demand Music Streaming?
- What is Non-Interactive Music Streaming?
- A Glossary of Music Industry Terms
- Exploration Weekly - iHeartMedia to Separate from Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings / US Copyright Office to Select MLC / Can You Copyright a Dance Move?
- Exploration Weekly - Wixen-Spotify Lawsuit Ends / Global Recorded Music Revenues to Hit $18.9 Billion / Register of Copyrights Bill Under Debate
- What is Music Distribution?
- Major vs. Indie
- How Does the Music Modernization Act Work?
- What are Print Rights?
- What are Lyric Rights?
- What is a Digital Download?
- What are Neighboring Rights?
- What is Work for Hire?
- Exploration Weekly - Tencent Music Launches US IPO / “Blurred Lines” Case Ends in $5 Million Judgement / Apple Acquires Platoon
- Exploration Weekly - JioSaavn Officially Merges in India / Liberty Media May Buy iHeartMedia / Apple Music for Business in the Works
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify India to Launch Within 6 Months / YouTube Offers Student Discounts / Copyright Royalty Board Makes Changes to the MMA
- Exploration Weekly - YouTube Pop-Ups Released / UMG to Distribute Spotify Equity to Artists, Non-Recoupable / SiriusXM-Pandora Deal Approved in Europe
- Exploration Weekly - First MLC Contender Emerges / Vivendi to Select Banks for UMG Sale / Sony Finalizes EMI Takeover
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Launches Music Publishing Analytics Tool / Apple Music Reveals Preferred Distributors / YT Content ID Pays Out $3 Billion
- Exploration Weekly - European Commission Approves EMI Music Publishing Acquisition / SoundCloud's Contract Criticized / Spotify Smart Speaker Giveaway
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Officially Launches Playlist Tool / SiriusXM Reaches Record Q3 Revenue / MMA Calls On Board of Directors
- Exploration Weekly - Apple “Acqui-Hires” Asaii / Spotify Buys Minority Stake in DistroKid / Concert Tickets Now Sold Via YouTube-Eventbrite Deal
- Exploration Weekly - President Signs MMA Into Law / SoundCloud Opens Direct Monetization Program / Genius Adds Lyrics Feature to Apple Music
- Exploration Weekly - Sony, Warner Invest In Tencent IPO / SoundCloud Teams With Pandora / Spotify Denied Lawsuit Dismissal
- What is a Master-Use License?
- Exploration Weekly - MMA Approved by the House of Representatives / SiriusXM Buys Pandora / Apple Music Converts 2.5 Times Faster Than Spotify
- Exploration Weekly - MMA Approved by the US Senate / Spotify Lets Artists Directly Upload Music to Service / Apple Music Now Searchable by Lyrics
- Exploration Weekly - EU Approves New Copyright Reforms / MMA Anticipates Changes in Congress / Apple Music Streaming Market Share Up 3%
- What is Synchronization Licensing?
- What is a Public Performance License?
- Exploration Weekly - YT Calls Out EU Copyright Directive / UK Music Exports Total £408.4M in 2017 / Spotify Inks Deals in Indonesia and Thailand
- Exploration Weekly - Tencent Music To IPO This Fall / MMA Reaches Handshake Deal / YT India To Hit 500M MAU In Two Years
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Releases Podcasts / YT Merges Artist Channel Subscriptions / Court Rules No New Copyright for Remastered Recordings
- Exploration Weekly - Citi Report Posts Inaccuracies / IMPALA Worried Over Sony’s EMI Deals / Spotify Launches Music Credits on iOS
- Exploration Weekly - MMA Statutory Mechanical Licenses / Warner Sells Entire Spotify Stake for $504M / Spotify Partners with Samsung
- What is a Mechanical License?
- Exploration Weekly - SESAC Reaches Compromise Over MMA / Sony Acquires All Of EMI / Vivendi To Sell 50% Of UMG
- Exploration Weekly - MMA Endangered by Blackstone Intervention / Spotify Announces 83M Subscribers / Global Music Copyright Worth $26B in 2016
- What Is SoundExchange?
- Exploration Weekly - Apple Music Touts US Subscribers / Spotify Reveals Pitching Feature / UnitedMasters Launches Data-Driven Distribution Service
- What is Music Reports?
- What is The Harry Fox Agency?
- Exploration Weekly - DOJ Terminates Outdated Consent Decrees / Apple Expected to Surpass Spotify / Streams Up 41.6% in First Half of 2018
- Exploration Weekly - Senate Judiciary Committee Passes MMA / EU Copyright Directive Rejected Thursday / Tencent Filing IPO This Week
- What is a Record Label?
- What is a Music Publisher?
- Exploration Weekly - Apple Mulls Subscription Bundle / YT Offers New Monetization for Creators / A2IM CEO Richard Burgess Calls Out DSPs
- What is a Recording Artist?
- Exploration Weekly - YT Music Premium Launches in 17 Countries / A Summary of the MMA / Major Labels Unhappy With Spotify Going Direct
- What is a Songwriter?
- Exploration Weekly - Investors Respond to Spotify’s Direct Licensing Deals / NMPA Discusses DOJ Consent Decrees / Net Neutrality Officially Ends
- What is a Sound Recording?
- Exploration Weekly - Facebook Makes Music Moves / Spotify Offers Advances for Direct Deals / Tuma Basa Joins YT as Director of Urban Music
- Exploration Weekly - Apple Builds Music Publishing Dept / BMI vs. RMLC / New Fees at Copyright Office
- What is a Composition?
- Exploration Weekly - MMA Challenged by New Alternative Bill / Sony Buys 90% of EMI / YouTube Music Officially Launches
- Exploration Weekly - YouTube Announces Premium Service and Music Credits / Smokey Robinson Urges for Copyright Reform / Merlin Sells 100% of Its Spotify Shares
- Exploration Weekly - WMG Sells 75% of Spotify Shares / Spotify’s Q1 2018 Breakdown / YouTube Launches New Music Charts
- Exploration Weekly - Sony Sells 50% of Spotify Shares / YouTube to Launch Copyright Match / Music Modernization Act Passes House of Representatives
- Annual Report - 2017
- Exploration Weekly - Amazon Confirms 100+ Million Prime Subscribers / Indies Get $5.3b of Global Recorded Music / YouTube Updates 2018 Priorities
- Exploration Weekly - Music Modernization Act Approved / Launch of EMMA / FCC Chairman to Modernize Media Rules
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Valued at $27 Billion on NYSE / YouTube Launches New Skippable Ads / Sony Music Sells 17.2% of Its Shares in Spotify
- Exploration Weekly - AMP Act Introduced in Senate / Apple Music Launches Music Videos / Wixen and Kobalt Want to Pay Songwriters Fairly
- Exploration Weekly - US Recorded-Music Revenues Up 16.5% / Basca Campaigns for Spotify and Facebook Money / Cecile Frot-Coutaz Moves to YouTube
- Exploration Weekly - EMI Music Publishing Valued at $4 Billion / Spotify to List Shares on April 3rd / Lyor Cohen Speaks at SXSW Keynote
- Exploration Weekly - Indie Artists Want Share of Spotify’s Equity / Google Partners with TiVo Music Metadata / iHeartMedia Files Last-Minute Extensi
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Officially Goes Public / Vero: New Social Media Hype? / Gaana Receives $115 Million Investment From Tencent
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify’s First Physical Product / Facebook Enters Smart Speaker Market / YouTube’s Lyor Cohen Emphasizes Community
- Exploration Weekly - More Songwriters on the Board of Directors / Growth of Voice Recognition and AI / SoundExchange Argues Against CRB Decision
- Exploration Weekly - Spotify Credits Songwriters, Apple Music's Surprising Growth, Senate Introduces the CLASSICS Act
- Exploration Weekly - CRB Increases Songwriter's Rates by 44% / Downloads Up 328% at Grammys / EU Music Orgs Push for Safe Harbor Reform
- Exploration Weekly - YouTube Launches ISNI System and Official Artist Channels / Copyright Law Reinterpreted / Streaming in Spain Up 25%
- Exploration Weekly - Changes to YouTube’s Partner Program / Petition Against FCC / Pandora Has Biggest Value Gap
- Exploration Weekly - Jimmy Iovine’s False Apple Leave / Major Music Legislation / YouTube Red Launch
- Exploration Weekly - U.S. Music Consumption Up 12.5% / Spotify Sued And Files IPO / Georgia’s New Tax Bill
- Exploration Weekly - Facebook Invests in Music / Google Amazon Feud / USB Music Albums
- Exploration Weekly - YouTube Accrued Royalties Claiming Window / Mechanical Rate Reinvented / Fractionalized Licensing
- Exploration Weekly - BMI Consent Decree / Disney Sued for Let It Go / Spotify Infringement Estimates
- Exploration Weekly - UnitedMasters / YouTube Ticketmaster Partnership / CISAC reports 52% Rise In Digital
- GOP Tax Bill Kills Capital Gain For Composers and Music Publishers
- Pandora Playlists / FCC Proposals / pre-1972 Copyright
- Copyright Reform / Indie Labels = 38% / Spotify RISE
- What is an ISWC?
- What is an ISRC?
- Organizations and Advocacy Groups of the Music Business
- The YouTube Guide for the Music Business
- Powerful Women / IFPI Plan / Atlanta Music Hub
- Annual Report + 2017 Global Music Report [PDF] + NMPA/YouTube Settlement + Ableton + Catalog Metadata Template [.csv]
- Music Business Organizations and Advocacy Groups + The CCC + Data Update
- Spotify Data For Publishers
- Music Business Organizations and Advocacy Groups + The CCC + Data Update
- ISRC Search – YouTube for Artists – YouTube Basics Webinar (Free)
- Annual Report 2015
- Exploration Data
- What Metadata is Critical + Downloadable Template + Ad Rate Increase + New Search Software + PMA Conference + Adventure
- ASCAP Doesn’t Know About Your Music On YouTube Unless You Tell Them [VIDEO] – Choice Words Regarding the Berklee Music Report – The Golden Recor
- Berklee College of Music: Fair Music Report – How Much Streaming Services Pay: Visualized
- Streaming Platforms – How SoundCloud Monetization Works – SESAC Bought HFA – FaceBook Video
- ASCAP Article Response – Managing Copyright on YouTube [VIDEO]
- Facebook Video – Why Did The GRD Fail – What Is Code
- Exploration Year in Review – 2014
- 2014 YouTube Statistics
- Happy Holidays
- Streaming – Some Could Be Viewing It All Wrong
- Investing in Music Global Report + YouTube Music Key Tutorial + Holiday Parties
- Happy Thanksgiving + Office Closure
- YouTube Music Key – LAUNCHED
- YouTube Streaming Service – hacker / am – Hunnypot – AIMP Member Showcase
- Partner Development Program + Request For Feedback
- $5 Million Obtained to Fund Digital Royalty Purchases and Advances
- How Much Should Writers Get Paid? with Richard Stumpf of Atlas Music Publishing [Video Interview]
- What Is The Consent Decree with Danielle Aguirre at the NMPA [INTERVIEW]
- SoundCloud Monetization Is Starting + Monitor Latino Convention + YouTube Pro Tips
- Multilingual Support + YouTube Certified Partner
- FAQ – Free Video Production – LAWIM Panel
- Got Music Videos? Phoenix [new software] – Showcase benefitting Covenant House
- YouTube Certified – Billboard + NARIP Articles – Let’s Party
- Latin Billboard Awards
- Heartbleed [URGENT – IMPORTANT]
- SoundCloud Data
- Digital Media Brief, Miami, and a Love Song
- Who we are, Grammys, Conferences & Confidentiality
- How big is YouTube? [INFOGRAPHIC]
- Merry Holidays and a Joyous New Year!!!
- Happy Thanksgiving!!