What is an ISRC and why is it important in recording rights?

• A. International Standard Recording Code; a unique identifier for a specific sound recording used for royalty tracking.
• B. International Standard Recording Code; a code for publishing rights.
• C. International System for Recording Credits.
• D. Interim Standard for Recording Costs.

Answer: (B)

An ISRC is the International Standard Recording Code, a unique identifier assigned to a specific sound recording. This code travels with the recording across all releases and platforms, allowing royalty systems, distributors, streaming services, and rights organizations to track when that exact recording is played, streamed, or sold and to calculate the correct payments to the recording owner. It helps distinguish different versions of the same track (original, remix, live version) so each one can be independently monetized.

Importantly, this code covers the recording itself, not the underlying composition. Publishing rights are tied to the musical work (the song), and those are identified by a different code (the ISWC). So the ISRC is essential for recording rights and monetization, while ISWC handles publishing rights.