Music Metadata Best Practices: Credits, Lyrics, and More
For Artists
Mar 15, 2026
Music metadata is the information attached to your release that determines how it appears on platforms, who gets credited, and how listeners discover it. Incorrect metadata causes misattributed royalties, poor discoverability, and an unprofessional presentation. Getting it right requires attention to detail on credits, songwriting splits, lyrics, and descriptive tags.
Metadata is invisible infrastructure. Listeners do not see most of it directly, but it shapes their entire experience of your music.
The artist name that appears on Spotify? Metadata. The songwriter credits that determine who gets paid? Metadata. The genre tags that influence which playlists your song appears on? Metadata.
Most artists rush through metadata fields during distribution, treating them as administrative annoyances. This creates problems: misspelled names, missing credits, wrong genres, and royalty disputes.
This article covers what each metadata field does, how to fill them correctly, and the common mistakes that cause issues down the line. For how metadata fits into your overall release workflow, see How to Plan a Music Release: Step-by-Step Checklist.
Metadata Fields Explained
Distributors ask for many fields. Here is what they mean and why they matter.
Field | What It Is | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
Track Title | The name of the song | Searchability, display on platforms |
Primary Artist | Main artist name | Profile attribution, branding |
Featured Artists | Collaborators credited with "feat." | Cross-promotion, playlist eligibility |
Songwriters | Who wrote the composition | Publishing royalties, legal credits |
Producers | Who produced the recording | Production credits, some royalty claims |
ISRC | Unique recording identifier | Tracking streams, royalty collection |
UPC/EAN | Unique release identifier | Retail tracking, catalog management |
Genre | Primary musical category | Algorithmic recommendations, playlist fit |
Subgenre | More specific category | Finer-grained discovery |
Mood Tags | Emotional descriptors | Mood-based playlists, sync licensing |
Lyrics | Song text | Lyric display, search, accessibility |
Language | Language of lyrics | Localization, regional recommendations |
Explicit Flag | Whether tracks contain explicit material | Filtering, platform restrictions |
Release Date | When the release goes live | Editorial consideration, playlist timing |
Artist Name Consistency
Your artist name must be exactly the same across every release. Variations create duplicate profiles and split your streaming data.
Common Mistakes
"John Smith" on one release, "John smith" on another (capitalization)
"The Midnight" vs "Midnight" (article variation)
"DJ Shadow" vs "Dj Shadow" vs "dj shadow"
Using legal name on some releases, stage name on others
Pick one exact spelling. Use it everywhere. If your distributor shows your artist name differently than you intended, contact support to correct it before releasing more music.
Credits: Songwriters and Producers
Credits have legal and financial implications. Get them right.
Songwriter Credits
Songwriters are the people who wrote the composition: melody and lyrics. This is separate from who performed or produced the recording.
Format: Full legal names, not stage names. "John Michael Smith" not "J. Smith" or "Johnny S."
Why legal names matter: Publishing royalties are collected by PROs (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) using legal names. Incorrect names mean uncollected royalties.
Split percentages: If multiple writers contributed, agree on percentages before release. Common approaches:
Equal split regardless of contribution size
Proportional split based on agreed contribution
Lyrics writer gets X%, melody writer gets Y%
Document splits in writing. A simple email confirmation between collaborators is minimum. A formal split sheet is better.
Producer Credits
Producers shaped the recording. They may or may not have songwriting credit depending on their contribution.
Production credit: Appears in liner notes and some platform displays. Usually does not affect royalties unless the producer also has a songwriting share or master points.
Points on master: Some producers negotiate a percentage of master recording royalties. This is separate from publishing and handled through your distributor or label agreement.
Featured Artist Credits
Featured artists appear in the track title as "Song Name (feat. Artist Name)" or in a separate metadata field.
When to use "feat.":
Significant vocal contribution
Both artists want cross-promotion
The collaboration is a marketing asset
Most platforms prefer "feat." over "ft." or "featuring." Check your distributor's guidelines for the exact format they accept.
ISRC and UPC Codes
These are unique identifiers that track your music through the industry.
ISRC (International Standard Recording Code)
Assigned to each recording. A new recording gets a new ISRC. A remaster or remix gets its own ISRC separate from the original.
Who assigns it: Your distributor typically assigns ISRCs automatically. Some labels and established artists register their own through their national ISRC agency.
Why it matters: ISRCs track streams and enable royalty collection. If the same recording has multiple ISRCs across platforms, streams may not aggregate correctly.
UPC/EAN (Universal Product Code)
Assigned to each release (single, EP, album). The UPC identifies the package, not individual tracks.
Who assigns it: Your distributor assigns UPCs. If you switch distributors and re-release the same project, you may get a new UPC.
For more on distribution codes and processes, see How to Release Your Music: Distribution Guide.
Genre and Mood Tags
Tags influence algorithmic recommendations and playlist placement. Getting them right matters more than most artists realize. For a broader look at how metadata, distribution, and promotion connect across your career, explore the artist resource library.
Genre Selection
Primary genre: Choose the most accurate broad category. If your song is hip-hop with electronic elements, decide which is primary.
Subgenre: More specific categorization. "Lo-fi hip-hop" rather than just "hip-hop."
Honesty over optimization: Tagging your song as "pop" to chase bigger playlists when it is actually "ambient" hurts more than it helps. Algorithms detect mismatches, and listeners who do not find what they expected will skip, damaging your engagement metrics.
Mood Tags
Descriptors like "energetic," "melancholy," "uplifting," "dark." These affect:
Mood-based playlist placement
Sync licensing searchability
Algorithmic recommendations for context (workout, sleep, focus)
Be accurate and specific. If your song has a melancholy verse but an uplifting chorus, choose the dominant mood or the mood you want to be discovered for.
Lyrics Submission
Lyrics are increasingly important for discovery and accessibility.
Why Lyrics Matter
Lyric search: Listeners search for songs by lyric fragments. Accurate lyrics make your song findable.
Lyric display: Spotify, Apple Music, and others display lyrics during playback. Missing or incorrect lyrics reduce engagement.
Accessibility: Lyrics help hearing-impaired listeners engage with your music.
Submitting Lyrics
Through your distributor: Many distributors now accept lyrics during the upload process. This is the most reliable method.
Through Musixmatch: Musixmatch powers lyrics on Spotify and other platforms. You can claim your artist profile and submit or correct lyrics directly.
Formatting:
Include line breaks as they appear in the song
Use standard punctuation
Do not include timestamps (unless specifically requested)
Separate verses, choruses, and bridges with blank lines
Common Mistakes
Submitting lyrics with typos
Missing sections (forgetting to include the bridge)
Wrong lyrics for remixes or alternate versions
Not submitting lyrics at all
Explicit Flagging
Platforms filter explicit tracks based on your flag.
When to Flag as Explicit
Profanity in lyrics
Sexual references
Drug references
Violent references
Consequences of Wrong Flagging
Flagged when clean: Your song may be excluded from some playlists and filtered for users with parental controls.
Not flagged when explicit: Platforms may remove or restrict your song if listeners report it. Some distributors may reject the release.
Clean Versions
If you release both explicit and clean versions, they need separate ISRCs. Clearly label the clean version in the title (e.g., "Song Name (Clean)"). Submit different lyrics for each version.
Release Date Strategy
The release date you set affects editorial consideration.
Minimum lead time: Most distributors require 2-4 weeks between upload and release for editorial playlist consideration. Shorter timelines may still process but will not be considered for editorial.
Friday releases: The music industry standard is Friday releases. Editorial playlists like New Music Friday are built around this schedule.
Alternative strategies: Some artists release on other days to avoid Friday competition. This sacrifices editorial consideration for less competition.
Quality Control Checklist
Before submitting your release:
[ ] Artist name spelled exactly as previous releases
[ ] Track title formatted correctly (watch for extra spaces)
[ ] Featured artists credited correctly
[ ] All songwriters listed with legal names
[ ] Split percentages agreed and documented
[ ] Producer credits included
[ ] Genre accurately reflects the music
[ ] Mood tags are specific and honest
[ ] Lyrics submitted and proofread
[ ] Explicit flag matches actual track
[ ] Release date allows editorial consideration time
[ ] Language correctly specified
FAQ
Can I change metadata after release?
Some fields can be changed through your distributor (lyrics, genre). Others are locked (ISRC, release date). Artist name changes require support intervention and may disrupt your profile.
Who owns the ISRC?
The entity that paid for the recording typically owns the ISRC. If you recorded independently, you own it. If a label paid, they may own it.
How do songwriting splits affect streaming royalties?
Splits affect publishing royalties (paid through your PRO), not master royalties (paid through your distributor). Streaming revenue combines both, but they are calculated separately.
What if I forgot to credit a songwriter?
Contact your distributor to update credits. Then update your PRO registration. The longer you wait, the more complicated royalty accounting becomes.
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Get Every Detail Right:
Orphiq's release planning tools helps you track release deliverables including metadata, so nothing is missed or misformatted before distribution.