No. 53Legal & Compliance
ISRC / ISNI Compliance
Also called ISRC, ISNI, international standard recording code, international standard name identifier
Standard identifiers that enable accurate royalty tracking and payment across global systems.
Artist-friendly
ISRC compliance is a technical standard; ensuring it is the label's contractual obligation protects against lost royalties.
- Appears in
- Recording Agreement, Distribution Agreement
- Topic
- Technical & Registration
- Jurisdiction
- United States
- Reviewed
- July 2026
In plain English
An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique identifier assigned to each sound recording. An ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier) identifies artists and rights-holders. These codes are essential for accurate royalty attribution across streaming platforms and collection societies. Labels and distributors are responsible for assigning and registering these codes.
Why it matters
Without ISRC codes, recordings cannot be tracked accurately across streaming platforms and collection society systems. Missing or incorrect codes mean royalties get paid to the wrong entity or not at all. Artists should confirm their label's ISRC registration process.
Where it can land
The same clause is drafted three ways. These are the positions we see, worst first, so you can tell at a glance which one is in front of you.
- No obligation on the label to assign and register ISRCs before release
- Label assigns ISRCs in its own name, making it harder for artist to track income
- ISRC assignment is the label's responsibility but no deadline is specified
- Artist has no right to inspect ISRC records
- Label obligated to assign and register ISRCs for all recordings before release
- Artist provided with ISRC list for all recordings in the catalogue
The language
The drafting language and the negotiation moves for this clause are part of the workspace.
You have read what the clause means and where the risk sits. The rest is the side-by-side of how it reads when it is against you and when it is not, plus the specific moves that get it there.