International Standard Recording Code

The International Standard Recording Code ( ISRC, ISO 3901 ) is a twelve-digit digital code ( example: DEA239810012 ) for a audio or video recording, eg a CD title that can be registered at a pre-mastering CD - Audio in the subcode and included unheard.

In the case of using the CD track in a radio broadcast of the ISRC is read automatically. A license management, for example, between broadcaster and label can thus be more precise than the label code.

The ISRC identifies a recording is made clear. This new recording Plays for example, a group a title for a new live album one, we obtain a new ISRC. But the original recording appears unchanged, for example, on a new compilation CD, it retains the original ISRC.

The ISRC is used for identification only. From it can not be concluded that the rights holders. This is possible only through the entry in the corresponding databases.

If CD title read by computer and stored on the hard drive, most programs ignore the ISRC of CD tracks, which unique identification of a recording are lost, regardless of format, compression level, file name and file size. However, by now see some audio formats an ISRC tag ( ID3v2 MP3 in; Ogg Vorbis ) ago.

The ISRC is usually assigned by the label, which at the time the award had the rights in the Work. In exceptional cases - if the rights holder is unwilling or incapable of doing so - can forgive the code also a licensee. Achieve that, he must use a separate Erstvergabeschlüssel.

Composition of the ISRC

The 12 points of the mean ISRC: DEA239810012

  • Country code of the country of origin of the ISRC exhibitors; Example, DE for Germany (2 locations)
  • Erstvergabeschlüssel, company number ISRC issuer ( from the registrar shall issue ); Example A23 (3 digits)
  • The last two digits of the year ( according to the Gregorian calendar), the code assignment ( originally: the year of the first edition of uptake); Example 98 for 1998 ( 2 digits). There is a recommendation that the years before 1940 should not be considered. About two digits ie the years 1940 to 2039 are referred to.
  • Consecutive number, assigned by the ISRC exhibitors unique; Example 10012 (5 digits)

For better readability, the groups in the ISRC are often written separated by spaces or punctuation, as for example, DE -A23 or DE - 98-10012 A23 98 10012th in databases, however, the ISRC should be entered without hyphens or spaces.

Acquisition of the ISRC

There are 2 ways to acquire ISRC:

Identification numbers for other publications

For other forms of publication, such as periodicals or recorded music works have their own numbering systems:

Compact Disc Digital Audio Compact Disc subcode
414879
de