Identifiers
ISWC
An ISWC is the unique code that identifies a musical composition — the song itself — across every recording of it.
The International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC) identifies a composition: the underlying song, regardless of how many times it's recorded. It's how performance and mechanical royalties on the composition get matched to the correct writers and publishers.
Where an ISRC tracks a recording, the ISWC tracks the work behind it. Missing or duplicate ISWCs are a common reason publishing royalties go unclaimed — Notes keeps them registered correctly.
Good to know
ISWC: common questions
- Do I need an ISWC if I already have an ISRC?
- Yes — they identify different things. The ISRC is for your recording; the ISWC is for the composition, and the publishing side depends on it.