Track metadata

This page covers track-level metadata fields, contributor credits, and splits for DDEX import. For release-level fields, see Release metadata.

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Required fields

Field	Description
Title	The track title. Multi-language supported.
ISRC	International Standard Recording Code. Format: 12 characters (CCXXXYYNNNNN). Must be globally unique. If blank, LabelGrid can auto-assign in eligible distribution flows.
Primary artist(s)	At least one primary artist per track.
Explicit content	Recommended: Not Explicit, Explicit, or Edited/Clean.
AI usage disclosure (audio)	Whether AI was used to create the audio: None, Some, or All.
Audio file	Preferred delivery master: lossless WAV (preferred) or FLAC. Must be stereo (2 channels) for distribution validation. Minimum duration: 30 seconds.

Optional fields

Field	Description
Dolby ISRC	A separate ISRC for the Dolby Atmos version. Same format as regular ISRC but must be different from the regular ISRC.
ISWC	International Standard Musical Work Code. Format: T-NNNNNNNNN-C (e.g., T-335186427-8).
Featured artist(s)	Should not overlap with primary artists or remixer.
Remixer	Should not also be a primary or featured artist. If used, provide a mix version for clear platform display.
Mix version	Recommended if a remixer is credited (e.g., “Extended Mix”, “Radio Edit”, “Acoustic Version”). For multi-language titles, provide it in each language you localize.
Primary genre	Inherits from the release if not set.
Secondary / Tertiary genre	Additional genre classification.
Audio language	Use a LabelGrid-supported language code.
Composition type	One of: original_composition, cover_song, public_domain.
Mechanical license	Required if composition type is Cover Song. Upload the license file.
Preview start time	Where the platform preview clip begins (in seconds).
Preview length	Duration of the preview clip. Minimum 30 seconds.
Tags / keywords	Searchable keywords for the track.
Disc number	Disc number (1-50). Defaults to 1 for single-disc releases.
Track number	Track position within the disc (1-99). Auto-assigned if not specified.
Instant gratification	Makes this track available before the full release date. Maximum 50% of tracks per release can be enabled.

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Contributors and credits

Every track must have at least one contributor in each of these three categories:

1. Performer — Who performed on the track
2. Composition & Lyrics — Who wrote the music and/or words
3. Production & Engineering — Who produced, mixed, or mastered the track

If any category is missing, the release will fail validation.

Performer roles

Role	Description
Artist	General artist credit
Contributing Artist	Additional contributing performer
Remixer	Artist who created a remix
Vocalist	A vocalist
Background Vocalist	Backing vocals
Instrumentalist	An instrumentalist performer
Primary Musician	A primary musician
Playback Singer	A playback singer
DJ	Disc jockey
Narrator	A spoken-word narrator
Band	A band or group
Band Leader	Leader of a band
Member	A group member
Choir	A choir or vocal ensemble
Chorus	A chorus
Cantor	A cantor
Ensemble	A musical ensemble
Orchestra	An orchestra
Chamber Orchestra	A chamber orchestra
Conductor	Orchestra or ensemble conductor
Assistant Conductor	Assistant to the conductor
Music Director	A music director

Composition and lyrics roles

Role	Description
Composer	Wrote the musical composition
Lyricist	Wrote the lyrics
Songwriter	Wrote both music and lyrics (Composer + Lyricist)
Author	Wrote the words
Librettist	Wrote the libretto
Adapter	Adapted an existing work
Arranger	Arranged the composition
Horn Arranger	Arranged the horn parts
String Arranger	Arranged the string parts
Vocal Arranger	Arranged the vocal parts

Note

Author is a contributor credit for the person who wrote the words. It counts toward the Composition & Lyrics category, but it is not a publishing writer role: publishing splits still use Composer and Lyricist.

Production and engineering roles

Role	Description
Producer	Producer credit
Co-Producer	Co-producer
Studio Producer	Studio-based production
Assistant Producer	Assistant production
Associate Producer	Associate production
Vocal Producer	Vocal production
Compilation Producer	Produced a compilation
Reissue Producer	Produced a reissue
Engineer	General engineering
Assistant Engineer	Assistant engineering
Additional Engineer	Additional engineering
Recording Engineer	Recording session engineering
Overdub Engineer	Overdub recording
Editing Engineer	Audio editing
Mixing Engineer	Audio mixing
Mixer	Mixing (alternative credit)
Immersive Mixing Engineer	Immersive (spatial audio) mixing
Mastering Engineer	Audio mastering
Immersive Mastering Engineer	Immersive (spatial audio) mastering
Recording Supervisor	Supervised the recording
Tonmeister	Supervised the recording’s sound and balance
Sound Designer	Sound design
Studio Personnel	General studio personnel

Roles that don’t count toward a category

These roles appear in the track’s credits but don’t fill any of the three required categories. Add at least one role from each category above as well.

Role	Description
Executive Producer	Executive production
Co-Executive Producer	Co-executive production
Sampled Artist	Artist whose recording is sampled
Actor	An actor
Creative Director	Creative direction
Graphic Artist	Graphic art
Graphic Designer	Graphic design
Illustrator	Illustration
Photographer	Photography
Translator	Language translation

Roles no longer offered

These film and stage roles are no longer available for new credits: Director, Film Editor, Storyboard Artist, Choreographer, Costume Designer, Film Producer, Photography Director and Stage Director. Tracks that already carry one of them keep it. If an imported credit uses one of these roles, LabelGrid doesn’t apply that role and the import records a note.

Important rules

• One role per artist per track (best practice). Use primary/featured/remixer as mutually exclusive roles for clean metadata across platforms.
• Each contributor can hold up to 3 roles on a single track.
• Producer alias is supported in legacy/private flows when the Producer role is selected.
• Writers must be registered in your LabelGrid account before they can be credited.

Writer identifiers (optional but recommended)

Identifier	Format	Description
IPI (Interested Parties Information)	9-11 numeric digits	Identifies songwriters and publishers in royalty collection systems.
ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier)	16 characters (15 digits + 1 check character)	Globally unique identifier for contributors. The check character can be 0-9 or X. Validated using MOD 11-2 checksum.

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Splits and ownership

Publishers

• Each track can have multiple publishers.
• Each publisher entry requires: publisher name, percentage share, and region(s).
• Shares must total exactly 100% per region (or 0% if not applicable).
• Use * (wildcard) for worldwide coverage.
• Do not add the same publisher twice for the same region.
• Publishers must be registered in your LabelGrid account.

Example: worldwide splits

Publisher	Share	Region
Publisher A	60%	* (Worldwide)
Publisher B	40%	* (Worldwide)
Total	100%

Example: region-specific splits

Publisher	Share	Region
Publisher A	100%	US
Publisher B	70%	GB
Publisher C	30%	GB

Each region must independently total 100%.

Copyright owners

• Same structure as publishers: name, percentage share, region(s).
• Same 100%-per-region rule applies.
• No duplicate entries for the same region.
• When no copyright owners are set, the record label is used as the default rights controller at 100%.

Writers (songwriting splits)

• Each writer entry requires: writer ID, role(s), and percentage share.
• Total writer shares must equal exactly 100% (with a tolerance of 0.01%).
• Writers must be registered in your LabelGrid account.

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Next steps

• Validation — Formatting standards and common mistakes
• XML reference — ERN 4.3 structure and examples