Music Metadata Style Guide
Music Metadata Style Guide
Music Metadata Style Guide
7digital, Amazon, Apple, BandPage, Beggars Group, BMI, Compass Records, Concord
Music Group, Consolidated Independent, County Analytics, CV America, Dart Music,
DDEX, Disney Music Group, Dubset Media, Entertainment Intelligence, Epitaph,
Google, Harry Fox, IFPI, IMMF, Indie Squared Entertainment, IndieHitMaker, Isolation
Network, Kindred, Kobalt Music, La Cupula Music, Loudr, LyricFind, MediaNet,
Microsoft, Neurotic Media, NueMeta, ole - International / Majorly Indie, OpenAura,
The Orchard, Ranger Computers, Rdio, The Recording Academy, Redeye Distribution,
Revelator, Rhapsody, RIAA, Rightscom, SESAC, Songspace, Songtrust, Sony DADC, Sony
Music Entertainment, SoundExchange, Spotify, SSA Music, TouchTunes, TropiSounds,
Universal Music Group, University of Miami, Vara Entertainment Group, Warner Music
Group, West10 Entertainment, Wind-up Records, Xbox Music
PROJECT MANAGER:
Robby Towns, Director of Digital Strategy & Community for Music Biz and Founder of
NestaMusic.
KEY CONTRIBUTORS:
Chris McMurtry, Jake Handy (Dart Music), Paul Jessop (County Analytics)
GRAPHIC DESIGN:
AudienceNet
Share your feedback as well as recommendations for this and future versions of the
guide at the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wCPZdYAdRvijiVrxuejTetX4LJ750ekWH
30AyRqotrM/edit?usp=sharing
In order to provide clear insight into the messaging of audio metadata, the Music
Metadata Style Guide attempts to balance the proper level of direction with the
right amount of discretion. The Music Business Association (Music Biz) originally
created this guide to assist in harmonizing the consistency of standards across Digital
Merchants with respect to how music is listed, ingested, and managed by establishing
a common set of metadata guidelines. It was designed to provide all music industry
stakeholders the opportunity to work from common naming conventions and data
entry standards to help avoid past pitfalls and improve on data quality on a going-
forward basis. Conforming to a common set of metadata entry rules is critical to
ensuring content can be easily discovered, correctly presented, and accurately
disclosed in order to eliminate customer confusion, complaints, and costly
processing errors.
The DDEX Secretariat has provided input to this Style Guide and made some additions
and amendments, which either provide more clarity in relation to DDEX or direct you
to where you can find more information. DDEX will continue collaborating with Music
Biz on future versions of the Style Guide.
VERSION HISTORY
1 ARTIST NAMES
1.1 MAINARTIST
The main performing artists are referred to by most Digital Merchants as the Primary
Artist. Within the DDEX XML, these artists are credited with the MainArtist role on all
content and will be referred to by that title from here on within this guide. For an
example of how MainArtists are referred to within DDEX, please refer to the DDEX
guide example 1.1 MainArtist.
Standard artist name spellings (full artist name) should be used for all primary artists. In
XML, certain special characters (such as &) must be replaced with their corresponding
entity code. Below is a list of the special characters that must be encoded:
"
'
< <
> >
& &
Be consistent in your artist name spelling in all instances (e.g., Beyonc vs. Beyonc).
See section on Capitalization, Casing, & Abbreviations for additional details on
this topic.
Non-classical composers, if listed, should only be listed on the track level credited
under the Composer field, with the exception of soundtracks and scores (for further
details on soundtrack and score composers, please view the Soundtracks & Scores
section). Artists should be listed as first name last name, unless otherwise specified by
the artists native language (see section on Language for further details).
For example:
Kurt Cobain
Johnny Cash
9
Artist names should be submitted as the artist would like them to appear. Middle
names, middle initials, maiden names, nicknames, and name suffixes (e.g., Jr.) may
be used. Generally, do not abbreviate first or last names. Artist name spelling
should remain consistent for all content for an artist, where possible. In some cases,
there may be contractual obligations regarding an artist name designation for a
particular period of time during the artists career (e.g., Puff Daddy vs. Diddy). Please
consult the respective Digital Merchant regarding their policies and procedures for
artist disambiguation. Additionally, artist names should not include any additional
information beyond the name, including role, date, instrument, former band, etc.
Jimmy Page Jimmy Page (Of Led Zeppelin) Includes Band Name
Jim Morrison Jim Morrison (1943-1971) Includes Birth and Death Dates
Ludwig van
L.V. Beethoven Usage of artist initials
Beethoven
NOTE: Even for instances of artist disambiguation like John Williams (Composer)
and John Williams (Guitarist), please utilize the MainArtist role functionality for
communicating this detail and allow the Digital Merchant to concatenate if needed.
Extraneous data attached to artist names can cause significant issues with rights
clearance, licensing, and payment processes.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
1 ARTIST NAMES
Do not use Various Artists within the Composer field. If an album is comprised of
songs with different composers for each track, refer to your Digital Merchant for their
preferred listing method. A common solution is to list the most frequently appearing
composer of the album in the Composer field.
When utilizing Various Artists, individual artist names should be used as the
MainArtist artist at the track-level, with Various Artists as the MainArtist artist at the
album-level. Generally, aggregators and Digital Merchants will refer to the MainArist
field at the track level as the Primary Artist and the MainArtist field at the album level
as the Album Artist.
The following are examples of the acceptable format for Various Artists in various
languages:
LANGUAGE TRANSLATION
French Multi-Interprtes
Some Digital Merchants allow other contributors at the track level (e.g., Producer). It
is advised to add as much contextual data to your content as possible.
Artists who are generally listed together or as a band are not considered compound
artists and must be listed together.
For example:
1 ARTIST NAMES
For artists with content already available for sale, please consult the respective digital
merchant regarding their policies and procedures for artist disambiguation and
interoperability.
For fixed ensembles, such as a classical quartet, that may sometimes play with an
extra player or a featured player, list the added player as a separate artist (Ensemble
feat. Extra Player). See the Classical Metadata Style Guide in the knowledge section of
http://www.MusicBiz.org for more information.
DDEX: For an example of how DDEX helps to separate compound artists, please refer
to the DDEX guide example 1.2 Compound Artists.
Terms that indicate additional artist collaboration on a track release such as feat.
(for featuring) and with when included in the title are generally lowercase and
in English. In some instances, a distributor may accept diversions in spelling and
capitalization. (e.g., featuring, Featuring, Feat, w/, With, etc.) In delivery to your
Digital Merchant, it is recommended to be consistent in crediting featured artists using
only feat. and with.
13
Unless contractually obligated, it is advised to credit featured artists for specific tracks
at the Artist role level and not add this data to the track or album release title. Some
Digital Merchants may choose to concatenate this data to the track or album title.
Keep in mind that FeaturedArtists are rarely used within classical music. For more
information on how to approach the use of the FeaturedArtist field within classical
music please see the Classical Metadata Style Guide in the knowledge section of http://
www.MusicBiz.org.
NOTE: If an artist is featured on every track on the album, the artist may also be a
FeaturedArtist at the album level.
DDEX: For further clarification on how the FeaturedArtist role functions within DDEX,
please refer to the DDEX guide example 1.3 Featured Artists. For an in-depth
DDEX example on how to handle DisplayArtist and other coding dealing with how
artist names are presented within Digital Merchants, please refer to the DDEX guide
section 1 Display Artist & Display Artist Names.
2
ALBUM TITLES
15
ALBUM TITLES
The album release title should be spelled correctly and match the cover art. Album
release titles should not have extra information that is not necessary to identify the
content. See the Capitalization, Casing, & Abbreviations section for capitalization
standards. Artwork should accompany all release types.
The album release type (the same applies to a Single or an EP) should be communicated
using the ReleaseType field within DDEX and not added to the release title (check with
your preferred aggregator for clarification on ReleaseType entry). Some services will
automatically concatenate Single or EP to the release title. Content owners should
allow the Digital Merchant to concatenate tags as they deem necessary and should
utilize individual tagging for their content where available.
Albums that have been remastered or reissued, should consider utilizing a subtitle
tag where available. The Subtitle field within DDEX should be used to distinguish
different versions and/or variants of the same release.
For example:
DDEX: For singles, EPs, and other such Releases, please use the AlbumTitles
(potentially with a ReleaseType) as shown in the DDEX section 2 Album Titles.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
2 ALBUM TITLES
When formatting titles for albums that are part of a series that dont have a specific
album name, the information should be presented as follows: Series Title: Artist Name
For example:
DDEX: For details on how DDEX maintains this data, please refer to DDEX section
3 Albums in a Series.
DDEX: For in-depth DDEX information on Album Titles, please refer to DDEX guide
section 2 Album Titles.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
3
TRACK RELEASE TITLES
19
Live
Radio Edit
Extended Version
Single Version
NOTE:The display of SubTitles will vary among Digital Merchants. Many Aggregators
will not have a specific entry field for track subtitles. In these instances, include all
SubTitle information following the track title in parentheses. Generally, this will indicate
to the Aggregator and Digital Merchant that the information within parentheses is
intended as a SubTitle. This does not apply to DDEX messages. When using DDEX, the
use of parenthesis for subtitles is discouraged.
3.1 MEDLEYS
For medleys, each listed song in the medley should be spaced and separated by a
forward slash. If the word medley or a title for the medley itself is included, it should
either precede the songs and be followed by a colon or follow the songs and be
contained in parentheses.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
For example:
VERSION EXAMPLE
Song A / Song B / Song C A Merry Christmas / Joy Be With You / Apples in Water
Medley: Song A / Song B / Medley: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Deck the Halls /
Song C Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Medley Title: Song A / Song Closing Medley: Folsom Prison Blues / I Walk the Line / Ring
B / Song C of Fire
Song A / Song B / Song C We Are Trying to Stay Alive / Real Thing / Aint Nobody
(Medley) (Medley)
NOTE: A less common practice for medleys with 4 or more songs is to list the first
song title followed by the word Medley. For example, a Christmas medley may be
titled We Wish You A Merry Christmas Medley.
However, some retailers will require information for ghost, silent, or hidden tracks to
be included in the track title. Contact your Digital Merchant for clarification.
Hidden Track Release A Rockin Good Way (Hidden Track) [feat. Maceo Parker]
DDEX: For in-depth DDEX information on Track Release Titles, please refer to DDEX
guide section 4 Track Release Titles.
4
SOUNDTRACKS & SCORES
23
SOUNDTRACKS
& SCORES
Soundtracks and scores for movies, TV, and musicals should include tags that indicate
the version of the soundtrack or score. It is advised to provide these tags as a subtitle
versus including them in the main title. The wording that appears on the cover art
should match the release title.
For example:
TITLE SUBTITLE
Where possible and sensible, scores for TV and movies should have the composer in
both the Composer and MainArtist roles on the album and tracks.
For example:
4 SOUNDTRACKS
& SCORES
If all sound recording resources on an album release are from the same soundtrack,
the album title should indicate the version of the soundtrack as described above.
However, if the sound recording resources on the album are not from the same
soundtrack, you should list the respective soundtrack the track is from as a subtitle
with the film title in quotations.
The necessity of quotations in plain text and XML for the above examples may vary
depending on Digital Merchant.
25
5
GENRES
27
GENRES
This list of genres on Wikipedia can be used as a reference. Keep in mind that
the genre list is constantly changing as new genres emerge or the list is edited by
Wikipedia users. Although you may be able to select primary and secondary genres,
the primary genre should be the best description for the content. In some cases
the secondary genre is only used as a search term to help users find the content. A
secondary genre is not always required, but it should be used when available. It is
important to have a detailed understanding of the way genres are utilized by each
individual merchant. Primary, secondary, and sub-genres can be defined differently
across different platforms.
Genres must not be intentionally misclassified (e.g., Hip Hop in place of Childrens
Music). Genre issues that lead to customer confusion and complaints will usually result
in the genre being adjusted or the content being removed. Some Digital Merchants
do not allow genres listed in conjunction (e.g., Dance/Electronic). International music
may require a more detailed classification than domestic music. For example, Pop
music from Latin America may need to be classified as Pop Latino instead of Pop.
Contact your Digital Merchant for a complete list of acceptable genres and details on
their process for genre classification and charting within the store.
DDEX does not standardize genres but allows the communication of multiple
genres for each sound recording and/or release.
6
MIXES & REMIXES
29
If an album release is a collection of different tracks mixed together by a single DJ, the
mixing DJ may be listed at the album level as the MainArtist instead of Various Artists.
The performing artists should be credited at the track level as the MainArtist artists.
These credits should be done at the Artist role level.
If an album is a collection of remixes of the same track, the album subtitle should
indicate this. In order to avoid identical track titles, the track titles should include
remix information to differentiate them.
For example:
7
KARAOKE, TRIBUTES, & COVER BANDS
31
KARAOKE, TRIBUTES,
& COVER BANDS
With karaoke, tribute, and cover albums every effort should be made to ensure
that the consumer is not misled to believe that the original artist is performing or
is involved in this particular version of the recording. Listed below are some best
practices that help avoid confusion for karaoke, tribute, and cover material that are
generally accepted by Digital Merchants.
The original artist name must not be listed as a MainArtist or any recording of karaoke,
tribute, or cover material. Also, unless it is part of the legal entity name of the artist
(as in ProSound Karaoke Band) do not include the word Karaoke in the MainArtist
field.
Most Digital Merchants prefer that version information be included in both the
AlbumTitle and TrackTitle to indicate that a track or album is an instrumental or
karaoke version. When using DDEX, the Karaoke Version and Instrumental Version,
whether on album or track level, should be communicated in the SubTitle element.
ALBUMTITLE TRACKTITLE
While this applies as a general rule, below are some more specific examples for other
instances.
ALBUM TITLES
Care should be made to not begin an AlbumTitle with the name of the original artist
for any recording of karaoke, tribute, or cover material. This is in order to avoid
confusion with original releases by said artist.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
7 KARAOKE, TRIBUTES,
& COVER BANDS
CORRECT ALBUMTITLE INCORRECT ALBUMTITLE
Sing Like Christina Aguilera, Vol. 5 (Karaoke Christina Aguilera Sings, Vol. 5 (Karaoke
Performance Tracks) Performance Tracks)
I Will Possess Your Heart (Originally I Will Possess Your Heart [Originally
Performed by Death Cab for Cutie) Performed by Death Cab for Cutie]
[Karaoke Instrumental Version] (Karaoke Instrumental Version)
33
As opposed to karaoke titles, never use Originally Performed by, Tribute to, Cover
of, etc. for tribute or cover songs. These phrases for tribute and cover songs are not
generally accepted by Digital Merchants as appropriate language.
When using DDEX, this can best be achieved by sending more than one SubTitle:
8
EXPLICIT RELEASES
35
EXPLICIT RELEASES
The marking of releases as explicit is governed by the Parental Advisory Label (PAL)
Program, which strikes a balance between freedom of expression and informing
consumers (and in, particular, parents) about the contents of releases. Full details are
at: http://www.riaa.com/toolsforparents.php?content_selector=parental_
advisory.
For releases that are deemed explicit, please refer to your Aggregator to determine
how you should indicate this to them when you supply the metadata. Most
aggregators will have a checkbox option to consider a track explicit, which will
then be displayed appropriately by Digital Merchants, who use different text, graphics,
or symbols to indicate this status.
Do not include (in the track title) the term Explicit or similar. The Digital Merchant will
apply appropriate marking in their system.
Do not include the terms Clean or Non-explicit, as these are prohibited by the PAL
Program. If a version of a release has been prepared that does not require marking
as explicit (by being edited or having a different vocal component), then it should
carry the phrase Edited Version in the subtitle field.
Do not use the term Radio Edit for a version that has been edited so that it is
not explicit. This term should be reserved for versions that have been specifically
prepared for radio broadcast. The term to be used unless the version has been
prepared for broadcast is Edited Version.
CORRECT INCORRECT
DDEX: For details on entering explicit values into DDEX, refer to DDEX guide Section
4 Track Release Titles. For the avoidance of doubt, the use of the subtitle is not
encouraged. Instead, the relevant flag should be set accordingly.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
9
TERRITORY
37
TERRITORY
Check with your preferred aggregator and Digital Merchant on information for
delivering your album release to your desired territories.
DDEX: For specific DDEX information on the Territory tag, please refer to DDEX guide
section 5 Territory.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
10
CAPITALIZATION, CASING,
& ABBREVIATIONS
39
CAPITALIZATION, CASING,
& ABBREVIATIONS
AlbumTitles and TrackTitles should not be in all capitals, all lowercase, or random
casing unless it is a specific stylistic choice by the artist. Even in the case of a stylistic
choice by the artist, a Digital Merchant may revert to their standard capitalization and
casing.
For example:
INCORRECT REASON
The should be capitalized when it is the start of an Artists name. The following
words should be lowercase, with a few exceptions:
a, an, and, as, but, for, from, nor, of, or, so, the, to, yet
Prepositions of four letters or fewer (at, by, for, from, in, into, of, off, on, onto,
out, over, to, up, and with). Where a word that can act as a preposition acts
in another way, it should be capitalized in accordance with the rules for that
role.
NOTE: This is not consistent across all retailers, so consult with your Digital Merchant
on their specific requirements for capitalization.
For example:
10 CAPITALIZATION, CASING,
& ABBREVATIONS
Always capitalize the first and last word in a title. Capitalize the first and last word in
parentheses.
For example:
To Be, or Not to Be
What Theyre Looking For
War (What Is It Good For?)
(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman
For example:
In da House
Kill Em n Grill Em
Its fo Realz
The elements of hyphenated words should be capitalized except for a, an, and, for,
from, of, or, the, to, and in. Digital Merchants may alter the capitalization on their site.
For example:
Down-and-Out Blues
Just Another Run-of-the-Mill Day
41
NOTE: For general cases on capitalization and title casing not addressed in this guide,
refer to The Chicago Manual of Style:
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html
Frequent abbreviations of the original title should not be used to provide additional
information about the content.
The following abbreviations are acceptable: &, a.k.a., DJ, feat., No., Pt., Pts., TV, vs., Vol.
to be used only in titles. They should not be used in artist names.
The following case-specific abbreviations should not be used: Alt., Dj, Ft., Feat., N.,
Rmx, Tv, tv, V., Vl., Vs., v., w/, w/o
Please use discretion when making these changes retroactively to your catalog or
expending resources to change current releases. The requirements for Digital
Merchants in this area are varied.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
11
LANGUAGE
43
LANGUAGE
For Spanish and Portuguese album and track titles, the content provider can decide
on either title or sentence casing (as long as the casing is consistent through a given
album).
For example:
SWEDISH, FRENCH, AND ITALIAN ALBUMS SWEDISH, FRENCH, AND ITALIAN TRACKS
11 LANGUAGE
11.3 GERMAN
For German album and track titles, sentence case should be used and the first letter
of every noun should be capitalized.
For German names and titles, all characters commonly used in German orthography
should be used, such as: , , ,
For example:
CORRECT INCORRECT
NOTE: For instances where Umlauts (or other accents) are not available, one should
at least try to transliterate these characters (such as becomes aa and becomes
ae). For a more comprehensive list of transliterated accents, visit the following web
page: http://cldr.unicode.org/index/cldr-spec/transliteration-guidelines.
For example:
Htel dAngleterre
Rvrence
Max Gazz
Luomo pi furbo
Les plus belles chansons franaises
45
https://kb.ddex.net/display/HBK/Metadata+in+different+languages and
https://kb.ddex.net/display/HBK/Direction+of+writing
11 LANGUAGE
CORRECT INCORRECT
(Mudji Aneulgeyo)
Phonetics: Thai, Chinese, and Korean phonetics of any sort are not accepted in
album, song, or music video titles.
Information for artists that are not internationally recognized may be represented in
the local language in the native field. Additional localizations in other languages are
optional.
Chinese Artist Localizations: Chinese content should always have the Traditional
Chinese name of the artist in the native field. Simplified Chinese translations must be
provided in the localizations fields.
Chinese Artists with Western Names: If the artist of Chinese content has a Western
name, the name should be listed for non-Chinese localizations in the order of Given
Name, Family Name. For example, these album artists are acceptable:
47
TRADITIONAL
FIELD NAME SIMPLIFIED CHINESE ENGLISH ARTIST
CHINESE
Chinese or Korean Artists Without Western Names: If the artist does not have
a Western name, the phonetic name may be listed in localizations in the order of
Family Name, Given Name.
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Copyright information should include the four-digit year of the first publication date
of the album and the name of the copyright holder. The or symbols may be
added automatically, so please review the Digital Merchants guidelines.
For example:
LABEL NAME
1. The label name must be included with all content.
3. The label name must be spelled accurately and match the labels
website and marketing materials.
4. The label name must be used only if the content provider possesses
the necessary rights to deliver content for that label.
13
SPECIAL XML CHARACTERS
51
SPECIAL XML
CHARACTERS
There are a number of characters that are considered part of the code in XML files.
For example, all elements are enclosed in angled brackets (e.g., <name>), so if you
would like to use the less-than or greater-than signs in values included in your XML
file, you must use the entity name instead. For example, the artist name Echo &
The Bunnymen must be entered as <name>Echo & The Bunnymen</name>.
Conversely, when ingesting a tag containing the ampersand, the corresponding
special character needs to replace its XML representation.
For additional information on special XML characters and entity references, see
http://www.w3.org/TR/xml-entity-names/
NOTE: The above only applies where text appears within an XML expression.
Normally, software will alleviate the need for manually creating escape sequences.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
14
CONTENT DELIVERY
53
CONTENT
DELIVERY
Although a very critical element to making your content available, format is not enough.
In most cases, the Digital Merchant will provide a set of terms that must be closely
followed to help ensure your content is correctly ingested into their systems. The
following are some standard components and excerpts of a typical Digital Merchant
SLA (Service Level Agreement):
Initial Delivery Each Digital Merchant will have specific timelines and requirements
for delivering content. These will be critical deadlines as they pertain to the release
date, launch, etc. for the content submitted.
For example:
Content should be delivered at least 5 business days before earliest territory
release date, with respect to proper delivery specifications as insert
deliveries
Updates (Pre-release) After the initial content submission, the Digital Merchant will
most likely provide a window of time for updates, takedowns, etc.
For example:
Metadata updates and takedowns should be delivered at least 36 hours
before expected live date through our feed
Format Each Digital Merchant will have specific format requirements and restrictions.
For example:
We accept audio files in wav, aiff and mp3 formats.
For example:
We do not accept hard-drive deliveries.
Definitions Similar to the definitions provided for this style guide, each Digital
Merchant will have a specific set of definitions that relate to content submissions.
DDEX: For a quick explanation of how DDEX handles delivery information, please
refer to DDEX guide section 6 Content Delivery.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
NEXT STEPS
This document and appendices were sourced with permission from various
retailer-supplied documents.
55
DDEX GUIDE
& EXAMPLES
This Appendix features various guides and examples for every section of the Style
Guide. All sections will link here and correspond to their respective section number.
If you feel there is an example or section missing, please let us know so that we may
work with you to create an extensive DDEX guide to assist you on your releases.
Please remember that within DDEXs standard there is a baseline standard. Within
this baseline standard there are specific profiles (and in some cases choreographies),
which enable consistency in DDEX implementation.
REFERENCE LINKS
Homepage:
http://ddex.net/
Knowledge Base:
https://kb.ddex.net/display/HBK/DDEX+Knowledge+Base
DDEX GUIDE
DISPLAY ARTIST &
DISPLAY ARTIST NAMES
1
57
The DDEX ERN Delivery Standards also provide the DisplayArtistName element to
enable content distributors to communicate the exact display text for the artists
associated with the Release. This element enables one to clearly communicate the
formatting, capitalization, and ordering of any and all artists that are associated with
the Release. This may be due to the distributors own preferences or there may be
contractual obligations that the distributor must meet.
DisplayArtist
http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_DisplayArtist.html
DisplayArtistName
http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_DisplayArtistName.html
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
FeaturedArtist
http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_FeaturedArtist.html
FullName:
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ReleaseList/Release/
Release DetailsByTerritory/DisplayArtist/PartyName/FullName
Role:
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ReleaseList/Release
ReleaseDetailsByTerritory/DisplayArtist/Artist-Role
DisplayArtistName Composite:
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ReleaseList/Release
ReleaseDetailsByTerritory/DisplayArtistName
When a single artist needs to be credited with several roles, one Artist composite should
be used. See https://kb.ddex.net/display/HBK/One+artist+with+two+roles for
how this is done in DDEX.
See Appendix E for additional example Artist roles as they apply to DDEX.
59
<SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
...
<DisplayArtist SequenceNumber=1>
<PartyName>
<FullName>U2</FullName>
</PartyName>
<PartyId Namespace=...>123</PartyId>
<ArtistRole>MainArtist</ArtistRole>
</DisplayArtist>
...
<DisplayArtistName>U2</DisplayArtistName>
...
</SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
See DDEX Example below for a sound recording with Paul McCartney & Michael
Jackson each as the main artists.
<SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
...
<DisplayArtist SequenceNumber=1>
<PartyName>
<FullName>Paul McCartney</FullName>
</PartyName>
<PartyId Namespace=...>123</PartyId>
<ArtistRole>MainArtist</ArtistRole>
</DisplayArtist>
<DisplayArtist SequenceNumber=2>
<PartyName>
<FullName>Michael Jackson</FullName>
</PartyName>
<PartyId Namespace=...>123</PartyId>
<ArtistRole>MainArtist</ArtistRole>
</DisplayArtist>
...
<DisplayArtistName>
Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
</DisplayArtistName>
...
</SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
61
SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
...
<DisplayArtist SequenceNumber=1>
<PartyName>
<FullName>Jay-Z</FullName>
</PartyName>
<PartyId Namespace=...>123</PartyId>
<ArtistRole>MainArtist</ArtistRole>
</DisplayArtist>
<DisplayArtist SequenceNumber=2>
<PartyName>
<FullName>Alicia Keys</FullName>
</PartyName>
<PartyId Namespace=...>456</PartyId>
<ArtistRole>FeaturedArtist</ArtistRole>
</DisplayArtist>
One can explicitly indicate the proper way in which the main
artist and featured artists should be displayed using the
DisplayArtistName element
...
<DisplayArtistName>Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys</DisplayArtistName>
...
</SoundRecordingDetailsByTerritory>
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
DDEX GUIDE
ALBUM TITLES
2
63
ALBUM TITLES
The DDEX ERN Message standard provides a <Title> data composite structure
intended to express information about a Releases title. This data composite
contains both a <TitleText> element and an optional <SubTitle> element. The
<Title> data composite provides for optional TitleType attributes where DisplayTitle
is one available option that can be specified.
SubTitle http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_SubTitle.html
TitleType http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/avs_TitleType.html
ReleaseType http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/avs_ReleaseType.html
ReleaseResourceReference http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/
ddex_ReleaseResourceReference.html
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
2 ALBUM TITLES
Duration http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_Duration.
htmlDDEX Xpath Expressions
Release Duration
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ReleaseList/Release/Duration
<Title TitleType=FormalTitle>
<TitleText>Wont Ever Fade</TitleText>
<SubTitle>KTA Mix</SubTitle>
</Title>
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
DDEX GUIDE
ALBUM IN A SERIES
3
67
ALBUMS IN
A SERIES
As previously described, the DDEX ERN <Title> data composite provides a means to
sufficiently capture title information for this type of Release
If album series is part of a box-set, the DDEX Release Delivery Standards provide
a means to indicate this using the DigitalBoxSetRelease allowed value using the
<ReleaseType> data element.
The DDEX Release Delivery Standards also provide an optional <RelatedRelease> data
composite for use when associating related Releases. The <ReleaseRelationshipType>
element provides a UserDefined field to capture Releases that are related by a
common series.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
DDEX GUIDE
TRACK RELEASE TITLES
4
69
TRACK RELEASE
TITLES
The DDEX ERN Message standard provides a <Title> data composite structure
intended to express information about a Releases title. This data composite contains
both a <TitleText> element and an optional <SubTitle> element. The <Title> data
composite provides for optional @TitleType attribute where DisplayTitle is one
available option that can be specified.
Explicit, Edited, NotExplicit, Unknown, and NoAdviseAvailable are allowed values that
are included in the DDEX Release Delivery Standards to convey information about a
Release using the <ParentalWarningType> element. This particular value must be the
same internationally; it should not vary from territory to territory.
The DDEX Release Delivery Standards provide the flag <IsMedley> element as a
setting to communicate when SoundRecording Resources contain a combination of
continuous and sequential musical works.
The DDEX Release Delivery Standards provide the flag <IsHiddenResource> element
as a setting to communicate when a SoundRecording Resource is hidden from the
consumer is some way.
SubTitle http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddexC_TypedSubTitle.html
TitleType http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/avs_TitleType.html
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
ReleaseType http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddexC_
ReleaseType.html
DisplayArtist http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN37-DSR43/dd/ddex_
DisplayArtist.html
DisplayArtistName http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_
DisplayArtistName.html
ArtistRole http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_ArtistRole.html
IsMedley http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_IsMedley.html
IsHiddenResource http://service.ddex.net/dd/ERN38/dd/ddex_
IsHiddenResource.html
ParentalWarningType:
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ReleaseList/Release/
ReleaseDetailsByTerritory/ParentalWarning-Type
IsMedley:
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ResourceList/SoundRecording/IsMedley
IsHidden:
/ern:NewReleaseMessage/ResourceList/SoundRecording
IsHiddenResource
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
DDEX GUIDE
TERRITORY
5
73
TERRITORY
<territory>Worldwide</territory>
DDEX allows for Territory information in various places, which do not relate to
commercial availability in all cases (e.g., Release and Resources). These standards
should be reviewed and followed closely to ensure proper classification.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
DDEX GUIDE
CONTENT DELIVERY
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75
CONTENT
DELIVERY
The DDEX ERN Choreography has defined a state-less way of communicating initial
deliveries as well as updates; DDEX does not differentiate between the two SLA
message types. Thus a merchant would, when receiving a DDEX NewReleaseMessage,
need to check whether it has the relevant Releases already in its system. If it has, it
needs to consider the message an update; if it has not; then the message is an initial
delivery.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
APPENDIX A
ASSET MANAGEMENT
The sections that follow are an
introduction to asset management and
file naming conventions. These sections
should be viewed as suggestions to better
organize your digital assets. Without
a systematic structure to your digital
assets, undesirable results may occur. It
is recommended to use these guidelines
as a foundation for developing your own
system that will make your files easily
identifiable for utilization, organization,
and archiving.
77
AUDIO
Available Codecs:
AAC
HE-AAC (also known as aacPlus)
AIFF
Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
MPEG 1 Layer 3 (MP3)
PCM (generally used with the WAV audio container)
Tagging Conventions:
44.1kHz / 16-bit
96 kHz / 24-bit
192 kHz / 24-bit
A AUDIO
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track:000>_<format
FILENAME FORMAT code>.<extension>
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track:000>_<format
FILENAME FORMAT code>.<extension>
Cover Art
Video Cover Art
Video Track Image
Video Index Image
PDF Booklet/Digital Booklet
(similar to CD booklets or liner notes for physical releases)
Wallpaper
Publicity Photo
79
72 or 300
RESOLUTION (DPI) Size is indicated by the partner in pixels. (Cover Art images are
fixed to a square scale and therefore have sides equal in size.)
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<color
FILENAME FORMAT mode><resolution>_<width>x<height>_<XXX Asset
ID>.<extension>
XXX_cvrart_00008811102722_01_RGB72_300x300_1443216.jpg
EXAMPLE FILENAME
(for product level image)
XXX_cvrart_00008811102722_01_003_
EXAMPLE FILENAME 2
RGB72_300x300_1443216.jpg (for track level image)
A AUDIO
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track:000>_<color
FILENAME FORMAT mode><resolution>_<width>x<height>_<XXX Asset
ID>.<extension>
XXX_cvrart_00008811102722_01_003_
EXAMPLE FILENAME
RGB72_300x300_1443216.jpg
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<color
mode><resolution>_<width>x<height>_<XXX Asset
ID>.<extension>
FILENAME FORMAT OR
FILE TYPE Video Cover Art (video image with track level association)
OR
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track:000>_<optional
file format description>.<extension>
A AUDIO
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track
number:000>_<video index image starttime:HH-MM-
FILENAME FORMAT SS>_<color mode><resolution>_<width>x<height>_<XXX Asset
ID>.<extension>
XXX_vididximg_00008811102722_01_002_00-01-02_
EXAMPLE FILENAME
RGB72_300x300_30143687630.jpg
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track:000>_<color
FILENAME FORMAT mode><resolution>_<width>x<height>.<extension>
A VIDEO
The following sections identify potential formats for short form music videos and
example naming conventions associated with the supported video files. Video
deliveries will usually be based on the codec and bit-rate combinations requested by
the partner.
RESOLUTION Various
<studio>_<asset type>_<UPC>_<vol:00>_<track:000>_<format
FILENAME FORMAT
code OR optional file format description>.<extension>
APPENDIX B
EXAMPLE SLA
Document: Example Service Level
Agreement (SLA)
EXAMPLE SLA
Our Content Operations team is committed to providing top-level service to all our
partners. To improve the reliability of our services, we have sanctioned this service
level agreement. This SLA is based on requested lead times and general content
operations trends that we have observed and experienced over time. It is valid for
properly delivered products only.
Refer to our Metadata Style Guide for details on our metadata requirements. If you
have any questions regarding the SLA/Style Guide or if you have a priority product
that is in danger of breaching the SLA, please contact the Content Operations team
(content@exampleco.com). We will do our very best to assist with any issues.
Please know that this SLA is not guaranteed during maintenance or server downtimes.
Thank you,
Content Operations
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
B EXAMPLE SLA
POST INGESTION
We currently display metadata articulated in the most recent ingested, indexed XML
delivery.
Album Relocations
Albums can be relocated if they exist on the wrong artist page (except Appears On
section). Please contact your account manager if you encounter any inconsistencies.
Display Years
Albums are displayed on artist pages in descending order (newest releases first).
Please see our Metadata Style Guide for more details on how we define albums and
singles.
For any updates, please reach out to XYZ Company. They have their own editorial
but accept official submissions to use as a guide.
Album or Single
Products that contain five tracks or less and have a duration of 30 minutes or less are
defined as a single on our service.
89
Track Linking
Our linking logic is still a work in progress, so please refrain from relying on it too
heavily. We do advise to keep singles available on the service, even after the album
is released.
Top Lists
These lists are refreshed weekly on Mondays. If you do not see an update, please
reach out to your account manager for more details.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
APPENDIX C
EXAMPLE DDEX XML
RELEASE MESSAGE*
*These are only examples; please
consult your Digital Merchant for XML
specifications.
91
For example:
ISNI:
0000 0001 1068 5005
Name:
Cobain, Kurt
Cobain, Kurt Donald
Kobeins, Kurts
Kobjn, Kurt
Dates:
1967-1994
Creation class:
Computer file
Language material
Musical sound recording
Notated music
Projected medium
Text
Creation role:
author
creator
lyricist
performer
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
APPENDIX D
EXAMPLE ARTIST
ROLES IN DDEX
93
EXAMPLE ARTIST
ROLES IN DDEX
ARTIST ROLE IN DDEX XML AGGREGATOR/DIGITAL MERCHANT EXAMPLE*
*Consensus driven data. Be sure to check with your Aggregator or Digital Merchant
as terms vary.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
APPENDIX E
GLOSSARY
95
GLOSSARY
Album Release
A collection of media resources (images, videos, sound recordings, MIDI, text) bundled
together and made available for consumption by the consumer.
Aggregator
The platform between an artist/publisher/label and the Digital Merchant. Aggregators
parse information given to them by artists and distribute them to multiple Digital
Merchants at one time.
Artist
The primary performer (e.g. an individual musician, a duo, band, or larger ensembles).
Audio Content
A sound recording, track, album, music video, or ringtone.
C-LINE
Copyright protection registered within the country of origin that covers the lyrics and
melody of a song or work.
FeaturedArtist
The DDEX field designating a featured or guest artist on a release. Generally referred
to as the Featured or Featuring Artist by aggregators and Digital Merchants.
MainArtist
The DDEX field designating the principal artists on a release. Generally referred to as
the Primary Artist by aggregators and Digital Merchants.
MUSIC METADATA STYLE GUIDE
E GLOSSARY
Music Video
A video containing visual images and a sound recording.
P-LINE
Copyright protection that covers the sound recording of a song belonging to the
record owner.
Ringtone/Realtone
A standalone audio recording to be used as a ringtone for a mobile phone. Ringback
tones are treated in the same way.
Sound Recording
An audio recording.
Song
A musical composition.
Title
A track, album, music video, or ringtone title as it appears in the Digital Merchant
store.
Track Release
A single sound recording or music video, which is being made available to the
consumer.
UPC Code
Barcode symbology for tracking trade items in stores.
Release Date
The street date of the current release through a Digital Merchant.