Every song has two lives.
One is the sound you hear.
The other is the data behind it.
That hidden layer is called metadata.
It tells the world who wrote the song, who performed it, who owns it, and who gets paid.
When metadata is clean, royalties flow.
When it is wrong or missing, royalties vanish.
Why Metadata Matters
For a composer or lyricist, metadata is proof.
It links your name to your work in global systems.
Without it, your song can travel the world and you may never see a rupee.
For labels and publishers, metadata is the backbone of licensing.
It powers deals with streaming platforms, film producers, OTT players, and advertisers. Bad data means missed money and broken trust.
The Common Mistakes
Here’s what I see most often:
- Song titles uploaded with typos or inconsistent spellings.
- Composer and lyricist names entered in short forms like “Ankit” or “Chetan” instead of full names.
- Ownership splits left blank or misreported.
- ISRC and ISWC codes not registered or not linked to the right rights holders.
Each of these errors creates cracks in the system.
And in those cracks, royalties get lost.
The Opportunity
India is still young in terms of digital rights.
That is both a problem and an opportunity.
If we fix metadata now, we build a system that actually rewards creators.
Globally, clean metadata has unlocked billions in sync, publishing, and performance royalties.
There is no reason Indian composers, authors, and labels should be left behind.
The Future
AI is already scanning catalogs, matching works, and flagging disputes.
Streaming platforms depend entirely on metadata.
The upcoming Central Music Registry in India will live or die based on data quality.
The message is clear.
Metadata is not admin work.
It is the foundation of your royalties, your career, your rights.
Creators, labels, publishers: if you do one thing this year, let it be this:
Get your metadata right. Start by auditing your last five releases, and ensure every field is complete and accurate on your distributor’s portal.