The International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is an international standard code for uniquely identifying sound recordings and music video recordings. It is a 12-character, alphanumeric code that is assigned to a piece of music set for commercial release. The code allows the rights holder, whether its an independent artist or major record label, to identify and track the life of their audio file recording. An ISRC identifies a particular recording, not the work (composition and lyrical content) itself. Therefore, different recordings, edits, and remixes of the same work should each have their own ISRC. Works are identified by ISWC. Recordings remastered or revised in other ways are usually assigned a new ISRC.

ISRCs are widely used in digital commerce by download sites and collecting societies. They can also be permanently encoded into a product as its digital fingerprint, providing the means to automatically identify recordings for royalty payments.

To obtain an ISRC code for your music, you can contact your national ISRC agency or get ISRC codes for free when using a digital distributor. If you dont have a national ISRC agency in your country, you can contact the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) directly. Music distribution services like Distrokid will also provide ISRCs when they distribute your music to streaming sites.

In summary, an ISRC code is a unique identifier for a sound recording or music video recording that allows the rights holder to track its use and receive royalties. It is assigned to a particular recording, not the work itself, and is widely used in digital commerce and by collecting societies. You can obtain an ISRC code by contacting your national ISRC agency, the IFPI, or a music distribution service.