The Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”), PPL, and PRS for Music have worked together to produce a new “Get Paid Guide” for creators of music with the aim of “demystifying” the concept of music metadata. It follows the IPO’s publication last year of the UK Industry Agreement on Music Streaming Metadata, which set out a “roadmap for how industry and Government will work together to deliver consistent high quality metadata, supported by best practice, education and well-functioning systems”.

As the Guide explains, accurate metadata is critical in ensuring that creators are properly credited, music usage is properly tracked, and rights holders receive accurate payment for the use of their music works and sound recordings. It also plays a crucial role in ensuring that recommendations on steaming sites are accurate and relevant.

The Guide builds on an earlier version from last year which was aimed at songwriters and composers to now include information for performers, their managers and representatives. The result is a user-friendly and comprehensive guide for music creators of all kinds, comprising a series of videos explaining everything from why metadata is so important to explanations of the five music industry codes – or “identifiers” – that are essential to receiving royalties.

Commenting on the Guide, David Humphries MBE, the IPO’s Head of Research, said: “Following the Metadata Agreement, published in May 2023, the Intellectual Property Office and representatives from across the music industry have been working together to determine how best to improve the quality and accuracy of data. Industry led working groups on technical solutions and education have been meeting regularly to consider how best to improve the current data systems and how best to engage with the creator community.

“The IPO is delighted to continue supporting the Get Paid Guide. Now updated to take performers as well as creators through the necessary steps to get paid and attributed, it provides a user-friendly, accessible tool to ensure all in the value chain have access to the best information and is a great example of the industry working together. We are grateful to PPL, PRS, the Ivors Academy and the Music Publishers Association for driving this work forward. We look forward to building on this through the proposed Metadata Education Group, and through the WIPO for Creators initiative – CLIP.”

To read more about the ‘Get Paid Guide’, click here.