# ISRC Key: `identity.commerce.isrc` International Standard Recording Code — 12-character identifier for sound recordings and music videos. Format: CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN where CC is country code, XXX is registrant, YY is year, NNNNN is designation. Page: Samples: `USUAN1400011`, `GBAYE7700223`, `FRUM71200001`, `DEAB51300001` ## Background ### Origin The ISRC was developed at the initiative of the international recording industry, through ISO, to identify sound and music video recordings.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) ISO first published the ISRC standard in 1986.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The standard was codified as ISO 3901 by ISO technical committee 46, subcommittee 9.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Recording_Code) IFPI recommended the use of ISRC by record companies in 1988.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) In 1989 ISO appointed IFPI as the Registration Authority for ISRC.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The 2021 edition of the ISRC Handbook says IFPI has appointed 58 ISRC Registration Agencies covering 60 territories.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The current edition of the standard is ISO 3901:2019, its third edition.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) ISO 3901:2019 cancels and replaces the second edition, which dates from 2001.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) ### Use ISRC uses the ten Arabic numerals and the 26 upper-case letters of the Roman alphabet.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The handbook recommends that systems map lower-case letters to their upper-case equivalents before validating or using codes.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) It warns against confusing the digit zero with upper-case O, and the digit 1 with lower-case l and upper-case I.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) When an ISRC is shown to human readers, it should be preceded by the letters ISRC and split by three hyphens, as in ISRC AA-6Q7-20-00047.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The letters ISRC, the space and the hyphens do not form part of the code.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) An ISRC identifies a sound recording, not the song itself.[[3]](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/ISRC) A recording reused on a compilation without change, re-mixing or re-mastering keeps the same ISRC.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The handbook says releases of the same recording cannot be told apart by ISRC, and points to product identifiers for that.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) If your question is about albums or releases rather than recordings, expect one ISRC to appear on many rows. (Meridian's view) Re-use of an ISRC that has already been assigned to another recording is not permitted.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The handbook says that where two distinct recordings have improperly been given the same ISRC, one or both should be assigned a new ISRC.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The handbook says many online services require an ISRC to identify a recording.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) It says collective management organisations usually require ISRCs to manage their databases of registered repertoire.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) All DDEX standards allow an ISRC to be carried wherever a recording is specified.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) The handbook says recipients of DDEX messages should validate the ISRCs they receive.[[1]](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) ### Where you'll meet it Spotify's Web API lists the ISRC among a track's known external IDs.[[4]](https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/get-track) MusicBrainz says some users have written tools to submit ISRCs from a CD or a digital service provider through the MusicBrainz API.[[3]](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/ISRC) ## Sources 1. [International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) Handbook](https://isrc.ifpi.org/images/downloads/ISRC_Handbook.pdf) — documentation 2. [International Standard Recording Code - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Recording_Code) — secondary source 3. [ISRC - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/doc/ISRC) — organisation 4. [Web API Reference \| Spotify for Developers](https://developer.spotify.com/documentation/web-api/reference/get-track) — organisation