Music distribution from A to Z.
The terms standing between you and your first release — explained briefly, without jargon. Every term has its own page with details, examples and FAQ.
Terms
ISRC
The International Standard Recording Code is the unique 12-character fingerprint of a single sound recording. Every track gets exactly one ISRC that identifies it across every platform and attributes streams cleanly to you. OGRECORDS™ assigns the ISRC automatically at release — you don't have to apply for one.
UPC / EAN
The Universal Product Code (EAN in Europe) is the barcode of your release — the single, EP or album as a product, not the individual track. It bundles all tracks of a release under one number. OGRECORDS™ generates the UPC for you automatically.
DDEX
DDEX is the industry standard distributors use to deliver metadata and audio to the streaming platforms — a strict XML format that catches typos and missing fields before they ship. OGRECORDS™ delivers to DDEX 4.3.2, the format Spotify, Apple Music & co. expect.
DSP
A Digital Service Provider is any platform that streams or sells your music: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Deezer and dozens more. From a single upload, OGRECORDS™ delivers to 38+ DSPs across 240+ territories. The full list is on /network.
Music distributor
A music distributor delivers your music to the stores and streaming services: it sends audio and metadata to the DSPs via DDEX, collects the earnings and pays them out to you. Without a distributor, an independent artist cannot get onto Spotify or Apple Music. How modern digital distribution works is explained on /distribution.
Pre-Save
A pre-save lets fans save a release before it's out — on release day it lands in their library or playlist automatically. That boosts day-one streams, which in turn improves your editorial and algorithmic chances. Pre-save is part of every /smart-links at OGRECORDS™.
Smart Link
A smart link is one landing page that routes every visitor to the right platform automatically — Spotify users to Spotify, Apple users to Apple Music. One link for all DSPs, with pre-save, country targeting and click analytics. More on /smart-links.
Royalty Split
A royalty split divides the income of a track or release automatically across multiple parties — features, producers, co-writers or investors. Each recipient gets their share directly, with no manual transfers from you. At OGRECORDS™ splits are unlimited and computed in real time — details on /royalty-splits.
Streaming royalties
Streaming royalties are the earnings your tracks generate per stream on Spotify, Apple Music & co. They vary widely by platform, country and subscription type — Spotify pays roughly $0.003–0.004 per stream on average, Apple Music about double that. The per-platform numbers live on /spotify-pro-stream.
Advance
An advance is an upfront payment against your future streaming royalties: you get money now, and it is repaid from the ongoing earnings of your catalog (recoupment). Unlike a loan, a non-recourse advance carries no personal liability. How it works at OGRECORDS™ is on /advance.
Playlist pitching
Playlist pitching means actively proposing a track to playlist editors before release — via the editorial pitch at Spotify, and via dedicated channels at Apple Music, Deezer and Amazon. A good pitch raises your chances of editorial playlists and reach without an ad budget. Details on /playlist-pitching.
Master / Master Rights
The master is the actual sound recording of your song — as opposed to the composition, which belongs to the songwriting and publishing side. Whoever holds the master controls how the recording is exploited. At OGRECORDS™ you keep 100 % of your masters, always and non-exclusively.
Mechanical Royalties
Mechanical royalties arise from the reproduction and playback of a composition — separate from the master royalties earned through streaming. They usually flow through collecting societies (such as GEMA) and music publishing. Important: distribution covers the master side, not automatically the publishing.
Sync Licence
A sync licence (synchronisation) permits the use of your music with moving images — in ads, film, TV series or games. Such placements often pay far more than streaming and open new income streams. OGRECORDS™ brokers sync at a 15 % commission and you keep your master rights — see /sync-marketplace.
Sync Marketplace
The OGRECORDS™ sync marketplace brings music from our own catalogue to advertising agencies, film and TV productions, game studios and brands. Artists unlock their tracks for licence requests in the dashboard, buyers describe their project in a short brief and receive matching proposals with previews. 15 % commission only on success, non-exclusive, the master rights stay with the artist — see /sync-marketplace.
Content ID
Content ID is YouTube's system that automatically detects your music in other people's videos — covers, reactions, Shorts and other user-generated content. The income it generates flows to you instead of third parties. At OGRECORDS™ automatic claiming is included in the distribution cut.
Takedown
A takedown pulls a release back off the platforms — for example before a re-release or when switching labels. With classic providers this often costs fees or comes with lock-up periods. At OGRECORDS™ takedowns are free and without a hold period, because the agreement is non-exclusive.
LUFS
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) is the measure used for a track's loudness. Streaming platforms normalise to a target around -14 LUFS — master louder than that and you give up dynamics without actually sounding louder. The OGRECORDS™ audio QC checks loudness, clipping and phase before your track goes out.
P-Line / C-Line
The P-line (℗) names the rights holder of the sound recording, the C-line (©) the rights holder of the composition and artwork — each with year and name. These copyright notices are mandatory metadata for every release. OGRECORDS™ pre-fills the P-line and C-line on submit, and you can override them any time.
Collecting Society (PRO)
A collecting society or PRO, such as PRS for Music, ASCAP, BMI or Germany’s GEMA, collects royalties for the use of compositions and recordings and pays them out to songwriters, publishers and performers. It covers the side your music distributor doesn’t pay out.
Music Publisher (Publishing)
A music publisher manages the rights in the composition — melody and lyrics — registers works, collects publishing royalties worldwide and brokers licenses. It is the counterpart to the label, which exploits the master.
ISWC
The ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) identifies a composition, just as the ISRC identifies a recording. It is assigned by the collecting society when the work is registered.
Recoupment
Recoupment means offsetting an advance or fronted costs against your future earnings: only once everything has been earned back do your royalties flow to you again.
Switching Distributors
Switching distributors means moving your catalog to a new distributor. If you keep identical ISRCs and UPCs, your streams, playlist placements and algorithm history stay intact.
Dolby Atmos (Spatial Audio)
Dolby Atmos is an object-based 3D audio format. On Apple Music, playback is called Spatial Audio; a dedicated Atmos mix is delivered in addition to the stereo master.
Mixing vs. Mastering
Mixing combines the individual tracks of a song into a cohesive stereo mix; mastering then finishes that mix as a whole for streaming and release — tonal balance, loudness, true peak.
Label Copy (Release Metadata)
Label copy is the complete metadata sheet for a release: titles, versions, artists, credits, ISRC, UPC, P and C lines, genre, language and explicit flag. Store listings and credits are built from it.
UGC Monetization (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)
UGC monetization means you earn money when other people use your music in their own videos — on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or through YouTube Content ID.
Streaming Fraud (Artificial Streaming)
Streaming fraud means artificially generated streams from bots, stream farms or bought “guaranteed” plays. Platforms delete such streams, withhold royalties and can remove releases.
Enough theory — get going.
You now know what happens between upload and stream. The release wizard handles the rest.
Release now →