What is ISO 3901 about?

ISO 3901 discusses information and documentation. ISO 3901 specifies the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) for the unique identification of recordings. It details a standard identifying code that ensures assigning and identifying music video recording uniquely and clearly.

Note1: The ISRC applies to the identification of audio recordings and music video recordings whether they are in analogue or digital form.

Note2: The ISRC does not apply to the numbering of audio or audiovisual products or carriers. Note3: Neither is it applicable to the numbering of packages of audio recordings or music video recordings with other media items.

Note4: The ISRC applies to music video recordings even if they have been assigned an International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN) in accordance with ISO 15706 (all parts), or a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) in accordance with ISO 26324, but it does not apply to other forms of audiovisual recording.

Who is ISO 3901 for?

ISO 3901 on International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is useful for:

Recording organization
Broadcasting organization
Media libraries
Archives
Musicologist
Application software developer

Why should you use ISO 3901?

The International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is a standard identifying code that can be used to identify sound recordings and music video recordings so that each such recording can be referred to uniquely and unambiguously.

The use of ISRC instead of relying on text matching enables more efficient and accurate identification when information about recordings needs to be stored and retrieved or exchanged between parties. This is especially true when recordings have similar names but are different, or when variations in spelling, language, or character set make text matching unreliable.
ISO 3901 sets out the format of ISRC, the mechanisms to ensure uniqueness of codes, and the ways in which ISRC is to be assigned to recordings.

BS ISO 3901:2019

Information and documentation. International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)

Current, Under Review

Published:

28 Feb 2019