Metadata Style Guide

Good metadata is not cosmetic. It controls how a release appears on DSPs, whether review can approve it, and whether delivery can proceed without manual repair.

Use this page before creating releases and tracks through the API.

Core rule

Send clean, structured metadata in the correct fields. Do not hide artist roles, versions, territories, rights, or promotional text inside titles or notes.

Release metadata

Area	Rule	Common blocker
Title	Use the public release title exactly as it should appear.	Extra promo text, internal codes, or store names in the title.
Version	Put remix, live, radio edit, instrumental, or clean version details in the version field when available.	Version text duplicated in both title and version fields.
Format	Choose the correct release format such as single, EP, or album.	Sending an album as a single to skip required track order checks.
Label	Use the label name that owns or represents the release.	Using a distributor name when the release should show a label.
Language	Use the primary metadata language.	Mixing language display names and codes in the same integration.
Genre	Use supported genre values from the reference endpoints or endpoint schema.	Free-text genre values that do not match supported options.
Release date	Use a realistic future live date when delivery lead time matters.	Submitting too close to the intended live date.
Territories	Send the intended territory list and keep exclusions explicit.	Assuming worldwide delivery when only selected territories were sent.

Artist and contributor metadata

Role	Use for	Blocker to avoid
Primary Artist	Main artist credited on the release or track.	Putting all contributors into one artist name.
Featured Artist	Guest artists that should be credited separately.	Writing "feat." only in the title when structured artists are available.
Composer	Music composition credit.	Omitting composer data on tracks that require writer metadata.
Writer	Lyric or composition writer.	Reusing the label name as a writer.
Producer	Production credit where supported.	Treating producer as the primary artist unless they are publicly credited that way.
Remixer	Remix credit where supported.	Putting remix credit only in the track title.

Endpoint pages remain authoritative for exact accepted role values. Keep role values consistent inside one integration. See Reference Values for discovery rules.

Track metadata

Every track should have:

title
release_id
audio_file_id from a successful upload
At least one primary artist
Required contributor and writer credits
Language
Genre where required
Rights holder name and year
ISRC when already assigned
Explicit flag when the audio or lyrics require it

Track order matters. Set final order before submitting the release.

Identifiers

Identifier	Rule
UPC	Use the release UPC when you already have one. Do not reuse one UPC across unrelated releases.
ISRC	Use one ISRC per recording. Do not reuse an ISRC for a different recording, edit, or remix.
ISWC	Use only when known and applicable.

If SpaceMedia assigns or normalizes identifiers for your workflow, store the returned value and reuse the public release or track reference for API calls.

Explicit and clean versions

Mark explicit content accurately at release and track level where available.
Create separate clean versions when a clean recording is delivered.
Do not label a track as clean if only the metadata title was changed.
Keep explicit and clean versions linked in your own catalog when they represent related recordings.

Artwork

Release artwork should be:

Square.
Production quality.
An original JPG or PNG when the release will be delivered. WEBP can be accepted by upload validation but is not a delivery master.
Between 3000x3000 and 5000x5000 pixels when using release create or update validation.
Free of URLs, store badges, pricing text, barcodes, and temporary promo copy.
Matched to the release title and primary artist.

Use multipart form data when uploading cover_art through release create or update requests.

Upload the final mastered audio file, then use the returned audio_file_id when creating the track. See Uploads for accepted formats, size limits, duration requirements, chunking, and retry behavior.

Operational rules:

Do not create the track until the upload has returned audio_file_id.
Keep your local file checksum and filename for retry diagnosis.
Do not reuse an audio_file_id for a different recording.
If upload fails, retry the same file before creating another track.
If the track has already been created, use the returned track_id for later API calls.

DSP-specific notes

Destination	Integration note
Spotify	Keep artist roles structured. Do not rely on title text for featured artist display.
Apple Music	Metadata quality, title casing, artwork, and contributor data are strict review factors.
YouTube Music	YouTube Music and Content ID workflows may require extra rights clarity. Do not assume both are enabled by one generic channel value.
TikTok	Short-form destinations can have territory, rights, or preview behavior that differs from streaming DSPs.
Beatport	Genre, label, and electronic music metadata can be more important than generic DSP fields.

Destination-specific behavior can change. Use readiness checks and delivery status pages before assuming a destination accepted a release.

Pre-submission checklist

Release title, version, artist, label, format, genre, language, and territories are complete.
Artwork is square, production quality, and passes size validation.
Every track has uploaded audio and a stable track_id.
Track order is final.
Primary artists and contributors are structured.
Rights holder name and year are present where required.
UPC, ISRC, and ISWC values are correct when supplied.
Explicit flags are accurate.
Distribution channels are selected.
Readiness checks return no blocking issue.

Fix metadata before submission. After submission, some fields can become locked or require review before changes are accepted.

Common questions

Why was my release rejected for artwork? Almost always size, shape, or overlaid text. Artwork must be square, within the documented pixel range, and free of URLs, pricing, store badges, and promo text.

Do I need an ISRC before I submit? Supply one when you own it. Where the platform issues identifiers, do not invent placeholder values, and never reuse an identifier across recordings.

Can I fix metadata after submission? Depends on the review state. While a release is in review, avoid metadata changes unless the endpoint allows them. See Delivery Statuses.

What causes the most avoidable rejections? Contributor credits. At least one Primary Artist is required on a release, and tracks need both a Primary Artist and a Composer credit.