A lot of artists in Cameroon are dropping music every day, but many still don’t understand the codes that help their songs get tracked, registered, and paid properly.
Behind every release on streaming platforms, there are three important codes working quietly in the background:
ISRC — This identifies a specific recording or track.
Every version of a song has its own ISRC.
UPC — This identifies the release itself, whether it’s a single, EP, or album.
ISWC — This identifies the composition, meaning the actual song you wrote, including the lyrics and melody.
Think of it like this:
The song you wrote = ISWC
The recording you uploaded = ISRC
The project or release package = UPC
For many artists, producers, managers, and rights holders in Cameroon, missing royalties often comes down to something simple: incomplete or incorrect metadata. A song can perform well online and still fail to pay out properly if the information behind it is not correctly registered.
As Cameroon’s music scene keeps growing and reaching wider audiences, understanding ISRC, UPC, and ISWC is no longer just industry knowledge for labels and publishers. It is essential for every serious artist who wants their music to be properly protected and monetized.
Cameroon artists, managers, and music professionals: which of these three codes causes the most confusion for you? The ISRC, UPC, or ISWC?