What is metadata?
In short, metadata is the DNA for your release. It’s the information connected to your release used to identify artists, writers, tracks, genres, labels and so much more. It also identifies every piece of content on the internet. Metadata origin began as entry-level information encoded directly into the files on a CD. Today it refers to any information that needs to accompany a music file on streaming services or digital stores.Streaming platforms rely on metadata. It’s more important than ever. Without metadata, your tracks would have no context, just anonymous files in the sea of data online.
Why is this important for your release?
Digital service platforms use metadata to track trends, build playlists, and return accurate search results. Metadata is just as crucial for you as a user as it is for an artist. Metadata connects potential fans with your songs, gets you recognition for your work, and ensures revenue generated from your music is allocated to you correctly. Simply put, without metadata, receiving proper compensation for your work could be a nightmare.The solution? Get it right before you release so your music can be properly identified no matter where it's played.
What is MEAD Metadata?
Media Enrichment and Description (MEAD) provides additional metadata crucial for voice-activated services, including Focus Tracks, Pronunciations, Alternative Titles, Pseudonyms, Genres, Moods, Themes, and Dance and Rhythm Styles. DSPs require more metadata to be successful in marketing that music. MEAD supports more than 30 different mechanisms for the description of parties, releases, and resources such as sound recordings, and works in ways that are different from the data exchanged using ERNs.A few examples of such information include
- Information about “focus tracks”, which is crucial for voice-activated services (i.e. which sound recording or video is to be played when a consumer asks for “the latest George-Ezra track” – which may well differ from Ezra’s most recently released song because of advertisement campaigns or other events);
- Journalistic material such as reviews about a musical work, a recording, an album or a musician;
- Lyrics of musical works or recordings;
- Information about artist nicknames, whether “official” or not;
- Information about historic chart positions of and/or awards won by an artist, a work, a recording or a release;
Extended information of interest for aficionados of classical music;And many more (see also the "What does MEAD support today" section on the right).MEAD features are currently supported by Amazon Music:
| Name | Attribute(s) | Usage |
| Alternative Titles/Names | AlternativeTitle (for resources and releases) Pseudonym (for artists) | Voice/Detail Page |
| Awards | Award (for releases)AwardForParty (for artists) | X-Ray |
| Artist Biography | Biography BiographyText | X-Ray |
| BPM | BeatsPerMinute | Editorial |
| Cover | IsCover | Voice/Detail Page |
| Focus Track | FocusTrack | Voice/Detail Page |
| Genre/Mood/Theme | GenreCategoryMoodTheme | Editorial |
| Influences | ArtisticInfluence | X-Ray |
| Key | RootChordNote | Editorial |
| Original Recording | IsOriginal | Voice/Detail Page |
| Pronunciation | DisplayArtistNameWithPronunciation (for artists) TitleWithPronunciation (for releases) TitleTextWithPronunciation (for releases) | Voice |
| Samples (i.e. from another recording) | Sample | X-Ray |
| Usage Information (e.g. used in ads, theme song from movie) | Usage | Voice/Detail Page |