Soundcharts Blog

Learn what a UPC code is in music, how it differs from an ISRC, and why it’s essential for releasing and tracking your music on streaming platforms and digital stores. A beginner-friendly guide for artists, labels, and distributors.

Glossary

July 31, 2025 • 2 min read

Understand the difference between master and publishing rights in music, including ownership, royalties, and how they impact artists.

Mechanics

July 30, 2025 • 5 min read

Neighboring rights are royalties paid to performers and recording rights holders when a track is played publicly. Learn how they work and how to collect them.

Glossary

July 29, 2025 • 2 min read

Discover what a record label really does, how label deals work, and the differences between major and indie labels. Learn why record labels still matter in today’s music industry—and what artists should know before signing.

Glossary

July 29, 2025 • 5 min read

A DSP (Digital Service Provider) is a platform that streams or sells music, like Spotify or Apple Music. Learn what DSPs do, how they work, and why they matter in today’s music industry.

Glossary

July 28, 2025 • 2 min read

Understand what an ISRC is and why it matters for managing royalties, streaming data, and music rights.

Glossary

July 25, 2025 • 2 min read

Learn what A&R means in music, what an A&R does — from scouting talent to coordinating releases — and how it differs from an artist manager.

Glossary

July 24, 2025 • 2 min read

Did you know your music is technically protected the moment you record it — but that’s not enough to defend it in court or claim royalties? Learn how to register your songs, avoid common mistakes, and make sure your work is legally protected and ready to earn royalties.

Mechanics

July 22, 2025 • 10 min read

Discover why streaming is no longer the primary growth engine for emerging artists in 2025. This in-depth analysis explores alternative strategies—from short-form video to superfans and data-driven A&R—to help artists break through the noise in a saturated music market.

Mechanics

June 24, 2025 • 15 min read

Build real-time dashboards for A&R and artist teams with Soundcharts, Make.com & Airtable — no devs required, just smarter workflows.

Mechanics

April 29, 2025 • 10 min read

Learn how music algorithms work on Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and Apple Music—and what artists can do to get recommended and grow their audience.

Mechanics

April 8, 2025 • 12 min read

"We chose Soundcharts as our data partner because of their data accuracy and real-time monitoring capabilities."—Joey Mason, Co-founder of Mogul

Users stories

March 18, 2025 • 5 min read

Beware of recruitment and task scams impersonating Soundcharts. Learn how scammers operate, how to protect yourself, and where to report fraudulent activity.

General

February 4, 2025 • 5 min read

Dive deep into the Japanese market, a fascinating land of physical formats, life-long fans and pop-idols

Music Markets

February 3, 2025 • 13 min read

The U.S. market is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. It’s often tempting to judge the U.S. based on its global influence, yet the States is full of surprises when you get into details.

Music Markets

January 30, 2025 • 13 min read

We partner with Listn to bring you an exclusive discount on your first influencer campaign!

December 16, 2024 • 2 min read

Discover key lyrical trends and insights from Spotify’s Top 50 Global songs of 2024 using Soundcharts' AI-powered lyrics analysis, and learn what makes a song resonate with listeners.

Music Markets

December 12, 2024 • 12 min read

We partner with Playlist Push to bring you an exclusive discount on your first curation campaign!

November 20, 2024 • 2 min read

October 30, 2024 • 2 min read

Data analysis is essential to running effective marketing campaigns in the modern music industry. In this article, we'll explore how to use data to run a successful music marketing campaign.

Mechanics

October 25, 2024 • 10 min read

We partner with Base for Music to bring you an exclusive discount on your first music marketing campaign!

October 23, 2024 • 2 min read

Discover how an international music marketer at Sony Music Italy used Soundcharts' radio tracking to make "Mezzo Rotto" (Alessandra Amoroso feat. BigMama) reach the top of the Polish charts.

Users stories

October 22, 2024 • 5 min read

In our next article in the Mechanics series, we explore the all-around role of the artist managers, pinpointing their place in the Music Industry.

Mechanics

January 1, 2024 • 10 min read

In this article, we introduce our new Mechanics series, trace the evolution of the Music Industry over the years and introduce the main topics that we will explore in the future.

Mechanics

January 1, 2024 • 14 min read

By 2024, TikTok has become an integral part of the music marketing landscape. That’s why we’ve decided to put together this comprehensive guide, breaking down the mechanics of TikTok, and going through some of the main strategies for promoting music on the platform.

Mechanics

January 1, 2024 • 10 min read

Today, we want to share with you one simple piece of advice. The advice that might be a game-changer when it comes to monetizing your compositions: how to self-publish your music. 

General

December 31, 2023 • 9 min read

Millions of views don’t just happen: that kind of success is usually the product of a sophisticated strategy designed to build up hype and anticipation. Deciding which song from the album to make a video for, linking the video up to the context of your release cycle, unveiling teasers and behind the scenes videos: these are all tools in your music video promotion toolkit.

General

December 31, 2023 • 9 min read

We use Soundcharts data to track the growing success of the latest TikTok-powered viral hit — Gordon Ramsey by HL Wave. Looking at the streaming and charts data, we draw up the timeline of the track’s success (so far) to see what we can learn from it

General

December 31, 2023 • 6 min read

There are apps for music production, tour planning, songwriting — you name it. We put together this guide to give musicians an overview of the best apps that can help them at each stage of the music-making process. 

General

December 31, 2023 • 7 min read

Let’s face it, social media is a huge part of being a musician. It’s wishful thinking to believe that all you need to be successful in this industry is to make great music. With social media, you have access to millions of people looking for the next big thing.

General

December 31, 2023 • 5 min read

If you are booking your first tour, you won't have a team of music professionals behind you — so you have to do most of the work and planning yourself, expanding your expertise to cover all the holes. Here’s how you do it. 

General

December 31, 2023 • 11 min read

So, you've had some experience with the music industry, and now you want to start a label of your own? Check out our 13 steps guide to make sure that you nail all the details and don't let anything slip through the cracks

General

December 31, 2023 • 14 min read

Music Metadata is the oil that makes the cogs of the industry spin. But why can't we fix it?

Mechanics

December 31, 2023 • 17 min read

Radio is the last consumption channel in the globalized world of music that is still linked to the local context. That's why it is an integral part of Soundcharts. Here's how our customers use airplay monitoring to make better decisions.

General

December 31, 2023 • 6 min read

Following up on our introductary piece on music royalties we dive down into the topic. What are public performance royalties, how are they calculated and paid out, and how are they different from mechanical?

General

December 31, 2023 • 9 min read

Even today, the average weekly audio consumption via radio in the US is about 14 times greater than combined consumption across all audio streaming services — making radio one of the most potent promotion channels in the business. Here are some tips on how to get in front of the radio crowd:

General

December 31, 2023 • 10 min read

The days of shipping a press kit with vinyl records and merchandise to select media members are long gone. Now, the EPK rules. Today, we will get through everything you need to know about making a top-notch EPK that will win over anyone in the industry.

General

December 31, 2023 • 9 min read

For a lot of the up-and-coming artists, the PR is something done in-house. Here's a quick guide to get the things of the ground by yourself, how to know when you're ready for a PR-agency and what to look for in one.

General

December 31, 2023 • 10 min read

Since the US does not recognize neighboring rights, recording artists (aka master owners) are not paid royalties when their songs are played on the radio. But, there’s an exception to this rule when it comes to non-interactive digital streaming services — introducing digital performance royalties!

General

December 31, 2023 • 6 min read

What is the difference between the master and the composition? What rights does copyright protect? And how can you make sure you're 100% covered? Copyright law is the very basis of the music industry — so check out our complete guide to music law.

General

December 31, 2023 • 17 min read

From social media to streaming to airplay tracking, here's our complete guide to building a complete music data analytics toolkit

General

December 31, 2023 • 13 min read

Music royalties is a messy business. But we’ve sorted it all out and simplified it for you in this article: we provide a detailed breakdown of BMI, ASCAP, SESAC, and AMRA, and give you the down-low on their benefits, payout speeds, contract lengths, and more — so that you can pick the right one

General

December 31, 2023 • 11 min read

Following our Market Focus: India, here's the list of the India's most prominent music companies, from record labels and promoters to live venues and festival — targeted to international music community

Music Markets

December 31, 2023 • 3 min read

What is the role of the label in the ever-changing digital environment? Our new Mechanics are here to get to the bottom of the record business

Mechanics

December 31, 2023 • 12 min read

There are many types of music data APIs. We put together this guide to provide valuable resources to those interested in leveraging music data for music discovery or application development.

General

December 31, 2023 • 10 min read

Today, we share some tips on how you can make sure that your music has the best chances of getting on Spotify playlists — a simple step-by-step guide on how to get music on Spotify and considered for playlisting. 

General

December 31, 2023 • 8 min read

The rise of streaming has turned music distributors from aggregators and administrators into one of the most critical players along the recording chain. Find out everything you need to know about the distribution industry

Mechanics

December 31, 2023 • 17 min read

The adoption of streaming and evolution of the streaming services is the most significant ongoing shift in the music business. Our new Mechanics are here to get to the bottom of the streaming market.

Mechanics

March 16, 2022 • 28 min read

With 550 million internet users, India is on the track to be the single biggest music audience in the world. Soundcharts explains what makes the local music business tick

Music Markets

March 16, 2022 • 24 min read