MP3 & Metadata

This is for all the singing groups and soloists that are promoting your music with Promoters or Record Label Companies. Some are good at what they are doing. Then there are some that seem they don't care when they have your money. This is the reason I'm creating this page. Because of having worked at an Atlanta area radio station in the past and having a station online. There are some promoters that are not putting all the metadata that needs to be in the MP3. I get so frustrated when I download a song (mp3) from a promoter and have not 1 ounce of metadata in it. So now I got a choice. I can spend a bunch of time trying to find out if it is a radio single or an album. Then try to find out who the Record label is and what year. Most of the time, no picture of the album or group is embedded in the Mp3. Just like other radio stations DJ's I have talked to, WE DON'T PLAY IT BECAUSE THE PROMOTER DON'T CARE OR HAVEN'T KEPT UP WITH THE REQUIREMENT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS FOR INTERNET MUSIC. I say this because I had tried to talk to them about this problem but don't listen and I know that will listen to you because that is where they get their money from. Money talks louder than I can. I even ask them if all the metadata in the mp3 that I need? Oh, yea everything in there. Download the song file and in the title is say Track 1 and that is all in the metadata it has. I know a lot of radio station that is using the online internet do the same thing Don't play it unless it is a well-known group then they will take the time to add and edit the metadata. There is some requirement now since the internet is so big today with communication TV;s, Movies< Music, Pictures. Live Videos. This has been this way for years now. With that being said Sound Exchange handle most of the Music that is played on the internet. Sound Exchange required that the Metadata (the info embedded into an MP3 file)

1 - Have the Song Title

2 -The Artist or Group that is singing the song

3 - The Album name the song is on. If it is a radio single or just a Single. Then the Title of the song will need to be in the Album field with (single) after it

4 - Must have the name of the Record Label or if your Independent need to be in the field of the Record Label

5 - The year

6 - ISRC Not required but is good if you have one. It quicker way for Sound Exchange to get all your info. On who to pay

7 -A picture of the album or group - Not required - does make the song look better when playing instead of a music note.

So what should you do? I would have whoever your promoter is send you a copy of the mp3 of the song and check it yourself. Far as CD" S goes that is another problematic issue. You can take your CD put it into your computer and use Windows Media Player and everything should come up Song Title, Artist, Album name. If not, most of the time that metadata was not embedded in the CD. So now when you send your CD to the radio station to play. They will have to manually put that in for the internet or set it to the side because it is too much trouble to mess with. Some stations will put that info in, if they have the time. If not, it won't get played.

Love you all in Christ Rick Haines