YouTube Royalty Distribution – ISRC codes vs ISWC codes

"Music is everybody’s possession. It’s only publishers who think that people own it."

John Lennon

Designer

Understanding the Difference Between ISRC and ISWC Codes in South Africa

When you make music and share it online—on platforms like YouTube or Spotify—it’s very important that your songs are correctly registered and identified. This helps you get paid all the royalties you deserve.

In South Africa, two main codes help with this: the ISRC and the ISWC. They sound similar but do very different things. Knowing how they work—and how they connect to SAMRO and CAPASSO—can help you make sure you don’t lose money.

(And how they affect YouTube royalties through SAMRO and CAPASSO)

“The beautiful thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain.” — Bob Marley

What Each Code Means

ISRC – International Standard Recording Code

The ISRC is a unique code for each recording of a song. Think of it like a fingerprint for the sound recording itself—the master track.

Every version of your song needs its own ISRC: studio version, live version, remix, etc.
It’s made up of 12 letters and numbers that identify the country, the creator, the year, and a serial number.
The ISRC helps track how your recording is used—streams, downloads, YouTube videos, etc.—so you can get paid for your recording rights (often called “master rights”).

ISWC – International Standard Musical Work Code

The ISWC is different. It’s the unique code for the musical work—the song as it was written (lyrics and composition).

It usually looks something like T-123.456.789-X.
Every song usually has one ISWC, even if there are many recordings of it.
The ISWC is used to pay royalties to the people who wrote or published the song—songwriters, composers, and publishers.

So, in short:

ISRC = the sound (recording)
ISWC = the song (composition)

How This Works in South Africa

In South Africa, there are organisations that collect and pay out royalties for musicians and songwriters:

SAMRO collects performance royalties (for when your music is played on radio, TV, YouTube, etc.).
CAPASSO collects mechanical royalties (for when your music is copied or streamed).
RiSA manages ISRC registrations (for the recording side).

Both SAMRO and CAPASSO also handle ISWC registrations (for the composition side).

This means:

Your ISWC tells SAMRO and CAPASSO who to pay for the songwriting side.
Your ISRC tells YouTube and distributors who to pay for the recording side.

How YouTube Uses These Codes

Every time your music is played on YouTube, two types of royalties are created:

Master Rights (ISRC) – for the sound recording (paid to the artist, producer, or label).
Composition Rights (ISWC) – for the song itself (paid to the songwriter and publisher).

Here’s how it all connects:

SAMRO uses your ISWC and metadata (song title, composer names, publisher splits) to pay performance royalties.
CAPASSO uses your ISWC to pay mechanical royalties for streams and reproductions.
Your distributor or label uses the ISRC to report the master recordings to YouTube.

If your ISWC or ISRC is missing, or not correctly linked, your royalties might go missing or be paid to the wrong person.

What You Should Do to Get Paid Properly

To make sure you don’t lose out on YouTube royalties in South Africa:

1. Register your song with SAMRO

Include all the correct details (songwriters, percentages, publisher info).
Make sure an ISWC is issued for each composition.

2. Register with CAPASSO

So your mechanical royalties for streams and YouTube plays can be tracked.

3. Get your ISRC from RiSA or your distributor

Each version of your recording must have its own ISRC.

4. Make sure the ISRC and ISWC are linked correctly

When uploading to YouTube or through your distributor, check that both codes are in the metadata.

Without one of these steps, part of your income may never reach you.

In Summary

For South African artists, songwriters, and producers, understanding the two codes is essential:

ISRC – for the recording (helps you get paid for streams and plays).
ISWC – for the composition (helps you get paid for writing and publishing).

Both codes need to be registered, linked, and shared in your song data for platforms like YouTube. Doing this ensures you get paid fully and on time by SAMRO and CAPASSO.

It’s smart to do a quick metadata check on all your songs—make sure:

Each track has an ISRC
Each song is registered with an ISWC
The two are linked correctly in your distributor or YouTube metadata

That way, every play, stream, and share counts—and pays.

Get your codes. Link your data. Claim your royalties. If you’re struggling with any of these steps, reach out to info@weslawafrica.co.za with the subject line: youtube royalties.

Don’t let your plays go unpaid — take control of your music income today.