4. ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code)

The ISWC provides an efficient means of uniquely identifying musical works, not their manifestations or objects related to a musical work. Such manifestations and objects are the subject of separate identification systems (like ISMN and ISRC).

After the draft for an international standard has been reviewed, the ballot was on for member countries of the TC46 (comments were welcome until June).

The ISWC as a dumb number is easy to handle, and will prove immensely useful especially for the producers and authors, by facilitating and speeding up the identification of works and the related calculation and payment of royalties. The ISWC is already in use, especially by MCPS in the UK.