In the rapidly evolving global music industry, the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) has become a vital identifier—serving as a digital fingerprint for individual sound recordings and music videos. Used globally to track when and where a song is played, the ISRC ensures that artists, producers, and rights holders are properly credited and paid for their work.
Yet, in Trinidad & Tobago, where music is deeply embedded in national identity and culture, the lack of ISRC usage by most radio stations remains a glaring concern. As the region strives to professionalize and digitize its creative economy, this oversight has significant implications for musicians, producers, copyright bodies, and the future of Caribbean music on the global stage.
WHAT IS AN ISRC – AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique 12-character identifier assigned to each sound recording and music video. It is essential for:
- Tracking airplay across radio, digital platforms, and TV
- Collecting royalties for artists, producers, and rights holders
- Protecting intellectual property rights
- Maintaining proper music metadata in global databases
- Making songs discoverable and payable through performance rights organizations (PROs)
Globally, platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Shazam, YouTube, SoundExchange, and most major radio and television stations use ISRCs to automate tracking and ensure payment. Without it, accurate data is lost, and artists often never receive compensation for their music being used.
WHY ARE TRINIDAD & TOBAGO RADIO STATIONS NOT USING ISRC?
1. Outdated Broadcast Infrastructure
Many local radio stations in Trinidad & Tobago still operate on legacy systems—software and hardware that do not support or prioritize ISRC metadata. Without modern digital playout systems or audio tracking software like SoundExchange monitors, ISRC implementation becomes challenging and costly for station managers.
2. Lack of Regulatory Mandate
There is currently no broadcasting regulation or policy in Trinidad & Tobago requiring radio stations to submit ISRC data or report track usage to collecting societies like COTT (Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad & Tobago). In contrast, countries with more advanced copyright protection have enforced such mandates to ensure compliance.
3. Insufficient Industry Education
Many station managers, DJs, and even artists themselves lack awareness of the importance of ISRC codes. If music is submitted without an ISRC, and there is no system demanding one, the code is ignored or stripped altogether—leaving the track untraceable in terms of royalties.
4. Informal Music Distribution Culture
In Trinidad & Tobago, many artists distribute their music informally—handing over tracks via email, WhatsApp, or USBs directly to DJs. In these cases, even if an ISRC was embedded, it may not be retained in the file’s metadata or recorded in any database. This informal method undermines digital tracking and professional music delivery standards.
5. Cost & Accessibility Barriers
While ISRCs can be obtained for free or at a low cost through organizations like COTT or international agencies, many independent or emerging artists are unaware or lack guidance on how to obtain and embed them properly.
THE IMPACT ON MUSICIANS & THE CREATIVE SECTOR
1. Unclaimed Royalties
Without ISRC tracking, local and regional artists are missing out on both domestic and international royalties. Every time a song plays on radio without being linked to an ISRC, no automatic record exists, and no payout is triggered through performing rights organizations.
2. Lack of Global Visibility
ISRCs feed into global music identification systems like Gracenote, Shazam, MusicBrainz, and more. Without this data, Trinidad & Tobago’s music often becomes invisible to digital systems—reducing its global reach and the ability to chart or earn placement in major databases and playlists.
3. Hindered Music Industry Growth
The music industry in Trinidad & Tobago cannot reach its full digital and financial potential without ISRC compliance. This gap leads to a disconnect between music creation and monetization, limiting opportunities for artists to scale their careers internationally.
4. Ineffective Copyright Protection
ISRC codes serve as legal evidence of ownership and can be used in disputes over unauthorized use. When a song lacks an ISRC, it is harder for an artist or producer to prove authorship or ownership, making them more vulnerable to copyright theft or exploitation.
THE PATH FORWARD: SOLUTIONS TO BRIDGE THE GAP
1. Government and Cultural Policy Reform
The Ministry of Culture, Communication, and Digital Transformation should collaborate with broadcast authorities and COTT to mandate ISRC integration in national radio broadcast systems, tying it to licensing and regulation.
2. Radio Station System Upgrades
Stations should be encouraged (or incentivized) to upgrade to modern broadcast software that supports ISRC recognition and automated royalty reporting. Government grants or public-private tech partnerships could assist with funding.
3. Artist & DJ Education Campaigns
There is an urgent need for education and awareness campaigns targeting:
- Independent artists and producers on how to acquire and embed ISRCs
- DJs and station managers on the importance of playing properly tagged music
- Music schools and youth programs to teach ISRCs from the ground up
4. Embrace Digital Distribution Tools
Local musicians should be encouraged to use digital aggregators (like DistroKid, Tunecore, Ditto, CDBaby, etc.) which automatically assign ISRCs and distribute to global platforms. This ensures their songs are fully metadata-ready, even before reaching radio.
5. Develop Local Monitoring Platforms
Creating homegrown audio tracking tools, such as apps or plugins, can help radio stations monitor what songs are played, tag them with ISRCs, and report accurately to COTT or international databases.
CONCLUSION: THE FUTURE OF MUSIC RIGHTS IN T&T DEPENDS ON ACTION NOW
Trinidad & Tobago is world-renowned for birthing vibrant genres like Calypso, Soca, Chutney, and Rapso. However, for these cultural exports to thrive in the 21st-century global music economy, digital compliance is no longer optional—it is essential.
The widespread use of ISRCs across all points of the music distribution and broadcast pipeline is critical to ensuring fair compensation, proper recognition, and protection for the nation’s creatives. Until local radio stations adopt this standard, artists will continue to lose income, and Trinidad & Tobago’s music industry will remain partially invisible on the global stage.
The time to modernize is now.