ECM Part 2 explained
This part of the ECM standard defines an Entity Cluster Type that clusters resources such as sound recordings and music videos each of which are manifestations of performances of a particular musical work.
In order to increase precision and operational efficiency across the music value chain, particularly in the areas of licensing, rights management, and royalty distribution – including those arising from online platforms such as streaming services and user-generated content (UGC) – this cluster type is limited to recordings that are based on a single musical work, usually identified by an ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code).
The recordings within this cluster type may involve different display artists, vary in title and/or have unique sets of contributors. Each recording is uniquely identified, usually by its ISRC (International Standard Recording Code).
Historically, the broader music value chain has maintained distinct and often siloed workflows for managing metadata related to musical works and sound recordings. As a result, there is only limited interoperability and data exchange concerning the linkage between a musical work and its associated sound recordings, despite the fact that accurate linkage is essential for the correct distribution of rights and the corresponding remuneration to rights holders.
This part of the ECM standard aims to address that gap by facilitating structured communication of the relationship between musical works and sound recordings. However, it must also operate within certain guiding principles, particularly given the absence of a single authoritative source for this linkage data. Instead, the standard supports a collaborative and interoperable model where data from multiple sources can be reconciled and exchanged reliably.
Musical work clusters are inherently dynamic: new recordings can be added to such clusters over time.
The most recent version of Part 2 of the ECM standard – Musical Work Clusters published is version 1.0.
The text of this Part 2 can be found here.
Further Details in ECM Part 2
Detailed implementation guidance and best practice
This section provides access to a range of knowledge base articles under different subject headings, about all aspects of communicating Musical Work Clusters. This section of the knowledge base is searchable.