music publishingintegrationindie

Preparing Your Catalog for a Publisher Partnership: What Indies Need to Provide

mmulti media

2026-02-07

9 min read

Actionable checklist for indie musicians/labels to prepare catalogs for publisher deals: files, splits, rights, revenue, and APIs.

Get your catalog deal-ready: beat delays, maximize royalties, and make integrations painless

Signing a publisher partnership (with firms like Kobalt, Madverse, or other administrators) is a major growth step but messy catalogs, missing rights docs, and inconsistent metadata are the most common reasons indies lose money or face long onboarding delays. In 2026 publishers expect machine-readable data, clean splits, and API-capable reporting. This guide gives an actionable, prioritized checklist for indie musicians and labels to prepare catalog assets, rights documents, revenue history, and integration endpoints before sending them to a publisher.

Executive checklist (most important items first)

Master audio files in required formats (24-bit WAV/BWF, stems where requested)
Accurate metadata including ISRC, ISWC, composer/writer IPIs, publisher names, and release dates
Split sheets or digital split records for every composition
Rights documentation: assignment letters, licenses, agreements, and chain-of-title
Past revenue statements (distribution, DSPs, YouTube Content ID, sync) in original CSV/PDF and normalized CSV
API & reporting endpoints or export capabilities for automated statement ingestion
Artwork & ISRC registry confirmations and proof of release
Delivery package in both human- and machine-readable formats (DDEX where possible)

Why publishers care about quality inputs in 2026

At scale, publishers prioritize catalog consistency. Industry moves in late 2025 and early 2026 including new publisher partnerships across regions (for example, Kobalts 2026 partnership with Madverse to expand South Asian reach) increased demand for automated ingestion pipelines and global collection efficiency. Clean metadata speeds registration with collection societies and reduces failed claims. Publishers now integrate directly via APIs and expect machine-readable split and rights data to map income correctly across dozens of collection sources.

"Partnerships that open new territories rely on scalable, machine-readable catalogs. Publishers value catalogs they can plug into their systems." industry summary, 2026

1. Audio file formats and technical packaging

Publishers will ask for master and sometimes stem files in specific technical formats. Delivering wrong formats is a frequent onboarding blocker.

What to prepare

Masters: WAV (preferred) or BWF, 24-bit, 48 kHz recommended unless higher sample rates were used. Avoid lossy formats for masters.
Delivery variants: MP3/256+ kbps only for previews. Label the files clearly (e.g., Artist - Track Title - Master - 24bit48k.wav).
Stems: If requested for sync or remix use, supply individual stems (drums, bass, vocals, etc.) as 24-bit WAVs aligned and named consistently.
Broadcast & archival: Provide BWF with embedded timecode and metadata for broadcast licensing workflows where applicable.
File naming & checksums: Use clean, consistent filenames and include MD5 or SHA256 checksums for each file to demonstrate integrity during transfer. For integrity and transfer tooling, see field reviews like the ByteCache edge appliance review which covers checksumming and transfer validation in real workflows.

2. Metadata and identifiers (the single most critical area)

Metadata powers registrations, matching, and royalty splits. Missing or malformed identifiers cause royalties to bottleneck or go unclaimed.

Required identifiers

ISRC (recording identifier) for each track register via your distributor or national ISRC agency.
ISWC (work identifier) where available often assigned when a work is registered with a PRO.
IPI/CAE numbers for writers/composers and publishers.
Catalog IDs (your internal SKU/UPC for releases and internal track IDs) to map to publisher systems.
Release date, territory, and rights start/end dates for each recording and composition.

Publishers increasingly require DDEX-compliant manifests (RIN/ERN) to ingest releases automatically. If you can produce DDEX RIN or ERN packages, share them otherwise provide a normalized CSV with strict column headers (see the sample column list below). For best practices around manifest automation and auditability, review operational guidance on edge auditability and decision planes.

Suggested CSV columns for catalog upload

track_id, title, artist_name, release_id, isrc, iswc, upc, release_date, duration_ms
writer_name(s), writer_ipi(s), writer_split_percent(s), publisher_name(s), publisher_ipi(s)
label_name, label_contact_email, territory, rights_start_date, rights_end_date, license_type

3. Split sheets & ownership evidence

Nothing maps income faster than complete split information. Publishers must know who owns what percentage of a composition to register with PROs and distribute mechanical and performance royalties correctly.

Best practices for split sheets

One split record per composition: Include composition title, ISWC (if available), recording ISRC(s), and detailed contributor rows.
Contributor data: Full legal name, performing name(s), IPI/CAE, share percentage (must sum to 100%), role (writer/composer/producer), and contact email.
Signatures and timestamps: Signed PDFs are standard for digital workflows, use signature-enabled PDF or an e-sign service and include timestamped export. See the evolution of e-signatures for modern best practices: The Evolution of E-Signatures in 2026.
Versioning: If splits change, provide a clear chain-of-title and dated amendment documents. Publishers need to reconcile historical payments versus current splits.

4. Rights documentation & chain-of-title

Publishers will request proof you control the rights you offer or can license them. Missing chain-of-title is a primary legal risk for publishers.

Documents to assemble

Assignment agreements (if you assigned rights from writers or producers to your entity).
Exclusive/non-exclusive license copies or distribution agreements showing territory and duration.
Contracts showing sample/loop clearances or third-party content used in masters.
PRO registration confirmations or screenshots showing work registered with BMI/ASCAP/PRS/SACEM etc.
Master ownership statements: label agreements that clarify who controls master recordings.

Provide well-organized PDFs named with clear prefixes (e.g., RIGHTS_Artist_Track_YYYYMMDD.pdf) and an index spreadsheet mapping each document to a specific track or composition.

5. Previous revenue data & statements

Publishers will request historical earnings to model advances, recoupment, and to reconcile previous payments. The easier you make this, the faster settlements move.

Prepare these exports

Full distributor reports (CSV preferred) with columns: date, track_id/isrc, territory, plays/streams, gross_amount, net_amount, fees, currency.
DSP statements (Spotify, Apple, Amazon, etc.) and any DSP dashboards sliced by ISRC.
YouTube Content ID revenue breakdowns and match lists for guidance on adapting visual assets and monetization, see how indie artists should adapt lyric videos for new monetization rules.
Sync licenses and sync fee invoices with date, usage, territory, and amount.
Historic PRO/CMO royalty statements for the works involved.

Normalize currencies and provide a reconciliation table that totals earnings per ISRC and per ISWC across sources for the last 2 years (publishers typically request a minimum lookback for valuation).

6. API endpoints, reporting and automation (what publishers expect in 2026)

By 2026, top publishers operate API-driven ingestion and expect partner systems to support automated reporting. If you run a label or use a distributor with APIs, prepare to share access or export endpoints.

Typical endpoints publishers will ask for

/api/v1/catalog/works - returns composition metadata (ISWC, title, writers, splits)
/api/v1/catalog/recordings - returns recordings data (ISRC, title, duration, masters)
/api/v1/copyrights - chain-of-title documents and license records
/api/v1/earnings - royalty and revenue transactions with timestamps, source, currency, and status
/api/v1/statements - monthly/quarterly statement files and download links (CSV/PDF)
/api/v1/splits - authoritative split records for each work
/webhooks - notifications for new payments, flag changes, or registration updates publishers are increasingly expecting real-time sync; see recent launches like the Contact API v2 for examples of real-time ingestion patterns.

Publishers expect modern auth (OAuth2 client credentials / JWT), JSON payloads, pagination, rate-limiting, and example schemas. If you can supply a sandbox token or read-only API key, onboarding time drops from weeks to days. For developer experience and API patterns that speed onboarding, consult an edge-first developer experience playbook.

If you dont have APIs

Provide daily or weekly CSV exports with stable schemas and an SFTP/HTTPS endpoint for automated ingestion. Tools audits and mapping tables help here (see a practical tool sprawl audit).
Document the file format, column types, and timezone conventions.
Offer a sample payload and a mapping table to the publishers schema.

7. Integration & delivery workflows

Map your internal systems so the publishers engineering team can automate. Walk them through file paths, naming conventions, and data refresh frequency.

Recommendations

Designate a single technical contact and create an onboarding README that includes API credentials, endpoints, and example requests. Consider including a lightweight developer assistant or internal docs generated from your README to speed handoffs (see examples of internal tooling patterns in developer playbooks).
Test a small pilot batch of 510 releases to validate end-to-end ingestion before bulk transfer. Running a pilot is a fast way to catch mapping errors early similar to migration case studies like moving RSVP systems between databases (Postgres to MongoDB migration playbook).
Use checksums and archive manifests to verify file integrity post-transfer a reliable transfer and cache strategy can reduce repeat transfers (see caching and edge tooling guides such as carbon-aware caching and infrastructure reviews).
Schedule a weekly sync call during the initial 60-day onboarding window to resolve mismatches quickly.

8. Legal & financial prep

Have a clean KYC package, tax forms, and payment instructions ready. Publishers cannot pay without verified banking and tax documentation.

Bank details (IBAN/SWIFT where applicable) and payee legal name.
Tax forms for cross-border payments (W-8 / W-9 or local equivalents).
Beneficial ownership statements for labels or entities.

Regional expansions and cross-border partnerships increase scrutiny on data residency and tax compliance. Review regional requirements such as EU data residency rules when you plan cross-border reporting and storage.

9. Real-world example: how clean metadata sped onboarding

Example (anonymized): An independent label partnering with a regional admin in 2025 had 120 releases. By providing DDEX RIN packages, signed split sheets for all works, and an API endpoint for earnings, the label reduced manual mapping by 90% and cut onboarding from 6 weeks to 8 days. The publisher credited faster claims to immediate PRO registrations enabled by accurate IPI data.

10. Common pitfalls & how to avoid them

Unregistered writers: Ask collaborators for IPI/CAE early missing IPIs are a primary cause of delayed registrations.
Conflicting splits: Maintain versioned signed split sheets and never change splits retroactively without documented agreement. For signature workflows and legal validity, refer to e-signature evolution notes: e-signatures in 2026.
Poorly named files: Adopt a strict naming pattern and include release and track IDs in filenames.
Lack of machine-readable exports: If you rely only on PDFs, provide parallel CSVs for rapid ingestion.

11. 2026 trends: what to expect next

Industry trends entering 2026 emphasize automation, transparency, and regional expansion. Key developments to watch:

Publisher partnerships with regional distributors (e.g., Kobalt & Madverse) to unlock territories expect extra scrutiny on local rights and neighboring-rights documentation.
API-first ingestion as the default model publishers will standardize endpoints and require OAuth2/JWT flows. For modern API-first developer flows and patterns, see the edge-first developer experience guidance.
Improved royalty latency enabled by blockchain pilots and faster settlement rails in select markets, but these still require airtight metadata.
Standardized manifest formats (DDEX and JSON schemas) will be more widely adopted, reducing exceptions and manual curation.

Actionable next steps (30/60/90 day plan)

Days 130: Inventory catalog, collect IPIs/ISRCs, sign missing split sheets, gather rights PDFs, export distributor statements for last 24 months.
Days 3160: Produce DDEX or CSV manifests, provision API keys or automated CSV exports, run a 5-release pilot with the publisher to validate mapping.
Days 6190: Resolve edge cases (samples, non-standard splits), finalize bank/tax/KYC, and move remaining catalog in phased batches.

Quick resources & templates

Split sheet template: spreadsheet with contributor rows and signature field.
Metadata CSV template: columns list (track_id,isrc,iswc,writer_ipi,...).
API checklist: endpoints, auth method, rate limits, webhook URLs, sample payloads.

Closing takeaways

Entering a publisher partnership is about both trust and technical readiness. In 2026, publishers reward catalogs that are complete, machine-readable, and legally clean. Prioritize accurate identifiers, signed splits, standardized audio masters, and automated reporting endpoints these four areas accelerate onboarding and improve how quickly you start seeing accurate royalty flows.

Ready to move faster? Start with a pilot package: 5 releases with complete masters, splits, and an earnings CSV. If you need a checklist or DDEX template, contact your publisher or technical partner and request their onboarding schema most will share it immediately to speed the process.

Call to action

Prepare your catalog now: build the pilot package, collect missing IPIs, and export your last 24 months of earnings. If you want a free onboarding checklist or a sample metadata CSV, reach out to your prospective publisher or drop into a platform integration sandbox to test API ingestion today. For additional reading on real-time sync and API patterns, see the Contact API v2 launch notes and developer playbooks.

multi media

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.