A - D
- A&R — Artists and Representatives. The department at labels responsible for signing and developing artists.
- Aggregator — A service that distributes music to multiple platforms on behalf of artists or labels.
- BPM — Beats Per Minute. The tempo of a recording.
- Cover Art — The visual artwork associated with a music release.
- DRM — Digital Rights Management. Technology that controls access to digital content.
- DSP — Digital Service Provider. Streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
E - L
- EAN — European Article Number. A 13-digit product barcode used internationally.
- EP — Extended Play. A release shorter than a full album, typically 4-6 tracks.
- ISRC — International Standard Recording Code. A unique 12-character identifier for recordings.
- LUFS — Loudness Units Full Scale. A measurement of integrated loudness.
- Lossless — Audio compression that preserves all original data (FLAC, ALAC).
- Lossy — Audio compression that permanently removes some data (MP3, AAC).
M - R
- Master — The final recording of a song. The definitive version used for distribution.
- Metadata — Structured information about a recording (title, artist, ISRC, etc.).
- Mix — The process of blending and balancing individual tracks into a final stereo recording.
- Publishing — The business of songwriting rights and royalties.
- Royalties — Payments earned from the use of copyrighted music.
S - Z
- Single — A standalone music release, typically one or two tracks.
- Sync License — A license to use music in visual media (film, TV, commercials).
- UPC — Universal Product Code. A 12-digit barcode for product identification.
- WAV — Waveform Audio File Format. An uncompressed audio format.
- Mastering — The final step in audio post-production, preparing the mix for distribution.
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