In Europe the 13-digit EAN (European Article Number) is a barcoding standard which is a superset of the original American 12-digit UPC (Universal Product Code). When we are talking digital distribution, every release (single, album, EP, multidisc etc.) must be registered digitally with a unique UPC allocated to it. UPC's are required for Apple iTunes and other major services.
If your label is from, say, Europe and you also release physical albums alongside your digital dittos you can simply write down the digits from the graphical barcode on the physical release and use those numbers. That will be sufficient. In other words you don't have to spend time solving any conversion issues. There aren't any. If you have an EAN barcode from your CD or vinyl release you have a sufficient UPC for your digital release right there.
If you don't have a UPC (or an EAN) we can allocate on for you free of charge.
2011/01/10
The important ISRC codes
An ISRC is the International Standard Recording Code associated with the sound recording for all albums or other audio products (singles, EP's, multidiscs etc.). ISRC's are associated with individual tracks, and are currently required by iTunes. On physical releases ISRC's are typically allocated to the CDR audio master (where physcial mass production is necessary a glass master is often produced on the basis of such a CDR audio master).
ISRC example: DK-XX9-07-00401
The first two characters (e.g. DK) of the code represent the country code: the registrant's country. In this example DK = Denmark.
The next three characters (e.g. XX9) are known as the registrant code: each sound recording copyright owner should have their own unique registrant code, as allocated by the ISRC. In this example XX9 is the registrant code of a fictive label. :)
The folowing two digits (e.g. 07) represent the year of reference code: the year in which the ISRC is allocated to the recording. In this example 07 = 2007.
The remaing 5 characters (e.g. 00401) represent the designation code: the code assigned to each individual track on the release by the registrant. This code can be any five digit sequence, as long as it is not repeated within the same calendar year. In this example 00401 means the first track of the fourth release (that year; which in this case was 07 = 2007).
If you don't have your own ISRC registrant code string you can check out RIAA (www.riaa.com) or IFPI (www.ifpi.org). In Denmark, for example, you can contact Gramex (www.gramex.dk) and apply for your own unique ISRC code string.
ISRC example: DK-XX9-07-00401
The first two characters (e.g. DK) of the code represent the country code: the registrant's country. In this example DK = Denmark.
The next three characters (e.g. XX9) are known as the registrant code: each sound recording copyright owner should have their own unique registrant code, as allocated by the ISRC. In this example XX9 is the registrant code of a fictive label. :)
The folowing two digits (e.g. 07) represent the year of reference code: the year in which the ISRC is allocated to the recording. In this example 07 = 2007.
The remaing 5 characters (e.g. 00401) represent the designation code: the code assigned to each individual track on the release by the registrant. This code can be any five digit sequence, as long as it is not repeated within the same calendar year. In this example 00401 means the first track of the fourth release (that year; which in this case was 07 = 2007).
If you don't have your own ISRC registrant code string you can check out RIAA (www.riaa.com) or IFPI (www.ifpi.org). In Denmark, for example, you can contact Gramex (www.gramex.dk) and apply for your own unique ISRC code string.
2010/05/26
Acceptable audio formats
The vast number of download stores on the web sell their songs in different audio formats. Today, consumers are enabled to buy whatever fits their playing device. AAC, MP3, OGG, WMA, FLAC, WAV etc. Audiophiles probably prefer WAV or FLAC where as less hifi oriented consumers go for the compressed formats. And the compressed formats can even be found in various bit rates (128, 160, 192, 256 or 320 kbps). Add to that the DRM/non-DRM option.
All in all it sums up to 70+ format combinations.
Distribution-wise labels don't have to spend time preparing all these format combinations for every song in their catalogue. Digital distributors or content aggregators will do that for them. The name for such a process is transcoding.
In KJER.com we prefer that label clients ship non-compressed, full quality audio files. In other words, CD quality. The CD quality specs are 44.1 KHz, 16 bit, stereo, WAV.
All in all it sums up to 70+ format combinations.
Distribution-wise labels don't have to spend time preparing all these format combinations for every song in their catalogue. Digital distributors or content aggregators will do that for them. The name for such a process is transcoding.
In KJER.com we prefer that label clients ship non-compressed, full quality audio files. In other words, CD quality. The CD quality specs are 44.1 KHz, 16 bit, stereo, WAV.
Acceptable front cover images
In KJER.com's setup the front cover image of any release must meet the following specs in order to secure a smooth metadata allocation process:
1400 x 1400 (dimensions; in pixels), 300 dpi (resolution; dots per inch), jpeg (image format).
More and more download stores offer hi-rez cover images alongside the download(s) so it is important for labels that the cover art designer has these cover dimensions in mind before he/she starts the creative process. It is possible to downscale a hi-rez image but impossible to upscale a lo-rez image.
However, what you might not expect is the fact that you can't let your cover art designer create whatever motive that he/she or the artist/band likes. If you want to prevent that iTunes or any other download service decides not to ingest and display your release(s) you have to make sure that the front cover image doesn't display any commercial statements, "promises" or the like.
Statements like "CD+DVD inside" which would be an okay statement on a physical release is a no-go in the digital domain because download stores (iTunes in particular) cater for digital products only. They can't live up to such a commercial promise.
Neither does a cover statement like "Available in our own download store at www.our-own-store.com" work. No download store would want to display a release with a front cover image that encourages potential customers to pay a competing download store a visit.
In other words, the front cover image must be fairly traditional.
If you distribute both physical and digital releases you might want to consider to produce - by default - two different versions of every front cover image. One for your physical distributor and one for your digital distributor.
1400 x 1400 (dimensions; in pixels), 300 dpi (resolution; dots per inch), jpeg (image format).
More and more download stores offer hi-rez cover images alongside the download(s) so it is important for labels that the cover art designer has these cover dimensions in mind before he/she starts the creative process. It is possible to downscale a hi-rez image but impossible to upscale a lo-rez image.
However, what you might not expect is the fact that you can't let your cover art designer create whatever motive that he/she or the artist/band likes. If you want to prevent that iTunes or any other download service decides not to ingest and display your release(s) you have to make sure that the front cover image doesn't display any commercial statements, "promises" or the like.
Statements like "CD+DVD inside" which would be an okay statement on a physical release is a no-go in the digital domain because download stores (iTunes in particular) cater for digital products only. They can't live up to such a commercial promise.
Neither does a cover statement like "Available in our own download store at www.our-own-store.com" work. No download store would want to display a release with a front cover image that encourages potential customers to pay a competing download store a visit.
In other words, the front cover image must be fairly traditional.
If you distribute both physical and digital releases you might want to consider to produce - by default - two different versions of every front cover image. One for your physical distributor and one for your digital distributor.
Include bonus material on your iTunes release
If you want to include bonus material on your brand new album, single or ep you currently have two options:
- include a video.
- include a pdf booklet.
The video (a music video, a live concert video, a behind-the-scene video or the like) and the pdf booklet can in fact be included as bonus material on your digital release. At the moment iTunes is one of the only download services in the world that makes it possible.
Both items will be included on the digital music release like if they were regular "audio tracks". That means that on a 10-track digital album the music video could be included as an eleventh "track", and the pdf booklet as a twelfth "track". Or vice versa. That's a really great opportunity to give your fans more value for money.
Check out Kanye West's album "808s & Heartbreak (Bonus Video Version), Pet Shop Boys' album "PopArt - The Hits (Remixes)", Robbie Williams' album "Rudebox" or Nelly's album "Brass Knuckles" if you want to see super star examples. You can do it too.
Feel free to contact us if you want to know more about these options.
- include a video.
- include a pdf booklet.
The video (a music video, a live concert video, a behind-the-scene video or the like) and the pdf booklet can in fact be included as bonus material on your digital release. At the moment iTunes is one of the only download services in the world that makes it possible.
Both items will be included on the digital music release like if they were regular "audio tracks". That means that on a 10-track digital album the music video could be included as an eleventh "track", and the pdf booklet as a twelfth "track". Or vice versa. That's a really great opportunity to give your fans more value for money.
Check out Kanye West's album "808s & Heartbreak (Bonus Video Version), Pet Shop Boys' album "PopArt - The Hits (Remixes)", Robbie Williams' album "Rudebox" or Nelly's album "Brass Knuckles" if you want to see super star examples. You can do it too.
Feel free to contact us if you want to know more about these options.
2010/02/24
Danish eBusiness Award 2010 Nominee
KJER.com ApS is nominated for the Danish eBusiness Award 2010 in the categories "Best eBusiness B2B (small companies)" and "Best eBusiness Cross Border". FDIH, the Danish Distance Selling and E-business Association, administers the eBusiness Award procedures and the Award Show in Borsen on 25 March, 2010.
VOTE for us here. :o)
2009/11/11
Distribution agreement with Ghost Label Records (GR)
KJER.com inks deal with Athens-based dance label Ghost Label Records (GR) on worldwide digital music distribution. Ghost Label Records' main acts: Open Source.
2009/11/05
Distribution agreement with Athena Digital (UK)
KJER.com inks deal with London-based dance label Athena Digital (UK) on worldwide digital music distribution. Athena Digital's main acts: Christopher Dines.
2009/10/26
Distribution agreement with Highway 36 Entertainment (US)
KJER.com inks deal with New Jersey-based metal label Highway 36 Entertainment (USA) on worldwide digital music distribution. Highway 36 Entertainment's main acts: The Waking Alley.
2009/10/20
Distribution agreement with Radioactive People Records (RU)
KJER.com inks deal with Ozersk-based drum'n'bass label Radioactive People Records (Russia) on worldwide digital music distribution. Radioactive People Records' main acts: Alpine Dub.
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