Preparing Your Catalog for International Royalties: A Practical Audit Checklist

Preparing Your Catalog for International Royalties: A Practical Audit Checklist

Feeling like money is slipping through the cracks when your music streams abroad? You're not alone. As publishers like Kobalt expand their international networks (most recently strengthening ties into South Asia in early 2026), global collection opportunities are multiplying — but only creators with clean catalogs actually cash in. This guide gives you a step-by-step audit you can run today to make your catalog ready for international publishing deals and efficient royalty collection.

Why this matters in 2026 (and why now)

2024–2026 saw two big shifts: streaming adoption accelerated in emerging markets (India, Nigeria, Southeast Asia), and large admin publishers expanded direct sub-publishing relationships to reach those audiences. In January 2026, for example, a high-profile publisher partnership widened access to South Asian collection networks, enabling many independent songwriters to be collected on more quickly. That’s great — but if your metadata, registrations and rights paperwork are messy, you’ll still miss earnings.

“Partnerships that extend publishing reach only convert to revenue if the underlying catalog is audit-ready.”

Audit now and you’ll be in the group that benefits from new networks, automated cross-border settlements, and the AI-powered matching tools publishers are using in 2026 to speed collections.

Audit Overview — The Big Picture

Run this audit like a short forensic investigation. The goal is to create a single, verified source of truth for every composition and recording in your catalog so rights holders, publishers, and collection societies can identify and pay you without friction.

• Time to complete: 1–4 weeks for most catalogs (depending on size)
• Outcome: a remediation plan and updated metadata package ready to hand to a publisher or aggregator
• Tools recommended: spreadsheet (or database), PRO account access, DDEX viewer, audio file metadata editors, legal folder for contracts and split sheets

Step-by-Step Catalog Audit Checklist

1. Build a master inventory

Start with a single spreadsheet or CSV that lists every released and unreleased work you control — compositions and sound recordings. Key columns to include:

• Internal ID — your stable reference
• Song Title (including alternate or translated titles)
• Artists (primary, featured)
• Type — composition, sound recording, or both
• Release date and territories
• Distributor/Label and publisher
• ISRC (recording) and ISWC (composition) if present
• UPC / EAN for releases
• Split percentages for all writers and publishers
• Contracts and notes (admin deals, sync licenses, sample clearances)

2. Verify identity data for every creator

Names get messy. One writer appears as “Jon Smith,” another as “Jonathan Smith.” Mismatched IPI/CAE or ISNI numbers will break automated matching. For every songwriter, composer and publisher, verify:

• Correct legal name and known artist/stage names
• CAE/IPI (also called IPI number) or ISNI where available
• Publisher IPI and publisher legal entity names
• Preferred contact email for publishing/administration inquiries

3. Confirm global identifiers — ISWC, ISRC, UPC

Identifiers are how the world’s collection systems recognize your work. Missing or incorrect codes lead to unclaimed or misallocated royalties.

• ISWC (composition) — ensure each composition has an ISWC. If not, register with your PRO or the ISWC agency in your market.
• ISRC (recording) — every master should have an ISRC embedded in the audio file and included with distributor metadata; also consider storage and delivery best practices to avoid losing embedded codes (see storage and file integrity guidance).
• UPC/EAN — ensure release-level UPCs are accurate and mapped to all tracks they contain.

4. Reconcile split sheets and ownership percentages

Ambiguous splits are the single biggest cause of payment delays and disputes in multi-territory deals. For each work:

• Collect signed split-sheets or collaboration agreements. Digital sign-offs are acceptable.
• Express every split as a decimal or percentage that totals 100% for both writer shares and publisher shares.
• If a co-writer is signed to another publisher, record their publisher’s exact legal name and IPI.

5. Check registrations with PROs and mechanical societies

PRO registration drives public performance collection. Mechanical societies (or MROs) collect reproduction mechanicals in many territories.

• Confirm each composition is registered with your domestic PRO and check foreign PRO entries if you expect plays in those territories.
• Register with mechanical rights organizations where required (for example, societies in Europe, Japan, South Korea, and many Latin American countries).
• For 2026, pay attention to markets where digital mechanical collection has matured (India’s growth is notable after 2024–25 reforms).

6. Neighboring rights and performers’ claims

Performance royalties for recordings (neighboring rights) are separate from publishing. If you’re a performer or label, check:

• Sound recording ownership and performance share registrations with neighboring rights societies (PPL, SENA, Phonographic Performance LTDs, or local equivalents)
• Registration with sound performance collectors like SoundExchange (U.S.) and local equivalents in high-streaming markets — and consider how onboarding wallets and payment flows affect payout routing for performers.
• Ensure performers’ metadata is consistent across label credits, distributor metadata, and society registrations

7. Audit contracts, grants of rights, and territorial clauses

Before a publisher signs up to collect internationally, they will examine your contractual rights.

• List all publishing agreements (exclusive, non-exclusive, administration-only). Note start/end dates and territories covered.
• Document sync licenses and samples that include buyouts or special royalty arrangements.
• Highlight any third-party claims (e.g., works under option to a label or publisher) — unresolved claims block collection.

8. Rights clearance and sample documentation

Uncleared samples and interpolations remain a huge royalty risk. For each track:

• Attach any sample clearance agreements or correspondence proving permission and terms
• For interpolations, confirm composition clearances and record the agreed splits
• Flag unreleased tracks that contain uncleared material — don’t submit them to publishers until cleared

9. Royalty pooling — prepare the math and legal framework

Some creators and small labels use royalty pooling to simplify payments across collaborators. If you use pooling, auditors and publishers will want transparent rules.

• Define pooling rules in writing: what revenue streams are pooled, accounting frequency, reserve levels, and waterfall (recoupment order).
• Maintain a ledger of contributors with agreed pool percentages and a mechanism for resolving disputes.
• Confirm that pooling doesn’t violate territory-specific collection society rules — some countries require direct attribution of shares. Also examine how payment onboarding mechanisms interact with pooling arrangements.

10. Data formats and technical delivery

Publishers and collection societies rely on standard formats. Provide data they can ingest without manual fixes:

• Prepare CWR files (Common Works Registration) for PROs that accept them
• Use DDEX message types for distributor and DSP deliveries where applicable
• Embed ISRCs in master files and include correct timestamps and cue sheets for broadcasts

11. Audit playback and claim history

For released works, gather past royalty statements and identify gaps:

• Cross-check DSP statements against your internal play records or analytics
• Identify territories with unexpectedly low claims — they may indicate registration or metadata failures
• Make a prioritized list of historical claims to submit to publishers or collection societies

12. Build your remediation plan

Now that you’ve collected issues, organize fixes by priority and complexity:

• High priority: missing ISWCs/ISRCs, incorrect splits, unregistered writers
• Medium: incomplete PRO registrations in key territories, neighboring rights registration
• Low: legacy metadata cleanups on unreleased material

13. Communicate with partners and collection societies

Effective communication shortens payment timelines. When contacting a PRO, publisher, or sub-publisher:

• Provide the master inventory file and a one-page summary of the remediation actions
• Attach copies of signed split-sheets and contracts rather than summarizing them
• Request confirmation of any changes the society makes to registrations and ask for back-payment timelines

14. Protect and future-proof your catalog

After cleanup, put systems in place to keep data clean:

• Require a standardized metadata form for every new collaboration
• Embed identifiers in deliverables and use a version-controlled catalog
• Use AI metadata matching tools as a first pass, but always confirm critical legal fields manually
• Consider secure collection forms and privacy-preserving capture of collaborator details — for example, explore on-device AI for secure personal data forms.

Practical Tools, Templates, and Resources

Here are practical assets to speed your audit:

• Master catalog spreadsheet template (columns listed in Step 1)
• Split-sheet PDF template and digital signing recommendations
• PRO registration checklist and sample email for corrections
• DDEX and CWR quick-reference guide for data formats
• Neighboring rights registration cheat-sheet by territory (common societies and contacts)

Case study: How an indie catalog turned incomplete metadata into new revenue

In late 2025, an independent composer group targeting South Asian playlists entered a sub-publishing deal with an international admin. Before the deal, their catalog had inconsistent songwriter names, missing ISWCs, and no neighboring-rights registrations. After a focused three-week audit and remediation:

• All missing ISWCs and ISRCs were registered and embedded
• Splits were formalized with signed digital split-sheets
• Registrations were submitted to local PROs and a neighboring rights society in two key markets

Within six months the catalog started reporting plays in territories that had previously shown zero activity — and the group began receiving previously-uncollected royalties. The publisher credited the audit as the decisive factor enabling fast, accurate matching through their global admin network.

2026 Trends That Affect Catalog Readiness

Keep these trends in mind while you audit and plan:

• Publisher network expansion: More publishers are forming regional partnerships, increasing collection reach — but they need clean data to operate efficiently.
• AI-driven matching: AI tools speed matching but amplify errors if fed bad metadata. Clean input = better matches.
• Faster cross-border settlements: Some markets are piloting real-time or near-real-time settlements; these require standardized metadata and electronic claims.
• Market growth in South Asia and Africa: These regions drove significant user growth in 2024–25 and remain priority territories for sub-publishers in 2026.
• More direct licensing deals: Platforms and publishers are negotiating direct licenses; having clear rights and territories will make your catalog competitive.

Common Pitfalls — and How to Avoid Them

• Pitfall: Inconsistent writer names. Fix: Use IPI/CAE and insist on it in every split-sheet.
• Pitfall: Missing ISWC/ISRC. Fix: Register missing identifiers as a priority before a sub-publishing deal is finalized.
• Pitfall: Unclear publisher ownership. Fix: Attach signed agreements and company registry documents where needed.
• Pitfall: Royalty pooling ambiguity. Fix: Publish formal pooling rules and record them with collaborators — and consider how payment routing will work with pooling.

How to Present Your Catalog to an International Publisher

When pitching or onboarding with a publisher or sub-publisher, deliver a clean packet:

1. One-page catalog summary (number of compositions, recordings, active territories)
2. Master inventory CSV/Excel (exportable CWR-ready fields)
3. Signed split-sheets and key contracts (redacted if necessary for confidentiality)
4. Proof of PRO and neighboring rights registrations
5. Known historical statements and a prioritized list of back-pay claims

Actionable Takeaways (Start Today)

1. Export every song and recording into a single master spreadsheet — include every field listed under Step 1.
2. Run a “missing ID” filter and register any missing ISWCs/ISRCs with your PRO or distributor.
3. Collect or re-sign split-sheets for any works lacking clear percentages.
4. Register for neighboring-rights collection in one additional key market where your streams show activity but payments don’t.
5. Create a three-week remediation sprint and assign owners for each task.

Final Thoughts — Turn Opportunity Into Revenue

New partnerships and expanded publishing networks in 2026 open real revenue channels for creators worldwide. But expansion only matters if your catalog is audit-ready. A clean catalog is not just paperwork; it’s a growth strategy. It lets publishers plug your works into global collection systems quickly, increases match rates when AI tools run your metadata, and ensures you receive royalties owed in every territory.

Ready to act? Use the checklist above, start the three-week audit, and prepare a concise data package to present to potential international administrators. Small fixes often unlock large, previously-unclaimed revenue pools.

Call to action

If you want the downloadable master catalog template, split-sheet PDF, and a sample remediation timeline tailored for creators, sign up for our weekly creator audit workshop or email our catalog audit team. Don’t wait for the next publisher partnership to pass you by — make your catalog collection-ready now.

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