Release Delivery

The DDEX standard used to communicate details about a release and its availability is defined in the Electronic Release Notification Message Suite Standard (ERN), and is known as the Release Delivery standard.

The text of the Release Delivery standards with detailed explanations and advise about how to go about an implementation is available on the Knowledge Base.

The ERN standard is used to enable content owners/administrators to inform DSPs about new releases that are available for distribution, and the terms and conditions under which those releases can be made available. It includes complete metadata about the release and all resources contained within the release. In addition, it includes information about the “deals” that describe when, where and how the release can be made available.

The ERN standard is an XML specification and consists of five individual sections of message and metadata elements that are interrelated. An ERN standard message will contain the details for an individual product (e.g. album, single, bundle) and each of its components (e.g. tracks). The message will not contain multiple products, related or non-related.

The sender of an ERN standard message will usually be a record label, such as Universal Music Group, or a distributor acting for several record labels, such as Consolidated Independent. The receiver of an ERN standard message will usually be a digital music retailer, such as Spotify. However, the ERN standard has also been used by record companies and distributors to send release and resource information to metadata companies, such as Gracenote, or music licensing companies such as SCPP.