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Glossary of Terms

Below is a list of terms and definitions related to the Easy Song Licensing API. Although you are probably familiar with most of these, it's helpful to know our definitions, since there is some ambiguity in the music business about how these terms are defined.

Album
A collection of one or more tracks. A resource of the API. Specifies album title and album artist. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
Album Artist
The performer(s) on an album. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API as the "artist" field within the "album" portion of a request. Part of an album object. Legally required for licensing. If the album has more than one artist, such as a compilation, you can list all artists, or put "Various". If the album artist is not known, you can use the full name of the licensee. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
Album Title
The name of an album. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API as the "title" field within the "album" portion of a request. Part of an album object. Legally required for licensing. If the album has no title, you can put "Untitled". If it's a single, you can use the song title or "Single". Can be updated until licensing has begun.
API
A tool for computer programmers to connect, use, and integrate with other services, typically from third parties such as partners and vendors. For example, a small business might connect to Google's APIs to incorporate Google's Search, Calendar, and Maps services into the small business's website, thus enhancing its offerings and customer experience. Also called "Application Programming Interface".
Arranger
A person responsible for arranging a song. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by ArrangedBy.
ArrangedBy
A field that indicates one or more arrangers associated with the song being requested. Helps us identify the song. Part of a song object. Can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database.
Arranging
The act of re-writing an existing song by rearranging the notes in a different way, while generally keeping the original melody and words intact. Examples include simplifying a song for beginners and making adjustments for different instruments, choir, band, and orchestra. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by ArrangedBy
Artist
See album artist.
CanEdit
A field in our database, not exposed through the API, that indicates whether edits can be made to a particular request based on its status. Additional information about a request status that can be found only by comparing the status to our list of request statuses. Note that edits are limited after licensing has begun to preserve the integrity and legality of the request.
CanLicenseCurrently
A read-only field that indicates whether it is currently appropriate for the licensee to make payment to clear the license request, based on the request status. Click here to learn more. Part of a request status. View a list of request statuses.
CanLicenseEver
A read-only field that tells you whether you will ever be able to clear the request using our API cover song licensing service, based on the request status. Click here to learn more. Part of a request status. View a list of request statuses.
Compilation
An album with tracks from various sources, often not originally intended to be released together.
Composer
A person responsible for writing a song, lyrics or melody, in whole or in part. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by ComposedBy
ComposedBy
A field that indicates one or more composers associated with the song being requested. Helps us identify the song. Part of a song object. Required when you post a request. Can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database.
Compulsory Mechanical License
The legal right to release a cover song under the provisions of the compulsory mechanical licensing law, usually without the express permission of the copyright owner. Valid as long as the licensee adheres to the uses and prescriptions set forth in the law.
Compulsory Mechanical License Request
A request to obtain the legal right to release a cover song through the processes prescribed in the compulsory mechanical licensing law.
Compulsory Mechanical Licensing Law
A section of the copyright law that makes it possible to release a new recording of an existing copyrighted song without the express permission of the copyright owner, with some limitations, as long as specific measures prescribed in the law are carried out with exactness. Learn more.
Copyrighted
Protected under copyright law. A work may be copyrighted even if it has not been registered with the United States Copyright Office. Learn more.
Copyright Holder
See copyright owner.
Copyright Law
The laws of the United States that establish legal protections of artistic works including music recordings and songs.
Copyright Owner
An entity that owns at least some portion of the copyright. Also called "copyright holder". Is often a business or individual. In many cases a song will have more than one copyright owner.
Cover Song
A new recording of a previously recorded copyrighted song.
Cover Song License
Permission to release a cover song.
Cover Song Request
A request for permission to release a cover song.
Description
A read-only field that describes the availability and progress of a request based on its status. A more complete description than you get from the status alone. Click here to learn more. Part of a request status. View a list of request statuses.
Distribution
The release from the creator's possession of any copy of the original master recording, digital or physical, regardless of the reason (free samples, demos, for sale). Examples include releases through CD Baby, TuneCore, Symphonic, YouTube, CD sales, radio station demos, giveaways, and fundraisers.
Expected Outlets of Distribution
The digital outlets where a release will be distributed. Popular choices include CD Baby, Bandcamp, ReverbNation, personal websites, and band pages. If using a distribution package, this can be summarized by naming the package. For example "All CD Baby Stores", "CD Baby Pro", and "CD Baby Standard" are all acceptable values. If you are not sure, check with the digital distributor (CD Baby, TuneCore, Symphonic) or the client. Required only when the Interactive Audio Streams format is requested. Part of a release. Should be specified when adding a new request and when licensing additional units. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
ExternalTrackID
A field that indicates an API user's (your) external ID used to identify a track in your system. Part of a track object. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
Field
An API object path that holds a value. You populate fields with values when you make a POST or PATCH HTTP request and you get field values when you make GET requests. Each field has a corresponding table column in our database, and stores a value for each object. Note that when posting or getting a value using POST or GET, you use the field name to set or get the field value. When updating a value using PATCH, you use "path:" to specify which field to update.
Format
A type of media for distributing audio. Also called "release format". Examples include compact discs, digital downloads, and interactive audio streams. Defined in the API by a FormatID and a FormatTitle, both parts of a release. View a list of release formats.
FormatID
A unique number used to identify a format. Part of a release. Examples include 1001 for compact discs, 1002 for digital downloads, and 1003 for interactive audio streams. Must be specified when adding a new request or when licensing additional units. View a list of release formats. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
FormatTitle
A unique name used to identify a format. A read-only field that is part of a release. Examples include "Compact Discs", "Digital Downloads", and "Interactive Audio Streams". View a list of release formats.
HTTP
A protocol which allows the fetching and updating of resources on a server through a client (typically a web browser). HTTP is the language of APIs, including our API. Check out this article by Mozilla that introduces and explains HTTP .
HTTP Client Library
A bundle of code someone else wrote that you can use to access any resource on the web via HTTP. It can be used to serialize HTTP requests (prepare data to send to the API) and parse HTTP responses (break down information you get from the API into a format that's easy to use in your code).
HTTP Request
A request for a server to write or retrieve information using HTTP. The Easy Song Licensing API uses the following HTTP requests:


Easy Song Licensing API HTTP requests must be formatted in JSON (serialized) before they are sent to the API. This can be done in the programming language of your choice using an HTTP client library. See our article on basic integration for help parsing JSON responses.
HTTP Response
Information returned from the server as the result of an HTTP request. Easy Song Licensing API responses are formatted in JSON, meaning they need to be parsed and interpreted before they will be useful in your application. This can be done in the programming language of your choice using an HTTP client library. See our article on basic integration for help parsing JSON responses.
JSON
A notation commonly used in REST APIs, based on the JavaScript programming language. When an API like ours uses JSON, that means the HTTP requests must be formatted in JSON and the HTTP responses are returned in JSON. You can serialize your requests and parse your responses (translate to and from JSON) using an HTTP client library. Also called "JavaScript Object Notation". Pronounced like the name Jason (JAY-sun).
ISRCCode
A field. that indicates the ISRC code assigned to a track. Part of a track object. Can be updated until licensing has begun. An ISRC code is a unique and permanent identifier for a specific recording (Learn more at USISRC.org). Although we do not assign ISRC codes, you have the option to include them.
Length
See track length.
LengthInSeconds
A field that indicates the length in seconds of a track. Affects the RoyaltyRate and RoyaltyOwed. Part of a track object. Can be updated until licensing has begun or if not yet provided (is NULL or 0). Note that for licensing purposes, we translate this into minutes and seconds, although this is handled in our system and you should concern yourself only with the total length in seconds. Number of minutes is not exposed by the API. Also called "length", "track length", "song length".
License
Legal authorization to use a copyrighted song. Also called "song license".
License Request
See request.
Licensed
Authorized for legal distribution.
Licensee
The entity requesting legal rights to release a copyrighted song. A resource of the API. Specifies a legal entity (person or company) with complete contact information, including first name; last name; company name; address; city; state; zip; country; email; and phone number. Legally required for licensing. The best practice is to keep each licensee unique. Can be updated anytime, even after licensing has begun.
Licensing
The process of clearing legal rights to use a copyrighted song. Also called "song licensing".
Object
A collection of fields with values that define a real-world thing. Easy Song Licensing API objects are expressed using JSON. This means that when you make HTTP requests, you must construct and parse JSON objects for use in your application.
OriginalRecordingArtist
A field that indicates the name of the group or individual that originally recorded the requested song. Helps us identify the song being requested. Part of a song object. Required when you post a request. Also called "original artist". Can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database.
Parse
Break down information returned by our API (in the JSON format) into a format that's easy to understand and use in your application code. HTTP responses can be parsed using an HTTP client library.
Performer
A person that makes music by singing, playing, or otherwise making sounds. For licensing purposes, a performer on the recording (album or track).
Progress
A short explanation of the stage of our progress completing the licensing for a particular request. Additional information about a request status that can be found only by comparing the status to our list of request statuses.
Protocol
According to Mozilla
A protocol is a system of rules that define how data is exchanged within or between computers. Communications between devices require that the devices agree on the format of the data that is being exchanged. The set of rules that defines a format is called a protocol.
Publisher
An entity responsible for the collection of publishing royalties for a song. Typically also a copyright owner or representative of a copyright owner of a song. For licensing purposes, we define the publisher as all copyright owners of the song or their designated representatives, businesses and individuals. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by PublishedBy.
PublishedBy
A field that indicates one or more publishers associated with the song being requested. Helps us identify the copyright owners of the song. Part of a song object. Required when you post a request. Can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database.
Quantity
See ReleaseQuantity.
Quantity Licensed
The number of units licensed on a particular release. A read-only field that is part of a release.
Release
A distribution of an album. A new release is created with every new license request. Specifies the format, ReleaseQuantity, ReleaseMonth, ReleaseYear, and expected outlets of distribution. Has information on quantity licensed. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
Release Date
The date when a release will take place. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by the ReleaseMonth and ReleaseYear fields that are part of a release.
ReleaseFormat
See format.
ReleaseMonth
A field that indicates the month when a release will take place. Together with ReleaseYear, defines the release date. Part of a release. Legally required for licensing. Should be specified when adding a new request and when licensing additional units. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
ReleaseYear
A field that indicates the year when a release will take place. Together with ReleaseMonth, defines the release date. Part of a release. Legally required for licensing. Should be specified when adding a new request and when licensing additional units. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
ReleaseQuantity
A field that indicates the total number of units distributed on a particular release. Also called "release quantity" and "quantity". Part of a release. Should be specified when adding a new request and when licensing additional units. Can be updated until licensing has begun.
Request
Careful - Not to be confused with an HTTP request
A request to use a copyrighted song. Currently, only compulsory mechanical license requests are available (cover song requests). A resource of the API. Specifies licensee, album, release, track, and song info. Has a request status. Most request information can be updated until licensing has begun. Song info can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database. Note that although we might contact multiple copyright owners for one request, you need concern yourself with the details of only the one request in cases of co-ownership. Also called "license request".
Request Status
A collection of information related to the progress and availability of a request. Each request has a request status, with Status, Description, CanLicenseCurrently, CanLicenseEver RoyaltyRate, and RoyaltyOwed information. Additional progress and CanEdit information is not exposed by the API, but can be found by comparing the status against our list of request statuses.
Resource
An API object related to song licensing that has a collection of endpoints that can be used to make HTTP requests and perform API operations related to the object. The current resources are Album, Licensee, Request, and Track.
Royalties
The money that goes to the copyright owners of a song in exchange for a music license. Also called "royalty".
RoyatyOwed
A read-only field that indicates the total amount of royalties owed for a particular request. Note that RoyaltyOwed is reduced by any royalty payments we have received for the request. Click here to learn more. Part of a request status.
RoyatyRate
A read-only field that indicates the amount of royalties required to license one unit for a particular request. Note that the rate will vary by format and track LengthInSeconds. RoyaltyRate is multiplied by ReleaseQuantity to calculate RoyaltyOwed. Part of a request status. Learn more about how royalties are calculated
Single
An album with only one track.
Song
A composition of music notes and lyrics, underlying a track. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by a collection of fields within a request. Specifies song title, OriginalRecordingArtist, ComposedBy, ArrangedBy, and PublishedBy. Can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database.
Song Length
See track length.
Song License
See license.
Song Licensing
See licensing.
Song Title
The name of a song. Expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API as the "title" field within the "song" portion of a request. Song title is required when you post a request. Note that the song title sometimes changes after we research a song. That's because we use the legal song title whenever possible. Also called "title". Can be updated until the request has been linked to a song in our database.
Status
A unique two-word description indicating the progress and availability of a request. Part of a request status.
Title
May refer to album title or song title.
Track
A recording of one or more songs. A resource of the API. Specifies ExternalTrackID, ISRCCode, and LengthInSeconds. Can be edited until licensing has begun. Special case, LengthInSeconds can be updated after licensing has begun if it was not yet provided (is NULL or 0).
Track Length
The length of a track in minutes and seconds, expressed in the Easy Song Licensing API by LengthInSeconds.
Value
An integer, string, boolean or other type of value passed in an HTTP request, that populates a field and helps define an API object.

About this article

This is one of several articles that supplement the reference. If you came here from one of our main articles, you might want to go back and continue where you left off. If you've finished all the main articles, you might want to continue browsing these reference articles:

https://developer.easysonglicensing.com/documentation/014-easy-song-licensing-api-glossary.aspx