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From Local Scenes to Global Royalties: How South Asian Indie Artists Can Prepare for International Admin

UUnknown

2026-02-19

10 min read

Practical admin steps for South Asian indie artists to secure global royalties—metadata, splits, registrations, and a prep checklist for Kobalt x Madverse.

Hook: Stop Leaving Money on the Table — Prepare Your Songs for Global Royalties

South Asian indie artists often break out locally, but when a track crosses borders the admin details start to matter — badly. If your metadata is inconsistent, splits aren’t registered, or your compositions aren’t claimed with the right publishing info, international plays become unpaid plays. The 2026 Kobalt x Madverse partnership opens a global door for South Asian creators — but the key to walking through it is clean, consistent publishing admin.

Why This Matters in 2026 (The Industry Context)

Late 2025 and early 2026 saw a wave of deals aiming to bring regional creators to global royalty systems. The Kobalt x Madverse announcement (Jan 2026) is the clearest example: it gives Madverse’s community access to Kobalt’s publishing administration network, meaning better global collection and reporting — but only if creators upstream do their part.

Streaming growth in South and Southeast Asia, the rise of sync opportunities for advertising in multinational markets, and improved cross-border collection technology (DDEX updates and richer API reporting across collecting societies) mean more revenue is available — and more ways to misallocate it if admin is sloppy.

From Local Scenes to International Royalties: Core Concepts (Fast)

ISRC — identifies sound recordings (the master audio): used by DSPs for tracking plays.
ISWC — identifies compositions (the songwriting): used by PROs and publishers to allocate writer shares.
UPC / EAN — identifies the release (album/EP): ties tracks together in storefronts and reporting.
PRO registration — your local Performing Rights Organization (PRO) must have correct writer and publisher data to collect performance royalties.
Publishing Admin — a publisher or admin partner (like Kobalt) handles global licensing and collection on behalf of writers/publishers.
Split sheets — the legally agreed percentages between collaborators for composition share.

Practical Primer: Step-by-Step Prep Workflow

Below is a recommended admin workflow you can follow before you release, or retroactively if you’ve already uploaded music. Follow each step and document everything.

1. Lock your metadata before distribution

Metadata is the single biggest cause of missed royalties. Before sending files to a distributor or release partner, finalize these fields for every track:

Track title — exactly how you want it displayed on DSPs. Use one canonical form across platforms (no extra punctuation or inconsistent abbreviations).
Artist name and artist aliases — pick one canonical artist name and register any alternate spellings with your distributor and on MusicBrainz.
Featuring credits — include featured artists in the artist credit field, and also in the composer metadata if they wrote.
ISRC and ISWC (if available) — request ISRCs for masters from your distributor; collect ISWCs for compositions via your PRO or admin partner.
Composer & publisher names — full legal names, PRO IDs, and IPI numbers (if you have them).
Language, territory, and release date — helpful for sync and local reporting.

2. Create and sign split agreements before release

Verbal agreements don’t cut it. Use a clear split sheet for every song with these fields:

Song title, ISWC (if available)
Names, stage names, and legal names of all writers/producers
Individual IPI numbers and PRO IDs
Exact percentage shares adding to 100%
Signatures and date

Tip: keep a scanned PDF copy in cloud storage and a local backup. If a split changes later, create a dated amendment and distribute the updated version to all parties and to your PRO/publisher.

3. Register compositions with your local PRO (and check affiliates)

Every country has collecting societies and affiliate networks. In India, for instance, ensure your works are registered with the recognized local PRO (include complete writer and publisher names and IPI numbers). If you partner with a publisher (like Kobalt via Madverse), notify them immediately and provide copies of split sheets.

Why this step is critical: PROs distribute performance royalties on a territory basis. If your composition is not registered or names are inconsistent, plays in other countries may be tracked but not paid to you.

4. Register sound recordings and neighboring rights

Digital performance and neighboring rights are different from publishing. Register your recordings with the relevant neighboring rights society (for example, PPL-type organizations) or with collection services such as SoundExchange for U.S. digital performance. If you are the performer and not the label, ensure performer credits are correctly listed so performer royalties flow to you.

5. Give your admin partner complete documentation

If you sign with an admin publisher (e.g., Madverse onboarding into Kobalt’s network), supply:

Signed split sheets
Proof of registration with your local PRO
ISRCs and UPCs
Any sample clearance documentation or mechanical licenses for covers

Admin partners can’t claim what they can’t see. The quality of your handover determines how quickly they can start collecting on your behalf.

Common Metadata Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Here are the most frequent errors we see — and exact fixes.

Inconsistent artist names — fix: choose a canonical artist name, update your distributor, and populate MusicBrainz/Discogs entries with aliases.
Missing PRO IDs / IPI numbers — fix: get the IPI from your PRO dashboard and add it to every composition registration.
Split percentages that don’t add to 100% — fix: correct the math on the split sheet, create an amendment, and notify all platforms/partners.
ISRCs not attached to submissions — fix: ask the distributor to attach or reassign ISRCs and confirm on the DSP metadata page.
Multiple publishers for the same share without clarity — fix: clarify through written publishing agreements and register publisher information in PRO and admin portals.

Tools & Platforms: What to Use in 2026

By 2026, several metadata and admin tools have matured and are recommended for South Asian artists preparing for international admin:

MusicBrainz / Discogs — maintain canonical release and artist records that DSPs reference.
Songtrust — publishing admin that helps register compositions globally (good for DIY creators).
SoundExchange — must for U.S. digital performance collections (for masters).
DDEX / ERN standards — understand that distributors pushing DDEX-compliant manifests reduce metadata errors when communicating with DSPs and collecting societies.
Audit tools & spreadsheets — build a living CSV for each song with ISRC, ISWC, UPC, PRO IDs, IPI, and split percentages to share with partners.

Case Study: How a Chennai Indie Producer Avoided a Six-Month Royalty Delay

Background: A producer in Chennai released a collaborative single with three co-writers. They uploaded to a regional distributor but used different spellings and left out one writer’s PRO ID. When the song gained traction in Southeast Asia, one writer noticed missing payments.

Action taken: The team pulled together signed split sheets, updated the canonical artist name on MusicBrainz, contacted the distributor to correct the ISRC mapping, and registered the composition at their PRO with correct IPI numbers. Madverse — acting as a regional partner — submitted the corrected metadata to Kobalt’s admin portal.

Result: Within two reporting cycles the missing royalties were allocated and back payments were processed. The lesson: small metadata fixes + publisher/admin intervention = reclaimed revenue.

Advanced Strategies for Maximizing International Collection

1. Pre-register for high-value territories

If you expect plays in the U.S., U.K., EU, or Australia, ensure you have the right registrations (SoundExchange for U.S. masters; PRO affiliate claims in those territories). Admin partners like Kobalt expedite this if you provide accurate documentation.

2. Localize metadata for markets with different naming conventions

Some territories use specific character sets and title orders. Use ASCII-friendly canonical names for DSP submission and maintain localized display names on your artist pages where needed. Communicate both to your admin partner.

3. Use chronological release IDs & consistent cataloguing

Using a label-style catalog number for each release (even as an independent) keeps records consistent at DSPs, in distributor dashboards, and in publisher statements.

4. Audit statements quarterly

Don’t wait for a year-end statement. Reconcile DSP grosses against your distributor reports and PRO statements quarterly. Small mismatches compound into larger unclaimed balances.

Prep Checklist: Ready Your Catalog for Kobalt x Madverse-Level Admin

Finalize canonical artist name and publish it across MusicBrainz / Discogs / DSP artist profiles.
Collect and record ISRCs, ISWCs (if available), and UPCs for every track/release.
Create signed split sheets for every composition; include IPI & PRO IDs.
Register compositions with your local PRO and confirm affiliate coverage for key markets.
Register recordings for neighboring rights where applicable; sign up for SoundExchange if U.S. plays are expected.
Supply your admin partner with scanned documentation and a master CSV of metadata fields.
Keep a changelog of metadata updates and notify partners (distributor/publisher) when changes are made.
Set a quarterly calendar reminder to audit statements and communications from your admin partner.

Troubleshooting: If Royalties Don’t Show Up

Follow this triage approach:

Step 1: Check that the play occurred (use DSP analytics or distributor reports).
Step 2: Confirm ISRC/track mapping is correct on the DSP metadata.
Step 3: Verify your composition is registered with a PRO and that split percentages are accurate.
Step 4: Contact your distributor and your admin partner — provide your CSV, split sheet, and proofs.
Step 5: If payments are held internationally, ask your admin partner to query the relevant collecting society with ISRC/ISWC evidence.

What Kobalt x Madverse Means for You (Actionable Next Steps)

The Kobalt x Madverse partnership is a practical opportunity: it connects South Asian creators to a global admin network that can chase mechanicals, performance, and sync royalties across multiple territories. But the partnership is not a plug-and-play magic wand. It requires:

Accurate metadata and split documentation from you
Timely communication and handoff of records to Madverse/Kobalt
Proactive auditing to ensure collected revenues are correctly allocated

Start by completing the prep checklist above, then ask Madverse about their onboarding packet for Kobalt admin. If you’re not ready to sign with a publisher, use DIY tools (Songtrust, PRO registration portals, SoundExchange) to keep your admin tidy.

Future Predictions: What to Expect in 2026 and Beyond

Looking out from 2026, expect three clear trends that affect South Asian indie creators:

More regional partnerships — major global admins will sign more country-specific partners to mine local catalogs. More deals like Kobalt x Madverse will appear.
Better metadata interoperability — DDEX improvements and API-driven reporting will shorten collection windows, making quick registration and accurate metadata even more valuable.
Increased sync & brand collaborations — global ad and film placements will look to authentic regional sounds; properly administered catalogs win these deals and the higher-value sync royalties that follow.

"The quality of your metadata is the easiest way to convert plays into payments." — Industry curator note, 2026

Final Actionable Takeaways

Do this now: Create a single master CSV with all metadata (ISRC, ISWC, UPC, PRO IDs, IPI, splits) and share it with any partner you sign.
Do this quarterly: Audit statements and reconcile DSP, distributor, and PRO reports.
Do this before signing a deal: Make sure your split sheets are signed and that you’ve registered compositions with your PRO.

Call to Action

Ready to stop leaving money on the table? Download our printable Royalty Prep Checklist, complete the master CSV, and start the onboarding conversation with Madverse or another admin partner. If you want a walkthrough, subscribe to our newsletter for free templates, a split sheet PDF, and step-by-step tutorials tailored for South Asian creators preparing for international admin.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.