Song, recording or release: what is the difference?
A song, a recording and a release can share a title while referring to different things. The song is the musical work. The recording is a particular audio version. The release is the issue through which one or more recordings are made available.
Keeping these terms separate helps when you are reading credits, finding a particular version or sharing information about music.
The song or musical work
The musical work is the underlying creation, rather than a particular audio file. It can include music and lyrics, or be instrumental. Different performers can record the same work, and one performer can record it more than once.
The ISWC system identifies musical works separately from recordings and performances. A work identifier therefore answers a different question from a recording identifier: which musical creation is this? ISWC explains the distinction.
The recording
A recording identifies particular recorded audio. A studio recording and a separate concert performance of the same song are different recordings. They can have the same song title and performing artist while containing different performances.
The same unchanged recording can also appear on more than one release. Releasing that audio again does not, by itself, turn it into a new recording. IFPI states that an existing recording keeps its ISRC across different releases or formats. IFPI guidance
The release
A release is an issue of recorded music, such as a single or an album edition. Its identifying information can include a title, credited artist, release date, format, artwork and tracklist.
The release gives recordings a published context. A standard album edition and a deluxe edition may include some of the same recordings while being separate releases. MusicBrainz uses this distinction when documenting editions. MusicBrainz release definition
One simple example
Imagine a band records a song in a studio, then records a separate performance of it at a concert. It publishes the studio recording as a single and later includes that unchanged recording on an album.
In this example there is:
• One musical work.
• Two recordings: the studio performance and the concert performance.
• Two releases containing the studio recording: the single and the album.
This is an illustrative example, rather than an announced release.
Where does a track fit?
“Track” is often used casually to mean a song or recording. In a catalogue, it can also mean the recording as listed on a particular release. The same recording could appear as track one on a single and track five on an album. Its position belongs to that release’s tracklist. MusicBrainz track definition
A quick identification check
What you mean: The musical creation. Information to keep: Work title, writer credit and ISWC if available.
What you mean: The particular recorded audio. Information to keep: Performer, version description and ISRC if available.
What you mean: The issued edition. Information to keep: Release title, format, date and release link.
What you mean: Its tracklist position. Information to keep: The release and the track number on that release.
These details work together. A track number without a release, or a title without a performer, can still point to the wrong item.
Why the distinction is useful
When you want to share a particular version, include the performing artist, title, version description where supplied, and a link to its release page. A title alone may lead someone to a different performance or edition.
If identifiers are available, use them for the thing they identify: ISWC for the musical work and ISRC for the recording. An ISRC does not identify an entire album or release. IFPI’s identifier explanation