The Power of Metadata – Practical Challenges
In the first part of our interview, “The Power of Metadata – Essential Concepts“, we delved into the behind-the-scenes of metadata processing, detailing its central role in the streaming ecosystem. We thus understood how much the quality, accuracy, and completeness of metadata determine not only the remuneration of rights holders, but also the visibility of artists and the user experience on platforms.
In this second episode, we continue this exploration by addressing the concrete challenges of standardizing and validating metadata on a large scale. Thomas Pihan, Head of Digital Content Operations, and Orancie Bureau, Digital Content Operations Manager, share their feedback on the tools, methods, and innovations deployed to address these challenges, while shedding light on the direct impact of metadata on recommendation algorithms, the role of “preferred partners” distributors, and the major trends that will shape tomorrow’s music discoverability. An immersion into the invisible mechanics that propel music to its audience.
What challenges do you face in normalizing and validating metadata?
Thomas: Metadata management presents several major challenges. Firstly, collecting information in a timely manner: it is rare for deliveries to include complete metadata, which requires optimizing catalogs after the release of references.
Secondly, optimizing metadata for back catalogs is complex, especially for tracks already published and from very specific catalogs. There isn’t always much documentation and metadata available, so it’s complicated to source, find, and add.
Finally, a third challenge can sometimes arise during friction with platforms. Their rules can conflict with artistic desires. It’s up to us then to reconcile the demands of the platforms while respecting the artistic choices of our artists and labels.
Orancie: Daily, we use Labelcamp, an internally developed tool that constantly evolves according to the new features offered by the platforms. This flexibility allows us to address certain frequently encountered challenges. For example, we have made certain fields mandatory for product validation, especially credits. In addition, this year we launched a suggestion function, developed with our developer teams, which helps labels collect metadata. This allows us to receive well-filled products, even in their initial version.
Thomas: Thanks to continuous feedback, Labelcamp is becoming more and more intuitive, allowing references to be validated on the first try. Developers have integrated many features, such as duplicating information to avoid repeated entries, and the ability to generate graphic elements directly from the application. Now, even animated motion art for Apple Music can be delivered via Labelcamp.
Orancie: Our distribution tool offers a multitude of possibilities, but it represents a constant challenge in terms of updates. It is essential for us to stay in touch with the teams to regularly propose modifications and thus be up to date with the latest industry features, or even be one step ahead. Moreover, these features allow labels to better grasp the importance of enriching product metadata, which is very positive for the future.
How does metadata influence recommendation algorithms and editorial playlists?
Thomas: Even if the internal workings of platform algorithms are opaque, it is certain that a greater quantity and better quality of metadata improve the user experience. The more complete a reference is, the more likely it is to be highlighted and favored by the algorithm, thus creating a positive snowball effect.
Among the metadata with the most impact, genre is crucial, as we explained in the first part. The artist’s name is also fundamental; a simple typo in a name can prevent users from finding artists. However, there are no rigid universal rules, as each platform has its own peculiarities.
To maximize the chances of success, it is recommended to tick all the boxes: complete all metadata, have an effective marketing strategy, consider sponsored placements and motion art, guarantee good sound quality, and take care of the visuals (covers). Daily work by the Digital Content Operations team in collaboration with labels on metadata optimization improves the catalog and promotes user experience, listening, and discoverability. Nevertheless, there is no absolute guarantee of success; metadata is one element among others.
Some platforms distinguish distributors as 'Preferred Partners.' What are the criteria for obtaining this label, and how does it concretely change your relationship with the platforms?
Thomas: Each platform has its own criteria, often complex for labels to understand. Generally, metadata quality, adherence to style guides, and technical criteria, such as the ability to send certain types of files or information, are paramount.
Orancie: In the technical criteria, it is often required to use the latest DDEX version for delivery. DDEX is a file sending standard, a format whose versions vary depending on the platforms. This standardized format facilitates data sending.
We are proud to be recognized as preferred partners by two globally impactful platforms: since November 2018 for Apple Music and since March 2019 for Spotify.
Thomas: This Preferred Partner status has a concrete impact: it improves our relationships with platforms. This translates into advantages such as faster online availability, privileged contacts who respond more quickly to questions and emergencies. We also benefit from prominence on these platforms’ websites. From a business development perspective, this is a major asset, as we appear as a quality partner recommended by the platform, in a very competitive market. We excel in this area, and this recognition is greatly appreciated.
What trends or technical developments seem promising for the future of music discoverability?
Orancie: For me, it’s mainly the immersive experience we can offer users thanks to this metadata. I’m thinking in particular of the fact that we will have a digital product that will be – warning purists – almost as complete as a physical object. It will contain a multitude of credit information, lyrics, visuals. In any case, for platforms that play the game – and personally, that’s what I find promising – the user experience must be at the heart of platforms’ concerns.
Thomas: I completely agree. For me, we could go even further and become more exhaustive than with physical media, with an even stronger discoverability potential. The more platforms display and make clickable the different roles, as is currently the case on TIDAL and in development at Apple Music and Spotify, the more beneficial it will be. For example, you click on the name of the producer who worked on an album to access their entire catalog. This is something that cannot be done directly with physical media: you can go to Wikipedia, but you cannot listen directly from the interface.
In terms of discoverability, if all platforms eventually adopt this approach, which seems to be the trend, it will make all the difference. This will be even more important when platforms truly leverage the metadata we provide them, when they exploit all the information and make it clickable, this will represent considerable discoverability potential.
Orancie: For example, Apple Music, by asking to detail the roles of each artist, helps highlight the unsung heroes of music, which is very important. This is not entirely new, but it allows us to learn about very specific roles, to see people’s names, and to access their work more broadly.
Thomas: I think it’s in the nature of the business to make all these elements visible and clickable on as many platforms as possible. This is an excellent prospect for us, especially since we already provide all this information. We are simply waiting for platforms to develop the features to leverage them.
Faced with the increasing number of titles delivered daily on platforms, it appears that technological innovation, process rigor, and close collaboration between labels, distributors, and platforms are more than ever at the heart of discoverability issues. By sharing their field expertise, the IDOL teams remind us that the value of metadata is not limited to an administrative dimension: they are one of the major levers for the recognition and valorization of talent in the streaming economy.
As platforms continue to enrich the user experience with increasingly complete and interactive metadata, the future looks promising for those who know how to seize this strategic tool for the benefit of artists, rights holders, and the public.