Step-by-Step: How to ID3 Tag Your Music Like a Pro
A practical walkthrough of tagging your audio files with proper ID3 metadata before distribution. Includes free tools and SA-specific tips.
Before You Start
Download one of these free tagging tools:
- Mp3tag (Windows) — The industry standard, free
- Kid3 (Mac/Linux/Windows) — Open source and powerful
- MusicBrainz Picard — Good for automatic lookups
Step 1: Open Your Audio File
Drag your WAV or MP3 file into the tagging software. You'll see all the metadata fields ready to fill.
Step 2: Fill in the Essential Fields
At minimum, complete these:
- Title: Your song's exact name
- Artist: Your artist name (exactly as on streaming platforms)
- Album: Album or single name
- Year: Release year (2025 or 2026)
- Genre: Primary genre
Step 3: Add Your ISRC Code
Your ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is unique to each recording. Get it from your distributor or register directly with IFPI. In South Africa, RiSA can help assign ISRC codes.
Step 4: Add Copyright Info
In the Comments or Copyright field, add: © 2026 [Your Name/Label]. All rights reserved.
Step 5: Embed Cover Art
Most tagging tools let you drag and drop your cover art image directly into the file. Use a high-quality JPEG (3000x3000px for best results).
Step 6: Save and Verify
Save your file and re-open it to verify all tags are correctly embedded. Then upload to your distributor.
Use our Release Roadmap to track your tagging progress alongside every other release step.
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