What Is a PRS Tunecode? How to Find It and Why It Matters
By Written by Peter McVeigh
A tunecode is the unique code PRS for Music gives every song you register. Here is what it is, where to find yours, how it differs from an ISRC and an ISWC, and the mistakes that cost writers money.
If you have registered a song with PRS for Music, it now has a tunecode. If you have not looked at it since, you are not alone. It is one of those things nobody explains until a distributor, a publisher or PRS themselves ask you for it, and then you need it quickly.
This is a short, practical guide to what a tunecode is, where to find yours and why it is worth keeping a record of. I am not a lawyer or an accountant, and PRS can change how its systems work, so check prsformusic.com for the current details before you rely on anything here.
What is a tunecode?
A tunecode is the unique identifier PRS for Music gives to each work you register. Think of it as the song's reference number inside PRS. When a broadcaster, a venue or a streaming service reports that a piece of music was used, PRS uses the tunecode to match that use to the right song, and so to the right writers and publishers.
A tunecode is typically eight characters made up of numbers and letters. A typical one looks something like 1234567L. That is only an example of the style, not a real code.
Every version of a song gets its own tunecode. A radio edit, a remix and the album version are separate entries, which is why PRS asks you to register each one.
Why it matters
PRS can only track and pay royalties for music that has been registered. The information that comes in from broadcasters and venues is often incomplete or slightly wrong. A correctly registered work, with the right title, the right writers and the right splits, gives PRS the best chance of matching a play to your song and paying it to you.
I have said this in other articles, but it is worth repeating. Registering is not paperwork for the sake of it. It is the thing that decides whether money reaches you. A song with no registration, or with the wrong writer shares, can sit unmatched or get paid to the wrong person.
How you get a tunecode
You get a tunecode by registering the work through your PRS member account. You need to be a PRS writer or publisher member first. Our guide on how to register with PRS for Music walks through joining.
When you register a work you will need: The song title, exactly as it appears on the release. Your own PRS membership details, including your CAE or IPI number. The same details for every other writer, so they need to be members too. The agreed percentage share for each writer, which must add up to 100 percent. The title and writers of anything you have sampled or remixed.
Optional details such as the duration and any alternative titles are worth adding, because they help PRS identify your song.
Once you submit, you are given a reference number and the tunecode for the work. Keep a note of both. Registered works are usually visible on the PRS database within a short time, though it can take a couple of days.
Where to find your tunecode
Log in to your PRS member account and use the works section. As a member you can search works and see the registered writer and publisher details, along with the tunecode and duration. You can search for your own songs, and you can also search for a co-writer's song to check the details match what you agreed.
If you have a publisher, they may register works for you. In that case ask them for a list of your tunecodes, or check the database yourself. Do not assume it has been done correctly.
Tunecode, ISRC and ISWC: what is the difference?
These three get mixed up all the time, and they identify different things. A tunecode is PRS's own code for a song, meaning the words and music. An ISWC is the international code for the same song, used across collecting societies worldwide. An ISRC identifies one specific recording of a song. In the UK, ISRC codes come through PPL.
So one song has one tunecode and one ISWC, but it can have many ISRCs, because each recording or version has its own. You will often be asked for more than one of them, for example on a distributor form or a TV cue sheet.
Where tunecodes get used
You will be asked for your tunecode in a few places. PRS will ask for it if you contact them about a missing payment or a mismatch. Publishers and administrators use it when they check your catalogue. And if your music is placed on TV or in film, putting the tunecode and ISWC on the cue sheet helps the right work be matched. Our free cue sheet generator has space for the details.
It is also useful to have all your codes in one place. Keep a simple list or spreadsheet with the song title, tunecode, ISWC if you have one, the writers and their splits. For your recordings, our ISRC tracker does the same job for ISRC codes.
Common mistakes
Registering a song with the wrong split, or splits that were never agreed in writing. Agree the shares first, then register. Forgetting to register the other versions. Each version needs its own entry. Spelling the title differently from the release, which makes matching harder. Leaving it to a co-writer or publisher and never checking the database. Losing the codes. Write them down when you register.
If a split is wrong, it needs to be put right with PRS, and changing it generally needs the writers to agree. This is another reason to settle the split before you register.
What to do next
If you have songs out that you have never registered, start there. Join PRS if you have not, register each song with the agreed splits, and save the tunecodes somewhere safe. If you co-write, agree your splits in writing first. Our songwriting split agreement tool is a good place to start.
Then put a note in your diary to check the database every few months, especially after a new release.
Disclaimer
This article is general information for independent musicians, not legal or financial advice. PRS for Music processes, fees and website layouts change over time, so always check prsformusic.com for the current instructions.