Resources - What Is A Catalogue Number?
Back in
the 'old days' before record labels were using
barcodes and ISRC codes to identify and track
individual products, they used catalogue numbers.
It's still very common to see catalogue numbers
being used by record labels and independent artists
alike.
Create Your Own Catalogue Number
There's
no golden rule about how a catalogue number should
be structured, so it's up to you to create your own.
A lot of catalogue numbers actually start with
letters and are then followed by numbers. Here's a
common example on how they can be used:
A new
record label is formed called "John Doe Records" and
they choose to use the initials of their company as
a 'prefix' for their catalogue number (ie: JDR).
They have no idea how many albums they will release
in the lifetime of the label so they decide to use a
five digit numbering sequence to identify each
release (ie: JDR00001 for the first release,
JDR00002 for the second release, JDR00003 for the
third release, and so on).
Do you
have to register your catalogue number with some
sort of database or government or industry
association? In short: No you do not. Check
out
this link to see how some of the major
record labels got started using catalogue numbers.
Indie-Artists Often Use Catalogue
Numbers
As
previously noted, there's no golden rule about how a
catalogue number can be structured, but there's also no
rule about who can use. Many independent
artists use catalogue numbers to identify their
individual releases, so it's not just record labels
or distributors that use them.
Where To Place Your Catalogue
Number
The most
common place to put your catalogue number is on the
spine of your CD case, but some people also like to
put them on their CD too. The catalogue number
doesn't have to be in a large type size, but don't
make it so small that it's hard to read.
Are Catalogue Numbers Used for DVD?
Yes,
catalogue numbers are also used for DVD releases and
the same rules noted for CD also apply for DVD.
Avoid Confusion
If you
plan on releasing more than one album (or DVD) and you plan
on creating your own catalogue number, it's a very
good idea to stick with your catalogue number
sequence to avoid confusion later on.
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