How to Find the ISWC for a Song
Three ways to look up the ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) for any composition — yours or anyone else's.
Quick answer — Search the song title at iswc.fm. The ISWC and all credited songwriters appear in the results.
Search ISWCsWhat is an ISWC?
An ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) is an ISO 15707 identifier that uniquely tags a musical composition — the underlying song, including its melody, lyrics, and arrangement. ISWCs are managed by CISAC, the international confederation of authors and composers societies, and used by every performing rights organization worldwide. One ISWC can have many recordings (ISRCs): the original, remixes, live versions, and covers each get their own ISRC while sharing one ISWC.
Method 1: Search iswc.fm by song title
- Go to iswc.fm.
- Type the song title or songwriter name. Partial matches work.
- Click a result to see the full ISWC detail page — credited songwriters with IPIs, every linked recording (ISRC), and any archived alternate codes.
Method 2: Paste an ISRC into Credits.fm
If you already have a specific recording in mind, paste its ISRC into credits.fm. The recording detail page shows the underlying ISWC at the top of the “Musical Work” section. This is the fastest path when you have a streaming link — Credits.fm can resolve a Spotify or Apple Music URL to its ISRC and then to its ISWC in one step.
Method 3: Check your PRO or CISAC directly
For songs you wrote or publish, your PRO portal (ASCAP ACE, BMI Songview, PRS Online, etc.) lists ISWCs for every registered work. The CISAC ISWCnet is the authoritative global registry — useful for confirming when a work was registered and which PRO owns the entry.
What if no ISWC exists?
If a song has never been registered with any PRO, it does not yet have an ISWC. The fix is to register the work with your PRO — the ISWC is assigned automatically as part of the registration process. After a few weeks, search for the song at iswc.fm to confirm.
FAQ
How do I find the ISWC for a song?
Search the song by title at iswc.fm, or paste a Spotify/Apple Music link or an ISRC at credits.fm — the recording detail page lists the underlying ISWC. ISWCs are public registry data and free to look up.
Is the ISWC the same as the ISRC?
No. ISWC identifies a composition (the song itself — melody, lyrics, arrangement). ISRC identifies a specific sound recording. One ISWC can have many ISRCs — original, remix, live, cover — each with its own ISRC.
Why does my song not have an ISWC?
ISWCs are assigned by CISAC when a composition is registered with a performing rights organization. If a song has never been registered, it does not yet have an ISWC. Register the work with your PRO to get one.
Can a song have more than one ISWC?
It shouldn't — each composition is supposed to have a single ISWC. In practice, CISAC sometimes archives duplicate ISWCs and points them at a preferred code. Credits.fm follows these redirects automatically and lists the previously-known-as codes.
Where does the ISWC come from on Credits.fm?
Credits.fm cross-references the CISAC ISWC registry (~95M codes), MLC ownership data, MusicBrainz recording↔work links, and other authoritative sources to surface the verified ISWC alongside every linked ISRC and credited songwriter.
Is the ISWC lookup free?
Yes. Every search on iswc.fm and the underlying credits.fm/api is completely free with no signup.
Key terms
- CISAC
- The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. Maintains the authoritative ISWC registry.
- Composition
- The underlying song — melody, lyrics, arrangement — distinct from any one recording of it.
- Recording
- A specific captured performance of a composition. Each recording gets its own ISRC.
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