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III. Audio Works

1. Audio - On Tangible Medium (digital and analog)

Preferred:

1. Sound recordings, in order of preference
1. Final production/release version of content rather than pre-production version
2. Published Compact Disc (CD audio) rather than Recordable Compact Disc (CD-R, audio format)
3. With all jackets, sleeves, enclosures, and inserts rather than without
4. Stereophonic if originally recorded/released as stereophonic
5. Monaural if originally recorded/release as monaural
6. Direct Stream Digital (DSD) or other multi-channel (e.g. Surround Sound) version in addition to stereophonic version if release in both
7. Vinyl disc (LP) in addition to Compact Disc (CD) if released in both

Acceptable:

1. Sound recordings, in order of preference
1. Recordable Compact Disc (CD-R) rather than vinyl disc
2. Vinyl disc rather than audio cassette
3. Audio cassette if only released as such

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2. Audio - Media-independent (digital)

Preferred:

1. Audio, in order of preference
1. Final production /release version of content rather than pre-production version
2. Highest native resolution PCM WAVE file of final version produced (44.1 kHz / 16 bit or higher) in addition to Compact Disc (CD) when both are produced
3. WAVE file with embedded metadata (Broadcast WAVE) rather than without (LC will specify fields)
4. File in native resolution rather than up-sampled resolution
5. Very high resolution file formats such as DSD, PCM 176.4khz , 192khz up to 384kh when produced for release in addition to Compact Disc (CD) when both are produced
6. DSD in the released version (e.g., surround-sound or stereo)
2. Streaming/Podcasts, in order of preference
1. Uncompressed files rather than compressed.
2. Compressed version in a major standard compression scheme rather than non-standard scheme
3. Accompanying Image/Text Files, in order of preference
1. With final version of all accompanying image and text files; higher resolution images rather than lower
1. TIFF or JPEG formats for images
2. Text files in PDF
4. Metadata
1. Provide most complete metadata set as delivered to online distributors (e.g. iTunes and Amazon), which may include elements not embedded in a file, including but not limited to:
1. Song/work title
2. Album title
3. Artist
4. Composer
5. Genre
6. Publisher/label name and issue number
7. Location and date of performance
8. Date of publication
9. Standard identifier (e.g. ISRC, UPC)
10. Any other entity identifiers
2. Provide data in a standard XML-based format, such as the Electronic Release Notification (ERN-DDEX)
5. Technological measures
1. Files must contain no measures (such as digital rights management or encryption) that control access to or prevent use of the digital work.)

Acceptable:

1. Audio, in order of preference
1. Uncompressed file of final release version
2. Highest resolution compressed version in a major standard compression scheme
3. Lossless compression scheme rather than lossy compression scheme
2. Streaming/Podcasts
1. See Preferred
3. Accompanying Image/Text Files, in order of preference
1. TIFF, JPEG or PDF of text files of final release version
2. Other standard images and text formats
4. Metadata
1. See Preferred
5. Technological measures
1. See Preferred

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