Catalog Numbers for CDs

Catalog Numbers for CDs Catalog Numbers for CDs A catalog number is the identification number a record label assigns to a release. It is used for tracking purposes by both the label and the distributor. It is composed of numbers and letters, and sometimes a symbol such as a hyphen. There is no standard length or nomenclature.? Where to Find Music Catalog Numbers Catalog numbers are typically printed on the spine of a CD or DVD and on the back of record sleeves, but you sometimes youll find them in other places on the artwork They might also be found on the CD and the info label on the record or inscribed on the disk itself. They might be found on the CD sleeve next to the UPC barcode. If you generally buy your music digitally, you may never see the catalog number for a release. For example, the iTunes store does not list the catalog number for releases. They instead have their own ID numbers that are included in the URL to the item in the iTunes Store. Similarly, on Amazon.com you will see the ASIN number, but that is not the catalog number. How Music Catalog Numbers Are Assigned There is no requirement for a release to have a catalog number, and there is no governing authority that determines how the numbers should be issued. This is determined by each music label for its own purposes. There arent any rules as to how a label decides to set its catalog numbers, but once you develop a system, it makes sense to stick with it. Catalog numbers typically include both numbers and letters. Often, some portion of the record label name  is combined with numbers that signify the number of the release for that label. Examples of Music Catalog Numbers For instance, label XYZ might assign their first release the catalog number XYZ01, their second release XYZ02 and so on. In this way, you can often trace a labels history by looking at their catalog numbers. Sometimes, labels opt for starting out with higher numbers so they look more experienced- ie, XYZ125 for their first release- and sometimes labels choose letters that have nothing to do with their label name. Again, there are no rules. As long as the numbers help the label and distributor track releases, anything goes. Some labels issue catalog numbers that match the numbers on the barcode, other than the check digit. They can include spaces and punctuation that arent in the barcode. When labels release music in different formats, sometimes they manipulate the catalog number in some way so that it also indicates if the release is CD, 7, 12 and so on, but not always. One example of a record label that used catalog numbers in a creative way is Factory Records, who assigned a number to just about everything they did, including gig posters and even a lawsuit (FAC61 is a lawsuit between Factory and Martin Hannett). When Factory Records boss Tony Wilson passed away, his casket was given the number FAC501.