“What label is this song on?” has up to three answers: the name in the label field, the company that controls the recording, and the company that distributed it. They are often different.
The label field
On Spotify, scroll to the bottom of the album page. On Apple Music, it’s under the track list. This name is entered by the uploader and can be anything, including the artist’s own name.
The ℗ and © lines
The ℗ line names the owner of the sound recording. The © line names the owner of the artwork and packaging. Look for:
- “under exclusive license to”: the company after these words controls the recording.
- “a division of”: the imprint belongs to a larger company, often a major group.
- The artist’s name only: usually self-released.
The distributor
The distributor delivered the release to stores. An independent label may use The Orchard, ADA, Virgin Music Group or a self-serve distributor. The distributor tells you which company the label works with; see how to find a song’s distributor.
Example
“Some of Your Love” by PARTYNEXTDOOR shows OVO Sound in the label field. Its ℗ line reads “(P) 2026 OVO Sound under exclusive license to Santa Anna Label Group”, and it was distributed by The Orchard. All three are correct answers to a different question.
Who to contact
For a licence or sync clearance of the recording, contact the company in the ℗ line. For the composition, you also need the publisher, which is not part of the release data.
Keep reading
How to find out who distributed a song
Five ways to find a song’s distributor: Spotify credits, the ℗ line, the ISRC, the UPC and a lookup tool. With real examples.
GuideHow to tell if an artist is signed to a label
Check whether an artist is signed or independent using the distributor, the label field, the ℗ line and “under exclusive license” wording.
GuideISRC lookup: what a song’s ISRC tells you
How to find a song’s ISRC, what each part of the code means, and how to use the registrant code to see who issued it.