Recommended Formats Statement

1. Final production/release version of content rather than pre-production version
2. Published (commercially manufactured) Compact Disc (CD audio) with all jackets, sleeves, inserts and intact enclosures
3. Original recorded (soundstage)/release channel format (e.g. stereo or mono).
4. Multi-channel Surround Sound/Immersive release in addition to stereo version if released in both, e.g., SACD (DSD) and Blu-Ray Audio
5. Vinyl disc (LP) in addition to Compact Disc (CD) if released in both

1. Published (“burned”) Archival CD-R (CD audio formats)
2. Archival quality recordable Compact Disc (CD-R) rather than vinyl disc
3. Vinyl disc rather than audio cassette
4. Audio cassette if only released as such

1. Final production /release version of content rather than pre-production version
2. High Resolution Audio (HRA) files of final version produced (96kHz/24bit or higher PCM, 2.8 MHz or higher DSD) in addition to Compact Disc (CD) when both are produced
3. WAVE file with embedded metadata (Broadcast WAVE) rather than without embedded metadata (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 384kHz when produced for release in addition to Compact Disc (CD) when both are produced
6. Multi-channel Surround Sound/Immersive release in addition to stereo version delivered at highest resolution files available
7. Uncompressed files rather than compressed.

1. CD Redbook quality files (44.1 kHz/16 bit) in PCM WAVE format or DDP (Disc Description Protocol)
2. Lossless compression scheme rather than lossy compression scheme
3. Highest resolution compressed version in a major standard compression scheme

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

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)
3. If produced in a format that uses an ADM (Audio Definition Model), the ADM file accompanies
4. RSS feeds are desirable for podcasts

Files must contain no measures (such as digital rights management [DRM] technologies or encryption) that control access to or prevent use of the digital work.)