ISMN barcode
The identifier for printed sheet music, carried in an EAN-13 beginning 979-0.
Also known as: International Standard Music Number, EAN-13 with 979-0 prefix
What is ISMN?
An ISMN (International Standard Music Number) is the 13-digit identifier for a notated music publication, sheet music and scores rather than recordings, issued by a national ISMN agency. It is barcoded as an EAN-13 with the 979-0 prefix so music shops and general retailers can scan it at the register. Recordings use ordinary GTINs; books about music use ISBNs.
Encodes: 979-0 plus a publisher element, an item element, and a check digit, as an EAN-13.
How ISMN is structured
The ISMN occupies the 979-0 block, which ISBN agencies never assign, so the two identifiers cannot collide.
| Part | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | 4 digits | 979-0. The 0 distinguishes music from 979 book ISBNs. |
| Publisher element | 3 to 7 digits | Assigned by the ISMN agency; shorter for publishers with large catalogs. |
| Item element | Variable | The specific publication, so publisher plus item always total eight digits. |
| Check digit | 1 digit | EAN-13 mod 10. |
Specifications
- Data
- 13 digits: 979, 0, publisher element, item element, check digit
- Check digit
- EAN-13 mod 10
- Carrier symbology
- EAN-13 at 80% to 200% magnification
- Add-on
- 5-digit price add-on permitted, as with ISBN
- Issued by
- The national ISMN agency; in the United States, via the same channel as ISBNs
- Scope
- Notated music only: scores, parts, songbooks, method books
Dimensions are GS1 General Specifications targets. Confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide before a print run.
Where it is used
- Sheet music, scores, parts, and method books at retail
- Music publisher and distributor catalogs
- Library cataloging of notated music
Set into the cover once per publication
Like an ISBN, the ISMN is assigned in the publisher’s title record and rendered once into the cover as EAN-13 art. Recordings of the same work carry a GTIN, not an ISMN, and a book of essays about the work carries an ISBN.
Mistakes that cost money
Using an ISBN for sheet music
Notated music has its own agency and prefix. An ISBN on a score misfiles it in every catalog.
Using an ISMN for a recording
CDs, vinyl, and downloads are products identified by GTIN from GS1.
Dropping the 0 after 979
979-0 is the music block. A 979 followed by anything else is a book ISBN.
How Endless handles ISMN
Endless stores the ISMN as the GTIN on the product record, so a publisher selling scores, recordings, and books can run all three identifier systems on one catalog without cross-contaminating them.
Frequently asked questions
Does sheet music need an ISMN or a UPC?
An ISMN if it is notated music you publish; it is already a valid EAN-13 that registers scan. Music merchandise and recordings need a GTIN from GS1.
Related symbologies
Definitions in the glossary
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)→
A globally unique product identifier used across trading partners and marketplaces.
Browse the full barcode symbology guide.
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