Multilanguage Metadata

When distributing music internationally, you can add translations for titles and other metadata in multiple languages. This helps streaming platforms display your content correctly in different regions and improves discoverability for international audiences.

Why Add Translations?

Adding translations to your releases and tracks provides several benefits:

Benefit	Description
Localized titles	Platforms that accept multiple languages receive every version you add
Search discovery	Your title and artist name are supplied in each language you provide
Voice search	Phonetic spellings give platforms a Latin-script reading of non-Latin text
Professional appearance	Proper localization shows attention to international markets

---

Supported Languages

LabelGrid supports 28 languages across multiple writing systems:

Latin Script

• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Spanish
• Spanish (Latin America)
• Portuguese
• Danish
• Dutch
• Estonian

Asian Languages

• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional)
• Cantonese
• Japanese (requires phonetic spelling)
• Korean
• Thai
• Vietnamese

Other Scripts

• Arabic
• Hebrew
• Hindi
• Russian
• Macedonian

Regional Languages

• Luganda
• Malagasy
• Nigerian Pidgin

---

What Can Be Translated

Release Translations

For releases, you can translate:

Field	Description
Album title	The main release name
Mix version	Version descriptor (e.g., “Deluxe Edition”, “Remastered”)
Description	Long-form release description for promotional use

Track Translations

For tracks, you can translate:

Field	Description
Track title	The song name
Version title	Version descriptor (e.g., “Radio Edit”, “Extended Mix”)
Lyrics	Song lyrics in different languages

---

Adding Translations to a Release

Step 1: Open the Title Tab

1. Go to your release
2. Click the Title tab in the release form

Step 2: Add Your Primary Language

The first language section is for your primary content:

1. Select the language from the dropdown
2. Enter the album title
3. Add a mix version if applicable (e.g., “Deluxe Edition”)
4. Add a description if desired

Step 3: Add Additional Languages

To add translations:

1. Click the + Add Language button
2. Select the new language from the dropdown
3. Enter the translated title
4. Add translated mix version and description if applicable
5. Repeat for each language you want to add

Step 4: Set the Preferred Title Language

Once you have more than one language, a Preferred Title Language dropdown appears at the top:

1. Open the Preferred Title Language dropdown
2. Choose the language version to send to platforms that accept only one

Tip

Some platforms, like Spotify, accept only one language per release, and this setting decides which one they get. It defaults to English. Platforms that accept multiple languages, such as Apple Music, TikTok and Meta, receive every version you add regardless of this setting.

---

Adding Translations to a Track

The process for tracks is similar to releases:

1. Open the track and go to the Title tab
2. Enter your primary language title and version
3. Click + Add Language to add translations
4. Set the Preferred Title Language if you have multiple languages — tracks carry their own setting, separate from the release

Translating Lyrics

If you have lyrics in multiple languages:

1. Go to the Lyrics section of the track
2. Add lyrics for each language version
3. Each language entry can have its own lyrics text

---

Japanese Language Requirements

Japanese is a special case that requires additional information.

Why Japanese Needs Phonetic Spelling

Japanese uses three writing systems (Kanji, Hiragana, Katakana) that aren’t easily searchable using Latin characters. Streaming platforms require phonetic spelling (Romaji) to:

• Enable search in Latin characters
• Support voice search (Alexa, Siri, etc.)
• Display readable text for non-Japanese users

How to Add Japanese Translations

When you select Japanese as a language:

1. Enter the title in Japanese characters (Kanji/Hiragana/Katakana)
2. A Phonetic Spelling field appears automatically
3. Enter the Romaji (Latin alphabet) pronunciation

Example:

Field	Value
Japanese Title	真夜中の夢
Phonetic Spelling	Mayonaka no Yume

Caution

The phonetic spelling field is required for Japanese. Your release will not pass validation without it.

---

What Gets Sent to Each Platform

Platforms differ in how many languages they accept, and that is what your Preferred Title Language setting controls.

Platform accepts	What we send
Multiple languages (for example Apple Music, TikTok, Meta)	Every language version you added
One language only (for example Spotify)	The version in your Preferred Title Language, or English if you haven’t set one

How each platform then chooses what to show a listener is up to that platform, and it can change without notice. If a title looks wrong on a specific store, contact our support team and we can check what was delivered.

---

Best Practices

Do

• Add English as one of your languages for maximum compatibility
• Use native speakers for translations when possible
• Include phonetic spellings for all non-Latin scripts when available
• Keep translations consistent across all tracks in a release
• Match the original meaning rather than literal word-for-word translation

Don’t

• Don’t use machine translation for official releases without review
• Don’t mix languages in a single title field
• Don’t skip phonetic spelling for Japanese content
• Don’t add languages you don’t fully support - partial translations can look unprofessional

---

Example: International Release

Here’s an example of a fully localized release:

Release: “Midnight Dreams”

Language	Album Title	Phonetic	Mix Version
English	Midnight Dreams	—	Deluxe Edition
Japanese	真夜中の夢	Mayonaka no Yume	デラックス・エディション
Spanish	Sueños de Medianoche	—	Edición Deluxe
Korean	한밤중의 꿈	—	디럭스 에디션

Preferred Title Language: English

Platforms that accept multiple languages receive all four versions. Platforms that accept only one receive the English version, because that is the Preferred Title Language set here.

---

Related Guides

• Creating a Release - Full release creation workflow
• Adding Tracks - Track setup and configuration
• Lyrics & Credits Display - Adding lyrics and credits
• Metadata Style Guide - Formatting standards for metadata

---

Need Help?

If you have questions about translations or international distribution, contact our support team.