So your music is tagged with industry code and registered with a copyright. Now, it’s time to get a Nielsen Broadcast Data System (BDS) or Mediabase virtual encoding for your work.

A BDS or Mediabase encoding allows Nielsen and media executives to monitor your radio airplay and performance. Hundreds of radio stations between the U.S. and Canada use the virtual encoding information, so it is essential to have one.

Obtaining a Nielsen BDS is easy and free! Click HERE to learn how to get started with a Nielsen BDS. Once you have your account information and encoding code, you can log in to the Nielsen virtual encode page and begin uploading your music.

Artists, you can create a virtual encode on Mediabase in addition to the one on Nielsen. The main Mediabase website and a link to the company’s Frequently Asked Questions can be found HERE.