Record Production & Distribution
Key Figures
Figures are published for NAICS 512250 directly.
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Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in record production (e.g., tapes, CDs) and/or releasing, promoting, and distributing sound recordings to wholesalers, retailers, or directly to the public. These establishments contract with artists, arrange and finance the production of original master recordings, and/or produce master recordings themselves, such as audio tapes/cassettes and compact discs. Establishments in this industry hold the copyright to the master recording, or obtain reproduction and distribution rights to master recordings produced by others, and derive most of their revenues from the sales, leasing, licensing, or distribution of master recordings.
Source: US Census Bureau, 2017 NAICS Definitions. Public domain.
Which code does this activity belong in?
Record production and distribution establishments hold or obtain rights to master sound recordings and generate revenue primarily through sales, licensing, and distribution of those recordings. They differ from sound recording studios, which provide facilities and services for artists to create recordings but do not typically hold copyrights or distribute the finished product. Music publishers, by contrast, deal with musical compositions and their rights rather than the sound recordings themselves.