This International Standard specifies a means of uniquely identifying a musical work. It standardizes and promotes internationally the use of a standard identification code so that musical works can be uniquely distinguished from one another within computer databases and related documentation and for the purposes of collecting societies involved in the administration of rights to such works.

The International Standard Musical Work Code (ISWC) identifies musical works as intangible creations. It is not used to identify manifestations of or objects related to a musical work. Such manifestations and objects are the subject of separate identification systems, such as the International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) for sound recordings, the International Standard Music Number (ISMN) for printed music, and the International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN) for audiovisual works.

Guidelines for the use of ISWC are given in normative annex A.