This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in acquiring and registering copyrights in musical compositions, in accordance with the law, and promoting and authorizing the use of these compositions in recordings, on radio and television, in motion pictures, live performances, print, multimedia or other media. These establishments represent the interests of songwriters or other owners of musical compositions in generating revenues from the use of such works, generally through licensing agreements. They may own the copyrights or act as administrators of the music copyrights on behalf of copyright owners.

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing the facilities and technical expertise for sound recording in a studio, and audio production and post-production services for film, television and video. These establishments do not hold the copyrights to the sound recordings produced in their facilities.

This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in record production and/or releasing, promoting and distributing sound recordings. These establishments contract with musical artists, arrange and finance the production of original master recordings, manufacture or arrange for the manufacture of recordings, and promote and distribute these products to wholesalers, retailers or directly to the public. They produce master recordings themselves, or obtain reproduction and/or distribution rights to master recordings produced by record production companies or other integrated record companies.

This industry comprises establishments, not classified to any other industry, primarily engaged in providing sound recording services.