The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) has introduced AVR+, a new machine-readable format designed to bring consistency and automation to the way music data is exchanged for audiovisual productions.
Built as a structured JSON schema, AVR+ is the first implementation-ready format derived from the Global Cue Sheet Standard 2.0. It aims to replace fragmented, inconsistently formatted cue sheets, the documents that list music used in film and television and are critical for accurate royalty distribution.
By enabling automated ingestion, reducing metadata gaps, and supporting consistent validation across production partners, the format is intended to ensure that creators are identified correctly and paid more efficiently. AVR+ also integrates recording metadata alongside musical works data, extending its benefits to performers and record labels as well as songwriters and publishers.
Jens Kindermann of GEMA, who chairs CISAC‘s Audiovisual Working Group, said: “AVR+ is more than a technical format, it is a practical blueprint for the future of audiovisual rights data. By creating a common language for the exchange of cue sheet information and integrating both musical works and recording metadata, we are helping to build a more transparent, connected and scalable rights ecosystem. The work of the Audiovisual Working Group has always been guided by the belief that better data leads to better outcomes for creators, and AVR+ turns that vision into a practical reality.”
