The Digital Audio Assets Protocol is a technical framework designed to preserve the structure, authorship, and integrity of recorded music. Our research shows that while modern audio formats allow space for embedded metadata, much of the information created during production is routinely lost when tracks are rendered and distributed. DAAP proposes a standards-aligned approach to ensure that essential attribution and provenance travel with the audio itself. This is not the responsibility of one platform or one company, it is a shared effort across creators, engineers, developers, and distributors to protect the long-term value of recorded music.

Two versions of the DAAP paper are available. One is written for studio professionals, creators, and industry participants who understand recording workflows but do not need deep systems-level or engineering detail. The second is a technical edition prepared in alignment with AES and IEEE standards, intended for engineers, developers, and researchers who require formal specifications, container analysis, and implementation-level discussion. Both versions present the same core framework, tailored to different audiences within the same effort.