ISRC and UPC refer to different objects in a music catalog: ISRC identifies a recording, while UPC/EAN identifies a product, such as a release. Therefore, an album code cannot automatically be used in place of the code for a specific track.
First determine the object
Create a table: release title, recording version, artist, and the identifiers obtained. Do not combine a studio recording and a separate live version into one row just because the song title is the same. A recording code is not the artist's name or the title of the musical composition.
According to IFPI explanations, the same unchanged recording retains its ISRC upon subsequent use. A code that has already been used cannot be assigned to another recording. If a version differs substantially and there is doubt, clarify the procedure with the person responsible for the release or with an authorized ISRC source.
Example of a check before submitting a catalog
Suppose a previously released single is included in a new compilation without changing the recording itself. The team checks the old track entry and submits the existing ISRC together with the exact metadata. The identifier of the new product is considered separately.
If a different version is submitted instead of the original file, the decision about the code is not made based on the title alone. First, establish exactly which recording ended up in the package. This helps avoid mixing up objects, but it is not a guarantee of automatic merging of pages or statistics on every platform.
What the team should keep on file
Keep a registry accessible to the responsible participants, with the source of each code and the corresponding file or version. Verify values by copying them from a confirmed record, not by retyping them from memory. When correcting an error, record what was already submitted and to whom.
An identifier by itself does not confirm rights to someone else's material and does not provide promotion. First solve the task of correctly accounting for the release; evaluate services for a public announcement separately from the assignment of codes and the distributor's work.
Related task: Spotify metadata error: how to submit corrections to a distributor.
Sources
IFPI: questions about ISRC. Reviewed on September 23, 2026. Practical scenarios are an editorial methodology; the educational examples are not client data.
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