ISRC and UPC Codes Explained: What They Are and Why They Matter

An ISRC identifies a single recording. A UPC identifies a release, the product that contains those recordings. A single with one song has one UPC and one ISRC. A ten-track album has one UPC and ten ISRCs. Your distributor usually assigns both for free if you don't already have them, and getting them right keeps your streams, royalties and stats connected to the right song.

What an ISRC is

The International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is a 12-character code attached to a specific audio recording. It follows the recording wherever it goes: every store, every playlist, every royalty report.

An ISRC looks like this: US-S1Z-24-00001 (usually written without the dashes). It has four parts:

• Country code (2 characters): where the code was issued.
• Registrant code (3 characters): who issued it, like a label or distributor.
• Year (2 digits): the year the code was assigned, not necessarily the year the song was recorded.
• Designation code (5 digits): a unique number for that recording.

Stores use the ISRC to count streams and match sales to the right recording. Collection societies and neighboring rights organizations use it to identify recordings when they pay out performance money for sound recordings.

What a UPC is

The Universal Product Code (UPC) is a barcode number, usually 12 digits (the 13-digit version is called an EAN). In music, it identifies the release: the single, EP or album as a product.

Stores use the UPC to identify the release as a whole: its tracklist, artwork, release date and label. When you change the tracklist of an album, you usually end up with a different release and a new UPC.

Who assigns them

• ISRCs are issued by national ISRC agencies to registrants such as labels and distributors. You can apply to become a registrant yourself in many countries, but most independent artists don't need to: distributors generally assign ISRCs when you upload a new recording.
• UPCs come from the GS1 system. Distributors and labels hold blocks of codes and assign one to each release.

If a label or a previous distributor already gave your recording an ISRC, keep using that one. Don't let a new code be generated for the same recording.

One ISRC per recording, and per version

The rule of thumb: if it sounds different, it needs its own ISRC.

Each of these needs a separate ISRC:

• The radio edit and the album version
• A remix
• A live recording
• An acoustic version
• A remaster (a new master is a new recording in this sense)
• An instrumental or a sped-up version
• A clean version and an explicit version of the same song

Things that don't need a new ISRC:

• Putting the same recording on a new release, like a single later appearing on an album, a compilation or a deluxe edition
• Changing the artwork or release date
• Moving the recording to a different distributor

Reusing codes when you re-release

When the exact same audio appears again, reuse its ISRC. That's what keeps a song's history in one place.

Common situations:

• Single, then album. Your single comes out in March and later appears on the album. The album gets a new UPC, but the song keeps the single's ISRC.
• Switching distributors. You're moving your catalog. Give your new distributor the existing ISRCs (and ideally the original release dates) so the stores can match the new delivery to the old one.
• Compilations and deluxe editions. Same recording, same ISRC.

Some stores can also use the UPC to link an old release to its replacement. When you move a release, ask your distributor what they need from you.

Why wrong codes split your stats

If the same recording goes out with two different ISRCs, stores can treat it as two different recordings. That leads to:

• Split play counts. Streams are divided between two versions instead of adding up on one.
• Lost playlist positions. Playlists point to a specific track. A new ISRC can mean a "new" track that starts from zero.
• Messy royalty reports. Statements show two lines for what should be one song, which makes checking your money harder.
• Matching problems for rights organizations, which rely on ISRCs to identify recordings.

The opposite mistake is just as bad: using one ISRC for two different recordings (like giving a remix the original's ISRC). The stores then can't tell them apart, and the wrong audio can end up linked to the wrong data.

ISRC, UPC and ISWC: don't mix them up

There's a third code you'll hear about: the ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code). It identifies the composition (the song as written: melody and lyrics), not a recording. It's used on the publishing side by collection societies. One composition can have many recordings, each with its own ISRC, all linked to the same ISWC. More in how streaming royalties work.

Practical tips

1. Keep a catalog spreadsheet with every recording's title, version, ISRC, the UPC of each release it's on, and release dates.
2. Check the codes after release. Your distributor's dashboard shows the codes it used.
3. Tell your distributor about existing codes before you submit. Changing an ISRC after delivery is much harder than getting it right the first time.
4. Label versions clearly in the title too, like "Song Title (Acoustic)". Metadata and codes should tell the same story. See metadata mistakes that get releases rejected.

Key takeaways

• ISRC = one recording. UPC = one release.
• Each distinct version of a recording gets its own ISRC.
• The same recording keeps its ISRC forever, across releases and distributors.
• Wrong or duplicate codes split your streams, playlists and royalty lines.

Codes at Stillmore Group

When you release through Stillmore Group, the team reviews the metadata of every release before delivery, codes included. If you already have ISRCs or UPCs from earlier releases, bring them along so your catalog history stays intact. If you're getting started, our guide on how to get your music on Spotify, Apple Music and every other store walks through the whole process.