How to Prepare ISRCs, UPCs, and Credits Before Distribution
A practical distribution-prep guide for artists checking release identifiers, credits, splits, metadata, contributor details, and rights questions before upload.
The short answer
Before distribution, artists should prepare the UPC for the release, ISRCs for each recording, final track titles, artist roles, contributor credits, explicit tags, audio files, artwork, splits, publisher or songwriter information, and any label or ownership details the distributor requires. If ownership, samples, covers, or agreements are unclear, get qualified legal counsel before uploading.
Three things to know
- 01
ISRCs identify recordings, UPCs identify release products, and credits explain who contributed to the work.
- 02
Metadata cleanup should happen before upload because mistakes can create platform, royalty, reporting, and campaign problems later.
- 03
Identifier and credit preparation is business and operational guidance, not legal advice about ownership or agreements.
What should be in the distribution-prep packet?
A clean packet makes upload, platform support, and campaign reporting easier to manage.
- 01
Release identifiers
Record the release UPC and every track ISRC, including whether the distributor assigned them or the label supplied them.
- 02
Contributor credits
List primary artists, featured artists, songwriters, producers, mixers, mastering engineers, publishers, and label details consistently.
- 03
Rights notes
Document splits, master ownership, cover status, sample status, licenses, and agreement questions for qualified review where needed.
- 04
Asset files
Confirm final audio, artwork, lyrics if used, clean versions if needed, and any platform-specific creative assets.
- 05
Submitted record
Save the exact metadata submitted through distribution so post-delivery checks have a reliable reference.
What is the difference between an ISRC and a UPC?
An ISRC identifies an individual sound recording, while a UPC identifies the release product such as a single, EP, or album. A three-song EP usually needs one UPC for the release and separate ISRCs for each recording. Distributors may assign these identifiers or let eligible labels provide them, but the campaign team should know where they came from.
Why do credits matter before upload?
Credits connect the release to real people, roles, and downstream administration. Performer, producer, mixer, mastering, songwriter, publisher, label, and featured artist details can affect platform display, royalty registration, contributor recognition, and future licensing conversations. Credits are also harder to fix cleanly after delivery, especially when multiple platforms, collaborators, and collection organizations depend on consistent data.
What should artists gather before opening the distributor form?
Gather final WAV files, artwork, release title, track titles, primary and featured artist names, label name, release date, explicit flags, genre choices, ISRCs if already assigned, UPC if already assigned, songwriter and producer credits, split sheet, lyrics if needed, publishing details, copyright line, and the planned smartlink or landing-page path.
How should splits and rights be checked?
Confirm writer shares, producer terms, sample status, cover-song status, master ownership, label involvement, and collaborator approvals before upload. This guide is not legal advice and cannot decide who owns a right. If there are unclear splits, unsigned agreements, samples, covers, band disputes, or producer-point questions, use qualified legal counsel before distribution creates a public record.
What problems happen when identifiers are wrong?
Wrong identifiers or mismatched credits can cause duplicate recordings, incorrect platform display, messy royalty matching, confusing analytics, failed support requests, and delays when trying to fix a release. Campaign teams also lose time because reporting no longer lines up cleanly with the assets, smartlinks, ads, and outreach tied to the release.
How should the final metadata check work?
Create a pre-upload review with one owner and one source of truth. Check every title, spelling, contributor name, identifier, credit, explicit tag, artwork file, audio file, release date, label field, and rights note against the final asset folder. Then save the submitted metadata so the campaign team can compare platform displays after delivery.
How this guide uses evidence
Practical notes
- The MLC describes musical work registration and matching as dependent on accurate work, ownership, and sound-recording information.
- Existing Velveteen Records guides cover metadata preparation, split sheets, collaborator coordination, samples, and release-deadline risk.
- The guide includes legal-advice guardrails because specific ownership, samples, cover licensing, and agreement language require qualified counsel.
Source notes
- The MLC Membership: https://www.themlc.com/membership
- U.S. Copyright Office Music Modernization Act: https://www.copyright.gov/music-modernization/
- Velveteen Records guide: how-to-prepare-music-metadata-before-distribution
Frequently asked questions
- Does every track need its own ISRC?
- Yes, each sound recording should have its own ISRC so recordings can be identified consistently.
- Does one release need more than one UPC?
- Usually one release product has one UPC, while each recording on that product has its own ISRC.
- Can artists upload before splits are finished?
- It is risky. Unclear splits should be resolved and reviewed before distribution creates avoidable royalty confusion.
- Is this legal advice about music rights?
- No. This is operational guidance. Ownership, samples, covers, and agreements need qualified legal counsel.
- Can Velveteen Records review distribution metadata?
- Yes. Velveteen Records can help organize the metadata, credit, and campaign-readiness checklist.