ISRC and UPC get mixed up because both appear on every distributor’s upload form, but they identify different things: the ISRC identifies each recording and the UPC identifies each release (the product that goes on sale or on streaming). A one-track single has one UPC and one ISRC; a ten-track album has one UPC and ten ISRCs.
ISRC vs UPC at a glance
| Aspect | ISRC | UPC |
|---|---|---|
| What it identifies | A recording or a music video | A product: single, EP, album |
| How many per release | One per track | One per release |
| Format | 12 alphanumeric characters (country, registrant, year, number) | 12 digits (in Europe the 13-digit EAN is also used) |
| Who manages it | International ISRC Agency (IFPI) and national agencies | GS1, the same system as retail barcodes |
| What platforms use it for | Counting plays and assigning royalties per track | Grouping tracks into a release and reporting sales and streams per product |
| Reused? | Yes, as long as it’s the same recording | Yes, if it’s the same release with the same tracks |
| Changes when | There’s a new version (remix, live, remaster) | The track list, the edition (deluxe) or the product format changes |
Common cases
You release a single, then the album
The song keeps the same ISRC on the single and on the album, because it’s the same recording. The single and the album have different UPCs, because they’re different products. That’s how platforms recognize that the album track is the one that already had plays as a single.
You release a deluxe edition
Tracks already released keep their ISRC; new ones get new codes. The deluxe edition is a new product and carries its own UPC.
You switch distributor
You reuse both the ISRC of each track and the UPC of each release. That’s what lets Spotify, Apple Music and the other services treat the new delivery as the same content. The process is described in switch music distributor.
You release a remix or a live version
It’s a different recording: new ISRC. If it comes out as a single, it also gets a new UPC.
Who gives you the codes
Labels and distributors usually have their own code ranges. Andina Music assigns ISRCs and UPCs at no extra cost to releases that don’t have them; if you already have your own codes or codes from a previous release, they’re kept. The rule is simple: never request new codes for content that already has codes.
Mistakes that cost royalties
- Requesting a new ISRC for the same recording when re-releasing it or switching distributor: the platform treats it as a different track and splits the plays.
- Reusing the UPC of one release on another with different tracks.
- Typing a code with a wrong character or a changed format.
- Not keeping your codes: without them, a migration or a Content ID claim gets complicated.
Frequently asked questions
Can I release without a UPC?
No. Every platform requires a UPC per release. If you don’t have one, the distributor assigns it.
Are UPC and EAN the same thing?
They’re two formats of the same product identification system (GS1): the UPC has 12 digits and the EAN 13. Platforms accept both.
Does a music video need an ISRC?
Yes. Music videos are also identified with an ISRC, different from the one of the audio recording.
Continue with the metadata guide
Codes are only part of a release’s record. In music metadata we go through every field a release needs to publish cleanly, and in what is an ISRC we dig into the recording code.
