Every time you distribute a song to Spotify, Apple Music, or any streaming platform, that recording receives a unique identifier that distinguishes it from any other recording in the world. That identifier is the ISRC code, and understanding it is fundamental to protecting your music, collecting all your royalties, and managing your catalog professionally.
What is an ISRC code?
ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. It is a 12-character alphanumeric code that uniquely and permanently identifies a specific sound recording or music video worldwide.
An ISRC has the following format: CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN
- CC: Country code (2 letters). E.g.: US for United States, GB for United Kingdom.
- XXX: Registrant code (3 alphanumeric characters assigned to the distributor or label).
- YY: Reference year (2 digits).
- NNNNN: Unique 5-digit sequence number for that recording.
For example: USRC12600001 identifies a specific recording registered in 2026.
What is the ISRC code used for?
The ISRC has multiple critical uses in the music industry:
- Identification on streaming platforms: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and all DSPs use the ISRC to unambiguously identify each track. Without an ISRC, the platform may confuse your recording with another version of the same song.
- Royalty collection: Collective Management Organizations (PROs like ASCAP, BMI, SGAE, SACM) and mechanical royalty organizations use the ISRC to track how many times your song is played on radio, TV, and streaming, and calculate how much you should receive.
- YouTube Content ID control: The ISRC links your recording to YouTube's monetization system, ensuring that any video using your music pays you and not someone else.
- Legal protection: The ISRC serves as technical proof that that specific recording belongs to you, which is useful in rights dispute cases.
ISRC vs UPC: what is the difference?
Although both are industry-standard identifiers, they serve different purposes:
- ISRC: Identifies an individual recording (a specific track). Each song needs its own unique ISRC.
- UPC (Universal Product Code): Identifies the release as a commercial product (the single or the complete album). It is the musical equivalent of a product barcode in a store. A 12-song album has 1 UPC and 12 ISRCs.
Both are mandatory to distribute music digitally. Platforms require them to accept your release.
How to get your ISRC and UPC free with DISTROMASTERS
There are two ways to obtain ISRC codes:
1. Directly through a national agency: In many countries you can request a range of ISRCs directly from the national registration agency (IFPI in Europe, RIAA in the US, AMPROFON in Mexico). The process can take weeks and requires formal registration.
2. Through your distributor: This is the most practical and fastest option. When you distribute with DISTROMASTERS, the system automatically assigns a unique ISRC to each track and a UPC to each release, free of charge, at the moment you complete the release upload. You pay nothing extra, you do not wait weeks, and the codes are permanently linked to your recording.
DISTROMASTERS includes free ISRC and UPC on all plans: from the $9 USD Single plan to the LABEL plan for labels. Once assigned, the ISRC belongs to your recording permanently and will remain valid regardless of which distributor you use in the future.
Do not have ISRCs for your songs yet? Distribute with DISTROMASTERS and get your ISRC and UPC codes for free on your next release. Check out available plans here.