ISRC

In-Depth Explanation

What is an ISRC?

The International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is the universal identification system for sound recordings and music videos. You can think of an ISRC as the digital fingerprint or the license plate for a specific audio file.

Every single version of a recorded song must have its own unique ISRC. It is a 12-character alphanumeric code that permanently identifies that exact audio recording across the entire global digital supply chain.

Why Do You Need an ISRC?

Without an ISRC, it is impossible for streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music), terrestrial radio stations, and royalty collection societies (like SoundExchange) to track when your song is played.

When a user presses "play" on a track on Spotify, Spotify's computer system logs the ISRC attached to that file. At the end of the month, Spotify tallies up all the plays associated with that specific ISRC, calculates the Per-Stream Rate, and sends the money to the Digital Distributor that originally provided that code.

No ISRC = No tracking = No royalties.

Understanding the Anatomy of an ISRC

An ISRC is always 12 characters long and is broken down into four distinct sections that tell a story about the recording's origin:

Example ISRC: US-S1Z-24-00001 (hyphens are shown for clarity, but are not included in the actual digital code)

1. Country Code (US): 2 letters identifying the country where the registrant is located (US = United States, GB = Great Britain, FR = France).
2. Registrant Code (S1Z): 3 alphanumeric characters uniquely identifying the entity (label, distributor, or independent artist) that generated the code.
3. Year of Reference (24): 2 digits indicating the year the code was assigned (24 = 2024). It does not necessarily mean the year the song was recorded, just when the code was generated.
4. Designation Code (00001): 5 digits acting as a serial number, assigned sequentially by the registrant for that year.

When Do You Need a New ISRC?

The golden rule of ISRCs is: Any time the audio changes, a new ISRC must be generated.

You must use a new ISRC for:

• A new song.
• A remix of an existing song.
• A "Radio Edit" (e.g., removing a 30-second guitar solo).
• A "Clean Version" (bleeping out profanity).
• A live acoustic version recorded separately.
• A remaster (if the original audio was significantly altered).

You keep the same ISRC when:

• Including a previously released single on a new album or EP. Using the exact same audio file and the exact same ISRC ensures that the play count from the single carries over to the album version on Spotify.
• Changing digital distributors. If you move your catalog from TuneCore to DistroKid, you must manually enter your existing ISRCs to retain your play counts and playlist placements.

How to Get an ISRC

For independent artists, getting an ISRC is incredibly easy: your Digital Distributor will generate one for you automatically, for free, during the upload process.

Alternatively, if you run your own indie record label and want to generate your own codes using your own unique Registrant Code, you can apply directly to your national ISRC agency (in the U.S., this is the RIAA) to become a registered ISRC Manager.

ISRC vs. ISWC vs. UPC

It is crucial not to confuse the various music industry identifiers:

• ISRC: Identifies the specific audio file (the Master Recording).
• ISWC: Identifies the underlying song (the Composition / lyrics and melody).
• UPC: Identifies the commercial product as a whole (the single, the EP, or the Album package).