ISRC & UPC Codes — What They Are and Best Practice 

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One of the most important steps in post-production is assigning ISRC and UPC codes to your music. 

 

If you release through a digital distributor such as TuneCore, CD Baby, or DistroKid, they will usually provide ISRC and UPC codes at no cost. This is perfectly acceptable and very common — especially for new artists. 

 

However, industry best practice is for artists and labels to own and control their own codes, rather than relying on distributor-issued ones. Owning your codes gives you long-term control, portability, and consistency across distributors, platforms, and licensing opportunities.

 

Whether your codes come from a distributor or are self-issued, they must be properly registered and embedded in your audio files to function correctly in the industry. 

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What Is an ISRC Code? 

 

An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is the globally recognized unique identifier for a specific audio recording or music video. 

 

Think of it as the digital fingerprint of a recording. 

ISRC codes are used to: 

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• Track digital sales and streams 

• Attribute royalties correctly 

• Identify recordings across platforms 

• Register usage with industry tracking systems 

 

Without an ISRC, a recording cannot be reliably tracked — which can lead to lost royalties, missing data, and invisibility within industry systems. 

 

Where ISRC Codes Are Required 

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ISRC codes are required for: 

• Digital downloads (Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, etc.) 

• Streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, etc.) 

• Chart eligibility (Billboard, radio tracking, industry analytics) 

 

To be counted toward Billboard charts, your releases must be registered with Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan/BDS) using the correct ISRCs for each track. 

If this registration does not happen, your sales and streams are not counted — even if the music is performing well. ISRC codes are not optional. They are foundational.

 

ISRC vs UPC — What’s the Difference? 

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• ISRC = Recording Identifier 
  Identifies each individual song or recording 

• UPC = Release Identifier 
  Identifies the product or release as a whole 

 

Every release format requires its own UPC: 

• Digital album → 1 UPC 

• CD album → 1 UPC 

• Vinyl album → 1 UPC 

 

Singles also require their own UPCs, separate from the album. 

In short: 

• Every song needs an ISRC 

• Every release needs a UPC 

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Best Practice: Owning Your Codes. While distributor-issued codes work, owning your ISRC and UPC codes is considered best practice, especially if you plan to: 

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• Switch distributors in the future 

• License music for film, TV, or games 

• Build a long-term catalog or publishing company 

• Maintain consistent metadata across platforms 

 

For artists and labels who want full control, we recommend sourcing codes directly from trusted providers such as Simply Barcodes. 

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Where KRZ Publishing Comes In 

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Having ISRC and UPC codes is only the first step. 

At KRZ Publishing, we ensure your codes are: 

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• Correctly assigned to the right recordings 

• Properly registered with industry systems 

• Fully embedded into high-quality MP3 deliverables 

• Matched with complete, professional metadata 

• Sync-ready, searchable, and future-proof 

 

When your music leaves our hands, it is: 

✔️ Identified 
✔️ Searchable 
✔️ Registered 
✔️ Monetized 
✔️ Industry-compliant 
✔️ Built for long-term use 

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Ready to make sure your music is properly identified, registered, and sync-ready? 
Contact KRZ Publishing to have your ISRCs, UPCs, and metadata professionally embedded and prepared exactly the way the industry expects. 

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KRZ Publishing ISRC & Metadata Embedding Service

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