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Lesson 3: ISRC & UPC — The Digital DNA of Your Music
Sep
How to assign ISRCs and UPCs to your songs and albums so your catalog is properly tracked worldwide.
When you release music, it isn’t enough to upload an audio file and cover art. Every song and album you put out needs a digital fingerprint so that it can be tracked, identified, and paid out correctly across the world. That’s where ISRCs and UPCs come in. Think of them as your music’s DNA: invisible to fans but essential to your royalties.
What is an ISRC?
ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique 12-digit code assigned to each individual recording (track, remix, live version, or alternate mix). It’s like a serial number for your sound recording.
Example: QZ-V3T-25-00005 [ZOOLOOK – Natural High (Remix)]
- QZ = Country code (“US”, “QM”, “QZ” or “QT” – for US Codes)
- V3T = registrant code (your unique prefix)
- 25 = year of reference (registration)
- 00005 = track identifier (Designation Code)
In the US, I recommend registering your recordings and ISRCs with SoundExchange. SoundExchange uses your ISRCs to track streams and satellite plays, pay royalties, and list your recordings in their look-up service. We will cover the role and importance of SoundExchange in Lesson 4.
This was another tough lesson I had to learn firsthand. Fortunately, the team at SoundExchange has been incredibly helpful. By the time I share Lesson 4, I’ll have my entire music catalog fully updated and corrected—free of overlaps, where two or more copyright owners claim a share of a sound recording’s royalties that exceeds a total of 100% for the same collection period.
Important: Every new version of a song (radio edit, remix, remaster, live recording) needs its own ISRC.
What is a UPC?
UPC (Universal Product Code) is a barcode number assigned to a release as a whole — usually an album, EP, or single bundle.
- This is how digital stores (Spotify, Apple, Bandcamp, Amazon) track your release as one product in their systems.
- If ISRCs are your track-by-track fingerprints, UPC is your album’s passport.
Why They Matter
- Without ISRCs and UPCs, royalties can’t be tracked or paid correctly.
- They help with chart eligibility (Billboard, Official Charts, etc.).
- They prevent misidentification when multiple songs share the same title.
How to Get Your Codes
ISRCs:
- U.S. artists can register directly with the official ISRC Agency at usisrc.org. You’ll get your own registrant code and generate ISRCs yourself.
- Some distributors (like CD Baby, DittoMusic, TuneCore) will assign ISRCs for you automatically. But owning your own prefix means you keep control if you ever change distributors.
UPCs:
- Usually purchased through your distributor at release time.
- If you want to control your UPCs directly, you can get them from GS1 (the official global barcode issuer), but it’s pricier. Most independents start with distributor-issued UPCs. I opted to purchase a GS1 Company Prefix 1–10 for $250 USD.
You can select the total number of unique barcodes you need based on their pricing structure below:
1–10 — $250.00
1–100 — $750.00
1–1,000 — $2,500.00
1–10,000 — $6,500.00
1–100,000 — $10,500.00
The GS1 also offers a single UPC Code purchase for $30 USD.
Step-by-Step: Assigning Your Codes
- Make a spreadsheet of all your songs and releases.
- Assign a unique ISRC to each track. (Make a spreadsheet to keep track of them for future reference.)
- Assign a UPC to each album/EP/single release.
- Double-check that every track on a release has both an ISRC and is linked under the release’s UPC.
Official Links
ZOOLOOK Pro-Tip
Think long-term. Owning your ISRC prefix, rather than relying on your distributor, ensures your catalog remains consistent if you ever switch platforms. It’s the difference between renting and owning your digital DNA.
Next Week: Lesson 4: SoundExchange & Neighboring Rights
Register with SoundExchange to collect digital performance royalties from SiriusXM, Pandora, and other Internet Radio services.
