ISRC Codes Explained

Every track on every streaming platform has an ISRC. Here's what they are and how to get yours.

What is an ISRC?

An International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) is a 12-character identifier assigned to a specific recording. It's the global standard for identifying sound recordings and music videos.

ISRC format: CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN

CC — Country code (2 letters, e.g. GB, US)
XXX — Registrant code (3 alphanumeric chars assigned to you)
YY — Year of registration
NNNNN — Unique designation (5 digits, assigned by you)

Why every track needs one

An ISRC ties your recordings to royalty systems globally. Without one:

Performance royalties (from radio, streaming) may not reach you
Your track cannot be properly identified across DSPs and collection societies
Some distributors will reject your release or auto-generate an ISRC (which you lose control of)
Sync licensing and neighbouring rights become much harder to track

One ISRC per unique recording. A remix, live version, or radio edit of a track requires its own ISRC — it's a different recording even if the song is the same.

How to get your own ISRCs

There are two main paths for independent artists:

Option 1: Register as an ISRC registrant

Apply directly to your country's ISRC agency (e.g. PPL in the UK, RIAA in the US) to receive your own registrant code. This gives you a permanent 3-character code you use for all your releases. Free or low-cost in most countries.

Option 2: Let your distributor assign ISRCs

Most distributors (DistroKid, TuneCore, CD Baby) will auto-generate ISRCs for your tracks at no extra cost. The downside: the ISRC is registered under their registrant code, not yours. This means you're tied to that distributor for those ISRCs.

For long-term independence, registering your own registrant code is recommended. It takes 10–15 minutes and costs nothing in the UK via PPL.

ISRC vs UPC

These are often confused but serve different purposes:

ISRC — Identifies a specific recording (a track). One per track.
UPC / EAN — Identifies a release (an album, EP, or single). One per release.

Your single has one UPC for the release and one ISRC for the recording. A 10-track album has one UPC and ten ISRCs.

Using ISRCs in BeatCheck

Enter your ISRC in the release metadata when creating or editing a release. BeatCheck validates the format (must be 12 characters, alphanumeric). You can enter it with or without hyphens — both are accepted.

The submission checklist on your release page will mark ISRC as complete once it's filled in.

Questions about ISRC registration? support@beatcheck.app