How to Add an ISRC to a MusicBrainz Recording
Find the existing MusicBrainz recording and verify the artist, version and release against your distributor's records. Sign in, open Edit on the recording, and add the existing code in the ISRCs section. Explain the match in your edit note. Check the edit status and the public recording after submitting.
Lead visual
Release metadata preflight
Title casing
Check before delivery, not after stores ingest the release.
Featured artist role
Check before delivery, not after stores ingest the release.
ISRC format
Check before delivery, not after stores ingest the release.
P line owner
Check before delivery, not after stores ingest the release.
Explicit tag
Check before delivery, not after stores ingest the release.
Fix before deliver
After delivery, corrections move through store updates, cache delays, and royalty systems that may already have recorded the wrong data.
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Start from the delivered recording
Open the distributor record for the release containing the exact audio you delivered. Write down the release title, track number, recording version, duration and assigned code. If you see an album barcode beside the track data, keep it on the release line of your notes. The UPC and ISRC guide explains which identifier belongs at each level.
Search MusicBrainz for the release, then follow the track link to its recording. Compare the title and artist credit, and look at the releases attached to that recording. MusicBrainz lets a single recording appear on multiple releases. Seeing it on both an EP and a compilation can make sense if both contain the same audio.
Treat duration as a clue. A matching time can help you narrow the list, but it cannot tell you whether the audio is the studio take or a different performance with the same running time. If the information conflicts, stop and identify the version before filing an edit.
Match the version before editing
| Evidence in the release file | What to do on MusicBrainz | |
|---|---|---|
| Studio recording | Track 2 on the Harbour Lines EP, 3:42, with an assigned code in the delivery record | Confirm artist, release and track position. Add the code to the matching studio recording if it is missing. |
| Live recording | North Window (Live at Union Hall), 4:18, on a separate live release | Leave the studio code off this record. Check the live delivery on its own. |
| Compilation track | A later sampler lists the same title. Its version is unclear. | Check the delivered audio and label copy before assuming it uses the studio master. |
For the rules about a newly recorded version, use the ISRC guide. This workflow starts after the code has been assigned and your job is to connect it to the right record.
Add the code and leave an edit note
Sign in to MusicBrainz and open the recording you confirmed. Choose Edit, find ISRCs and use Add ISRC. Copy the code from the delivery record, then check that the form still names the right recording. Leave the other fields as they were unless you have evidence for a separate correction.
Give the editor reviewing the change something to check. For the example above, a note could say: "Studio recording on Harbour Lines EP, track 2, 3:42. The label delivery sheet lists this ISRC for that track. The Union Hall performance is on a separate release." Add a public corroborating link where available. Keep account screenshots, private delivery files and personal details out of the public note.
Review the form and submit. Keep the edit link or number with the recording URL in your catalog notes. If the exact recording is absent from MusicBrainz, check its release and recording guidelines before creating a new entry. Adding a duplicate can make the next lookup harder.
Check whether the edit applied
After submission
Close the record when the evidence agrees
- 01
Track
Open the edit history
Save the edit reference. Read its status and check for a question from another editor.
- 02
Verify
Reopen the public recording
When the edit applies, compare the displayed code with your delivery record and confirm the title and version.
- 03
Save
Keep the two references together
Record the MusicBrainz URL and the distributor source in your catalog notes so you can revisit the match.
If a reviewer flags a conflict, respond with the evidence you can share and recheck the recording before submitting a replacement. If the underlying distributor record turns out to be wrong, fix that record through your distributor as part of your release metadata workflow.
MusicBrainz and IFPI instructions
Frequently asked questions
Can MusicBrainz assign an ISRC to my track?+
This edit adds an existing code to a database record. If you need a code assigned, check with your distributor or the relevant ISRC agency before entering anything.
Where do I find a missing code?+
Start with the distributor delivery record or the label that issued the recording. IFPI also links to a public ISRC search. A missing search result does not establish that the recording has no assigned code.
Will this change my Spotify metadata or route royalties?+
A MusicBrainz edit updates the MusicBrainz database if applied. Send a correction to the distributor or rights service that owns any separate delivery or payment issue.
What if the code is already listed on another recording?+
Open both records and compare the version and attached releases. Save the two recording links and your source evidence. Avoid removing an identifier or moving it between records until you have resolved the discrepancy.
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Keep reading
Topic overview
Release metadata guide
A field-level metadata audit and correction-versus-takedown decision for live releases, products, recordings, credits, dates, UPCs, and ISRCs.
Related guide
What is an ISRC
What an ISRC code is: the 12-character ID for one recording, why a remix needs a new one, and how to carry it across distributors so you don't split your streams.
Related guide
UPC vs ISRC
UPC vs ISRC, plain: the UPC names the release, the ISRC names each recording, and swapping the two fields is the error that costs you.
Check your metadata before your distributor does
Run your titles, credits, copyright lines, and ISRC and UPC codes through the free checker and catch the rejection-bait errors before you upload. It all runs in your browser.