Does a Clean Version of a Song Need a New ISRC?
Yes. A clean edit is a different sound recording from the explicit master, so give it its own ISRC and deliver it as a separate audio file. Keep the original song title clean, use the structured version field for the clean designation, and set the track's explicit status with the dedicated metadata flag rather than title text.
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.
Key takeaways
- Keep the original ISRC attached to the original master. A separately edited clean master gets a different ISRC.
- Use the Version or Subtitle field for the clean designation, and leave the base song title free of Clean or Explicit text.
- Treat an instrumental or a cappella file as its own recording-identity question rather than a cosmetic title change.
- A UPC belongs to a release product. Do not copy one UPC onto two separate release products just because they contain related recordings.
- For a metadata-only correction, use the supplying label or distributor and preserve the ISRC when the audio has not changed.
What changes when you make a clean version?
The audio is the boundary that matters. A clean edit changes the master you deliver, so it is a different sound recording from the explicit master. TheIFPI ISRC FAQ keeps the code attached to the recording. The clean file therefore needs its own ISRC.
Keep the original ISRC on the original audio. Do not replace it with the clean version's code, and do not ask a distributor to reuse the explicit master's code for both files. The broaderISRC guide covers the same-recording rule and other version changes.
| Explicit master | Clean edit | |
|---|---|---|
| Audio | The original delivered master | A separately edited audio file |
| Base title | The song title | The same song title |
| Version field | Leave empty unless another version applies | Use the structured clean-version description |
| ISRC | The identifier for the explicit recording | A new identifier for the clean recording |
Put the clean designation in the right field
Spotify'smetadata formatting guidance separates the recording title from structured artist and version information. Keep the base title readable. Put the clean version description in the Version or Subtitle field used by your supplier.
The explicit status is a dedicated track field. Do not type Explicit or Clean into the title to compensate for a missing flag. A clean version is an audio edit, so the file and its recording identifier must agree with the field you send.
Credits still belong to their own contributor fields. If the clean master has the same performers and writers, review those fields in the delivery record instead of embedding names or version labels in the title. For the wider featured-artist and version rules, see thefeatured artist and version metadata guide.
A clean edit is not the same as a metadata typo
If the audio changes from an explicit master to a clean edit, you are delivering a different recording. The new file needs the new ISRC. If the audio stays exactly the same and only the title, version, or explicit-status field is wrong, preserve the recording's existing ISRC while you correct the metadata.
Constructed example
Imagine an artist delivering “Glass House” in two versions. The explicit master keeps “Glass House” as its base title and uses its own ISRC. The clean edit keeps that base title, puts the clean description in the Version or Subtitle field, and uses a different ISRC for its edited audio.
If the artist later notices that the clean version label is missing but the audio is unchanged, that is a metadata correction. The artist should ask the supplying distributor to resend the field, not mint another recording code.
Where the UPC fits
The ISRC follows one recording. The UPC identifies the release product that contains it. A release containing both versions has one product record with the track-level identifiers inside it. If you package the clean version as a separate release product, that product needs its own UPC. Do not reuse one UPC on two releases.
Check the product and recording fields together in the UPC versus ISRC guide before delivery. For the audio export itself, use the audio file prep guide so the clean master is ready as a deliverable rather than just a renamed file.
Correct a delivered version through the supplier
Spotify displays metadata received from the label or distributor. If the clean version is showing the wrong title, version label, credit, or status, send the correction to the partner that supplied the release. Spotify'smetadata correction guidance says received updates usually appear within 7 days, although field support varies by distributor.
Keep a copy of the submitted field, the supplier request, and the public result. If the audio itself is being replaced, stop and check whether the new file is a clean edit, remix, or other distinct master before choosing an identifier. A metadata display correction does not replace composition, publishing, or royalty registration.
Primary sources for these field rules
Frequently asked questions
Should I put Clean in the song title?+
No. Keep the base title as the song title and put the version description in the structured Version or Subtitle field. The explicit status belongs in its dedicated metadata field, not in title text.
Does an instrumental version need its own ISRC?+
Yes, when it is a distinct instrumental master. An instrumental, a cappella version, remix, edit, or other new recording needs its own recording identity. Keep the version description in the structured field and do not reuse the ISRC from an unchanged vocal master.
Can the clean and explicit versions use the same UPC?+
A UPC identifies the whole release product, not one recording. If both versions are tracks in one release product, that product has one UPC. If you deliver them as separate release products, each product needs its own identifier. Never reuse one UPC on two releases.
Can I keep the original ISRC if I only change the version label?+
Yes, if the audio is the same unchanged recording and you are correcting metadata only. Ask the label or distributor that supplied the metadata to resend the correction. Do not mint a new ISRC for a title or field typo.
How do I fix a clean version after it is delivered?+
Send the correction through the label or distributor that delivered the metadata, then check the public display. Spotify says received updates usually appear within 7 days, but the supplier may not support every credit or field type.
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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
Featured artists and version metadata
A field-by-field guide to featured artists, version labels, contributor roles, compilation records, and the correction path when a DSP displays the wrong credit.
Related guide
Audio file prep
What audio to deliver, when a released file can be swapped, and where minor technical repair becomes a new creative recording.
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.