To switch music distributors without losing streams, upload your original recordings to the new distributor using the same International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) and matching metadata. Wait until the replacement releases are live and successfully linked to the originals before requesting a takedown from your previous distributor.
Successful matching can preserve existing stream counts and playlist placements, although results depend on how each streaming platform handles the transfer.
This guide covers the steps involved, the technical requirements for transferring your catalog, and the common mistakes to avoid.
Why Do Artists Switch Music Distributors?
Artists usually look at switching music distribution providers when pricing, royalty terms, platform coverage, or release-management needs change.
A few reasons to switch music distributors include:
- Costs and payouts: Subscription fees, commissions, payment schedules, and royalty splits may no longer suit the catalog.
- Platform access: A new service may offer different stores, territories, or social-platform delivery options.
- Catalog management: Better analytics, credit management, release tools, or customer support can simplify ongoing work.
- Additional services: Some providers also offer mastering, promotion, or rights-management features.
- Service changes: A distributor may change its terms or pricing, or stop offering a service you rely on.
How to Switch Music Distributors Step by Step
To switch music distributors, prepare your catalog, deliver matching releases through the new distributor, check that they've linked to the originals, and only then request a takedown. Platforms link two deliveries of the same recording using identifiers, audio, and metadata, but their matching rules differ.
Here's how to change music distributors while reducing avoidable interruptions.
Step 1: Choose Your New Music Distributor
If you plan to transfer music to a new distributor, choose one that accepts previously released music and supports the platforms and rights arrangements your catalog needs. Check your current agreement as well as the new service's features.
Before committing, check:
- Migration support: Can you enter original ISRCs or import existing release details?
- Coverage: Are your current DSPs and territories supported?
- Financial terms: How are subscription charges, commissions, royalty splits, and cancellations handled?
- Rights tools: Are YouTube Content ID, publishing administration, and other services included, optional, or unavailable?
- Support: Can the team investigate failed track matching or incorrect artist-profile assignments?
For example, LANDR's catalog importer can bring Spotify or Apple Music release metadata into draft entries. Other services may require manual entry. Once you've confirmed the provider's process, gather the original materials before uploading.
Step 2: Prepare Your Existing Catalog for Transfer
Once you've chosen your new distributor, gather the original recordings, release details, and financial records from your current account. Save copies outside the distributor's dashboard so you can access them even if your account closes.
For every single, EP, or album, collect:
- Audio masters: Original lossless files, such as WAV, FLAC, or AIFF, rather than a new mix or remaster.
- Identifiers: Each track's ISRC and the release's Universal Product Code (UPC). Reuse the original UPC as well, if your new distributor accepts it.
- Metadata: Exact titles, artist names, featured artists, track order, original release dates, songwriter and producer credits, and explicit or clean labels.
- Artwork and profiles: Original cover art and existing artist-profile URLs or IDs.
- Financial records: Royalty statements, unpaid balances, collaborator splits, and any Content ID or publishing arrangements.
Step 3: Upload Your Music to the New Distributor
Use your collected files and release information to prepare the catalog in your new distributor's dashboard. Select the option for previously released music or catalog migration, if available, rather than treating the recordings as entirely new releases.
The upload process generally involves:
- Create or import the release: Enter the original release date where supported.
- Upload the files: Add the original audio master and cover artwork.
- Complete the release information: Enter track titles, artist credits, content labels, and other required details.
- Choose distribution destinations: Select the streaming platforms and territories where your music should remain available.
- Save and review: Keep the release as a draft, if supported, while checking its identifiers and metadata.
File and artwork requirements differ between distributors, so check the new distributor's specifications before submitting.
Step 4: Reuse the Original ISRCs for Unchanged Recordings
Enter each recording's original ISRC rather than letting the new distributor create a new one. An ISRC stays with a recording for its lifetime and changes only when the recording itself changes. Some distributors assign a new code automatically if the field is left blank. You'll find your existing ISRCs in your previous distributor's dashboard or release details.
| Recording | ISRC treatment |
|---|---|
| Same master moved to a new distributor | Reuse the original ISRC |
| Same recording in a different file format | Reuse the original ISRC |
| Remix or edit with a different mix, length, or arrangement | Assign a new ISRC |
| Remaster without significant creative change | Usually retain the ISRC, depending on the changes |
If you're unsure, check the IFPI guidance on when not to assign a new ISRC or ask your new distributor.
Step 5: Match Your Existing Metadata and Release Details
With the original ISRCs entered, compare the replacement release's metadata with the existing version. Streaming platforms use this information, along with other signals, to recognize previously distributed music.
Review the following fields before submission:
| Field | What should match |
|---|---|
| Track and album titles | Spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and version tags |
| Artist information | Primary and featured artists, their roles, and intended artist profiles |
| Audio | Original recording, duration, and version |
| Release information | Original release date, track order, and credits |
| Content labeling | Explicit or clean designation |
Even small changes, such as adding an unnecessary version label or uploading a different edit, can interfere with matching.
Artist-profile details also matter. Where supported, provide existing artist IDs or URLs so the release isn't delivered to another artist with a similar name.
Step 6: Wait for the New Releases to Go Live
Submit the checked releases and keep their existing versions available while the new distributor processes and delivers them. This allows time for the replacement recordings to appear on streaming services before the previous deliveries are removed.
Processing times vary by distributor and platform. For example:
- LANDR lists a typical release window of 2–10 days.
- Spotify asks for 5 business days to get newly delivered music live.
- YouTube recommends that the new distributor redeliver Art Tracks about two weeks before they're meant to go live.
You may temporarily see both versions of a release on some platforms. This overlap gives platforms time to link the new version to the original. There's no set period for keeping both versions live, so follow the migration instructions from both distributors.
Once the replacement is available, check whether it has been recognized as the same recording rather than assuming the transfer is complete.
Step 7: Verify the New Releases on Streaming Platforms
Check the new releases on the main digital service providers (DSPs) you use before removing the originals.
Focus on:
- Track identity: Confirm the recording, title, duration, and artist profile are correct.
- Streaming history: Compare available play counts and artist analytics with the original release.
- Playlists and libraries: Check important playlist placements and saved-release links where visible.
Each platform handles this differently:
- Spotify: Spotify's track-linking keeps existing play counts when the audio and metadata match. If the new version shows the same play count as the old one, the tracks have linked.
- Apple Music: LANDR says stream counts should also carry over after a successful migration.
- YouTube: Art Tracks can't be transferred between distributors. Redelivery creates new videos with new video IDs and view counts starting from zero. YouTube Music playlist and library placements can carry over when the new distributor uses the same identifiers, such as ISRCs and UPCs.
- TikTok: LANDR notes that TikTok doesn't support ISRC-based migrations, so TikTok statistics won't carry over.
If you notice missing statistics, incorrect credits, or releases assigned to the wrong artist profile, contact the new distributor before proceeding with the takedown.
Step 8: Request a Takedown From Your Old Distributor
Once the replacement releases are live and verified, request a takedown from your previous distributor. If it collects YouTube Content ID revenue for you, ask it to release those claims too, so the new distributor can claim the recordings without ownership conflicts.
Removal times vary across platforms, so check that the old versions have been removed without affecting the new releases.
Keep your previous account open until all payments are settled. Streaming services report earnings after a delay, so your previous distributor may keep paying out for streams from before the takedown for a few months. Your new distributor collects revenue from its own deliveries.
Publishing royalties are handled separately from recording royalties. If you use a publishing administrator to collect songwriting and composition royalties, those arrangements remain unchanged unless you transfer them separately.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Switching Music Distributors
Most problems come from removing releases too early, changing recording details, or overlooking rights and payments. Common mistakes include:
- Taking down the old release too soon: Your music can disappear from platforms until the replacement goes live.
- Leaving the ISRC field blank: The new distributor may assign new codes, so platforms treat the tracks as new recordings.
- Changing details during the move: A new master, title, or artist credit can stop the new version from linking to the original.
- Forgetting YouTube Content ID: Claims from both distributors can conflict if the old one doesn't release them.
- Closing the old account early: You may lose access to final royalty statements and payments.
- Switching mid-campaign: Moving during a release campaign can disrupt promotion. Afterward, check that smart links and links in your bio point to the live versions, and that label permissions and collaborator agreements allow the move.
Manage Your Music Releases With Yamaha Creator Pass
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch music distributors without losing streams?
Usually, as long as the new distributor delivers the same audio with the original ISRC and matching metadata. Streaming services then link the new version to the original, which keeps play counts on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
Can I keep my Spotify playlist placements after switching distributors?
Your Spotify playlist placements may remain if the newly delivered track successfully links to the original recording. Keep the same audio, ISRC, and metadata, then check important playlists before your previous distributor removes its version.
Should I upload my music to the new distributor before removing it from the old one?
Generally, yes. Upload your recordings through the new distributor while the existing versions remain available. Once the replacements are live and correctly matched, ask the previous distributor to remove its deliveries to avoid interruptions for listeners.
What happens to royalties after switching music distributors?
Royalties earned before the switch stay with your former distributor, which may keep paying them for a few months because streaming services report earnings after a delay. Your new distributor collects earnings from its own deliveries. Songwriting royalties and YouTube Content ID payments may need separate arrangements.
Can I switch distributors without re-uploading my entire catalog?
You can transfer selected singles or albums rather than your entire catalog if your agreements allow it. Keep track of which distributor handles each release and avoid conflicting deliveries to the same streaming service and territory.
