Guide
UPC code for music: what it is and how to get one
A UPC, or Universal Product Code, is the code that identifies a release, such as a single, EP or album. Stores use it to recognize and track your music. Most artists never have to buy one, because distributors usually create one for free. What matters is keeping it, and knowing when it has to change.
Updated November 2, 2026
Short answer
A UPC is a code that identifies a whole music release, while an ISRC identifies each track. Every release you distribute needs a UPC or EAN, and most distributors create one for free when you upload. You only need to buy one from GS1 if you need a code that works outside your distributor, such as for physical products. In the US, a single GS1 barcode costs $30 with no renewal fee.
What to do, in order
Let your distributor create it
DistroKid generates one automatically for each upload. TuneCore creates one if you leave the field blank, and Ditto gives them free of charge.
Find your UPC
Look in your release's details in your distributor's dashboard. Some distributors, such as TuneCore, show it only after the release is approved.
Save it
Keep a list of every release with its title, UPC, each track's ISRC, release date and distributor.
Decide if you need your own
If you need one for a physical product or for use outside your distributor, apply through your local GS1 office. Check your distributor accepts your own code first.
Reuse it when you move an identical release
If you're moving a release to another distributor without changes, ask the new one to use the same UPC and ISRCs where it allows them.
Use a new one when the tracklist changes
Adding, removing or reordering tracks generally needs a new UPC. Spotify says a change in structure has to be delivered again under a new ID.
UPC vs ISRC
An album with ten tracks has ten ISRCs and one UPC.
| UPC | ISRC | |
|---|---|---|
| Identifies | A release | A recording of a track |
| How many | One per release | One per track |
| Usually comes from | Your distributor or GS1 | Your distributor or your own ISRC prefix |
UPC or EAN?
Both identify a product. Ditto describes UPCs as twelve digits and EANs as twelve or thirteen digits, and both are used for releases. Use whichever your distributor gives you.
Do you need to buy one?
Usually not. A distributor's code is normally enough for digital distribution. It may not work elsewhere, though: DistroKid says its UPCs are only meant for digital distribution within DistroKid.
GS1 US sells a single code for $30 with no renewal fee. A company prefix for up to 10 items costs $250 up front and $50 a year. Those prices were checked on 2 November 2026.
Rules differ by distributor
Check these before you pick a distributor if you already have codes.
- DistroKid: custom UPCs aren't available on any plan.
- TuneCore: your existing UPC can be added on pay-per-release or Professional Unlimited.
- Ditto: gives you UPCs free and has its own rules for using an existing code.
Where you'll need your UPC
It comes up more than you'd expect. Spotify asks for it if you contact them to claim a profile before your first release. Deezer uses it when you claim your page. Your distributor will ask for it if a release goes missing, and a new distributor will ask for it when you move.
How Traxure helps
Traxure keeps your UPC and ISRCs with your releases. If you switch distributors, Move Guard gives you those details for the new upload and checks the new upload is live everywhere before the old one comes down. Traxure also checks your releases on Spotify and eleven other platforms every day. If one goes missing on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, TIDAL, SoundCloud or Pandora, you get an alert with a note ready to send your distributor. Every plan starts with a seven-day free trial.
Questions artists ask
What is a UPC code for music?
It's a Universal Product Code that identifies a release, such as a single or album. Stores use it to recognize and track your music.
Do I need a UPC for a single?
Yes. A single is a release too, and every release you distribute needs a UPC or EAN. Your distributor can usually create one.
How much does a UPC cost for music?
It's usually free from your distributor. In the US, a single GS1 code costs $30 with no renewal fee, as checked on 2 November 2026.
Can I use the same UPC with a new distributor?
Often yes, if the release is exactly the same and the new distributor accepts your code. TuneCore, for example, lets you reuse it on certain plans, while DistroKid doesn't accept custom UPCs.
Does a UPC change if I add a track?
Generally yes. Spotify says a change in track structure has to be delivered again under a new ID, such as a new UPC or EAN.
Sources
Traxure
Know the same day, not weeks later.
Traxure checks your releases on Spotify and other platforms around the clock, confirms a change before alerting you and tells you what to do next. Seven-day free trial.
Pricing
Plans from $12 a month.
7-day free trial on every plan. Cancel anytime.
- Artist $12/mo
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