How to switch music distributors without losing your streams

You can move to a new distributor without losing your play counts or your places in playlists. Three things have to be right: the new distributor delivers every recording with the same ISRC and every release with the same UPC, the audio and metadata are identical to the old delivery, and the old delivery only comes down once the new one is live and linked.

If any of the three goes wrong, a store may treat your new delivery as a separate, new release. The new version then starts with its own empty counter, and once the takedown goes through, the old tracks in playlists may be greyed out and unplayable. Below you will find why it works this way, which steps to take in which order, what to check afterwards and what happens to royalties still arriving at your old distributor.

Why your streams do not have to be lost

Stores and streaming services identify a recording by its ISRC and a release by its UPC or EAN. The ISRC belongs to the recording itself, not to the distributor that delivers it. The International ISRC Agency, based at IFPI, states that a recording should keep its existing ISRC, including when it is licensed to another party. ISRC and UPC explained covers what the codes are.

Spotify can link a re-delivered version to the old one through track-linking. The play count is kept, provided the audio and metadata of the old and new versions are the same, including duration, title and artist name.

YouTube gives music partners similar guidance: a partner taking over a catalogue should deliver with the same identifiers as the previous partner, such as ISRC, UPC and EAN. That keeps placements in algorithmic playlists and in users' own playlists and libraries on YouTube Music.

There is one important exception. Art Tracks, the automatically generated YouTube versions of your tracks with the album artwork, cannot be transferred under the same guidance. A new delivery creates new videos, and their view counts start from zero. YouTube also notes that this process may not be needed for some distributor moves, so ask your old and new distributor how it will work in your case.

Step 1: map your catalogue

Record how your releases look now, before you give notice anywhere. Copy the details as they appear in the stores, not as you remember them. For each release, note:

• the UPC and the release title
• per track: the ISRC, title, version tag (such as "Radio Edit"), duration, and the artist names with their roles and order
• the original release date, the label name, and the P-line and C-line
• the credits, such as songwriters and producers, and your split agreements with collaborators
• the links to your artist profiles in the stores

Also dig out the audio files and artwork you originally delivered. Download your statements and exports from the old distributor, and take an export or screenshots of your statistics in the artist tools. That gives you a reference point if something does not add up later. The release metadata checklist lists what belongs with a release.

Step 2: read your old distributor's terms

Do not give notice until you know what your contract says. Find out:

• the notice period and when your contract ends
• whether your releases go offline automatically when you give notice, or whether you decide when the takedown happens
• whether giving notice or a takedown costs anything
• what happens to your balance and to royalties that arrive after you give notice, and whether a minimum payout applies
• how long you keep access to your account and statements
• how YouTube Content ID and the music libraries of social platforms are handled when you leave

If your old distributor takes everything down as soon as you give notice, time your notice so that the new delivery is already live. If you are unsure what a clause means, ask the distributor or an adviser.

Step 3: re-deliver with the same codes and details

Create the release at your new distributor with the same UPC and, per track, the same ISRC. Do not let anyone generate new codes for recordings that already have them. Use exactly the same audio files: no new master and no different edit, because Spotify asks for identical audio, including duration. Copy the metadata character for character.

An example with invented names:

Want to fix something, such as a typo in a title? Do it as a separate step once the move is complete, so the link is not put at risk. Also ask your new distributor how to supply the original release date and how to connect the release to your existing artist profiles, so that it does not end up on a new profile with the same name.

At Crystal Distribution, you move an existing catalogue via Tools → Transfer in the portal. Existing ISRC and UPC codes are kept; a recording without an ISRC is assigned one. Staff review metadata, rights and media before a release goes to the distribution partner. Create a release shows how a release is structured in the portal, from tracks and credits to planning and rights.

If your old distributor handles YouTube Content ID or the TikTok and Instagram music libraries for you, arrange that handover as well. YouTube describes a fixed order for music partners: the new partner adds its ownership first, then the old partner removes its own, so that claims are not released in between. At Crystal, Content ID and the music libraries are separate choices in the distribution agreement that require exclusive rights. YouTube Content ID, TikTok and Instagram explains more.

Step 4: wait until the new delivery is live

Delivered is not the same as visible in every store. Each store processes deliveries at its own pace. At Crystal, the status Live means that the distribution partner has confirmed the delivery; availability in a specific store can take hours to days after that (see release status). So check the stores yourself before you move on.

On Spotify, check whether the tracks have linked. Open the desktop app, go to your artist profile and compare the play count next to each track. If it matches the count of the old version, the tracks have linked.

Step 5: then have the old delivery taken down

Now request the takedown from your old distributor, and allow for processing time: Spotify says it needs at least two business days to process a takedown. After removal, the old version may still be visible through a direct link, but greyed out and unplayable, unless another version of the track is live in the listener's country. That is exactly why the new version has to be there first.

Do not leave both deliveries running side by side for longer than necessary either. Duplicate versions on your profile can confuse listeners, and your income is then split across two distributors, which makes your bookkeeping harder.

The same logic applies on YouTube. For Content ID, the new partner claims first, and only then does the old partner give up its ownership. YouTube also advises taking down old Art Tracks only once the new partner has re-delivered everything.

What to check in the stores and artist tools

After the move, go through the main places:

If something is off, leave the old version up a little longer and ask your new distributor to compare the details with your overview from step 1. If a release lands on the wrong artist profile, report it to your distributor or through the store's artist tools.

Royalties still arriving at your old distributor

Streams of the old delivery are reported to your old distributor, and stores report with a delay: usually one to three months later (see royalties and statements). Money therefore keeps arriving at your old distributor for a while after the takedown. To make sure you do not miss any of it:

• Keep your account and bank details at the old distributor active until the final statement has come in.
• Ask how the remaining balance will be paid out, including if it is below the minimum payout.
• Download your statements before you lose access.
• In your bookkeeping, track which distributor reports which income for each period. During the transition both of them report, each for its own delivery.
• If you use splits, agree with your collaborators how their share is settled during the transition, and set up the splits again at your new distributor.

At Crystal Distribution, statements are broken down per period, per track and per store, so you can see when income from the new delivery starts coming in.

Common mistakes when switching

• Taking the old delivery down first. Your music is then temporarily unplayable, including in playlists.
• Generating new codes. A new ISRC or UPC gives your existing recording or release a new identity in the stores.
• Tidying up metadata during the move. A changed title, version tag or artist name can stop the tracks from linking.
• Uploading different audio. A new master, or an edit with a different duration, can also stop the tracks from linking.
• Not handing over Content ID properly. If two parties claim the same recording, an ownership conflict arises that has to be resolved first.
• Giving notice without a plan. If you give notice before the new delivery is live, you risk the old distributor taking everything down too early.
• Switching in the middle of a release campaign. Plan the move for a quiet period, not around a new release or a pending pitch.

A switch mostly takes preparation: a complete overview, the same codes and the right order. See how distribution at Crystal works, and read how to choose a music distributor for the questions to ask a new distributor before you move.