There are three primary product codes associated with your release: UPC, ISRC, and Catalogue Number. These codes are required for the distribution of digital music and are vital for sales tracking, accounting, stream-linking, and successful delivery. You can supply your own product codes by adding them to your release during the upload process. If you don’t have product codes for your release, AWAL can assign them if you leave each of the relevant fields blank in the Uploader.
Note: If you’re transferring a catalogue between distributors it’s vital you utilize the same product codes for the AWAL version of your release to ensure your streams will link. Visit Catalogue Transfer Best Practices for more information.
The UPC (Universal Product Code) [also referred to as an EAN (European Article Number)] is a 12-13 digit code specific to each version and format of an album/EP/Single. This means physical products have a different code to the digital version, a deluxe version has its own code, and so on. For accurate tracking of sales, it’s imperative that every version of a release has its own unique code. If your release already has a UPC, you can enter it in step 4 of the Uploader.
Note: The AWAL Uploader only accepts 13-digit UPC codes so if your code is 12 digits, you should add a leading zero when uploading.
The ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is the international identifier for a recording. Unlike the UPC, a track’s ISRC should remain the same whether it’s a digital release, physical, a single, or a track on an album. However, if you've mastered your track, or if it has been edited for radio play purposes, remixed, or extended, each different version must have a new ISRC. Please find more information here pertaining to when a new ISRC assignment is required, The ISRC is very important for accounting purposes for digital services and is used by bodies such as PRS and PPL. If you have your own ISRCs for your tracks, please enter these on step 5 of the Uploader.
Catalogue Numbers are traditionally assigned by labels and used to identify the product within your wider catalogue. This doesn't appear on the majority of digital services but will display on some of the dance-oriented services such as Beatport, Juno and Traxsource. If you’ve already assigned your own catalogue number to your release, please be sure to enter this on step 4 of the Uploader.