What can still be changed after distribution and what cannot
An emergency brake – not plan B.
It is possible to correct some details after distribution. But you should not count on it in advance. Everything has to be right from the very first moment.
Why this option exists at all
Distribution platforms and their systems have evolved over the years. Some metadata fields used not to exist or had a different structure. On top of that, some distributors historically delivered poor and incomplete metadata that had to be corrected later.
The ability to make changes after the fact was therefore created as a corrective tool – not as a back-up plan for those who decided to finish things off “some other time”. That is exactly how you should approach it.
Metadata must be prepared correctly before the release is submitted for distribution. It is your duty to familiarise yourself with them thoroughly in advance and to check the release. If you do need to change something after all, you make the edit yourself in the app – you can see what can and cannot be changed right in the release detail. Not all changes are possible, though, so before any bigger edits it is better to contact us first.
What can never be changed after distribution
The following details cannot be changed from the first submission for distribution onwards (even if the submission failed) – the relevant fields and buttons in the app, including deleting the release, are locked. The only way to “change” them is to remove the release from distribution and release it as a completely new one – with a new UPC/EAN and a new record in the databases (recordings that have not changed keep their ISRCs).
| Detail | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| UPC / EAN code | NO | The code is tied forever to the release in the exact form in which it was distributed. Adding, removing or changing a recording = a new release, a new UPC/EAN. |
| Recording ISRC code | NO | The ISRC identifies a specific sound recording. Any different version – an edit, a mix, a live version – is a new recording with a new ISRC. |
| Primary artist of the release | NO | The primary artist is always the artist name of your account – it cannot be edited directly on the release. Only the artist name of the whole account can be changed: Once free of charge before the first submission for distribution, and after that for a fee, with a new profile on the platforms and the releases sent again. |
| Track order and disc number | NO | The track order and disc number are part of the identity of the release tied to the UPC. Changing the order would in effect mean a different album. |
| Adding, changing or removing a recording (including replacing the audio file) | NO | Explained in detail in the article Recordings cannot be added to or removed from albums that are already released. |
What can be changed
The details below can be edited after distribution and the release sent to distribution again (redelivered). Remember, though, that even for these items every change should be the exception. If you are not sure whether a particular edit is possible, contact us first.
| Detail | Change |
|---|---|
| Release title and recording titles | YES |
| Album cover art | YES |
| Distribution platforms | YES |
| Additional primary artists and featured artists | YES |
| Release dates | YES |
| Genre | YES |
| C-line and P-line | YES |
| Explicit / Clean flag | YES |
| Lyrics | YES |
| Performers | YES |
| Authors | YES |
| Producers and other people involved in the production | YES |
You make the edit yourself in the app (Edit album details, Edit track). Saving alone is not enough, though – in the release detail, go to the Distribution section, tick the platforms and click Distribute Selected; processing on the platforms takes a few days. The form will not overwrite a Spotify URI or Apple Music ID of an additional artist that has already been saved – support will correct the identifier for you. Before bigger edits, or whenever you are unsure, it is better to contact us first. That way you avoid situations where, after redelivery, the wrong version shows up on the platforms or other complications arise.