Switching music distributors isn’t just common — it’s sometimes necessary. Whether you’re frustrated with your current platform, consolidating old accounts, or getting a better deal elsewhere, the key is doing it without breaking your links, your stats, or your profile.
Here’s how to switch the right way.
Table of Contents
Why Artists Switch Distributors
Artists move their music for all kinds of reasons:
- Tired of services like DistroKid or TuneCore pulling down releases if you miss a payment
- Looking for better deals or faster support
- Trying to consolidate music spread across multiple distributors
- Cleaning up messy artist profiles and duplicates (more on that here)
Whatever the reason, a clean transfer can save your digital identity and avoid a ton of downstream problems.
Step 1: Get Organized — Codes, Files, Covers
First, gather everything. That includes:
- ISRCs for every track (these are the unique codes tied to the audio itself)
- UPCs for every release (these identify the album/project as a whole)
- Wave files and cover art
Some distributors allow you to download assets from your dashboard, but don’t count on it. Make sure you’ve backed everything up — preferably in a spreadsheet and organized folders.
If you don’t know what ISRC or UPC codes are, or how to organize this stuff, we’ve got a guide for that here.
Step 2: Reupload to the New Distributor
Once your files and codes are ready:
- Upload your release to the new distributor
- Use the exact same ISRCs for each track
- Use the exact same UPC for the whole album or single
- Link your artist profile correctly
- Link all guest artists correctly (or duplicates might appear)
- Set the original release date correctly, so it appears in the right order on Spotify
If you change that date, the album will appear as a brand-new release, which can confuse your followers and mess up your release timeline.
Step 3: Wait Until Both Versions Are Live
Keep a close eye on your Spotify profile.
- When you see two versions of the same album live — the old one and the new one — only then should you go back and takedown the original release.
Taking it down too soon could result in lost links, broken streams, and dropped stats.
The goal is a seamless switch — if all codes are entered correctly, the play counts and links should remain intact.
Important Notes: What You Can and Can’t Change
If you’re tempted to use this switch as a chance to make edits:
- You can swap the audio file for a song — same title, same ISRC
- You cannot add or remove songs from the album and keep the same UPC
- If you alter the track list, it becomes a new release and must be treated as such
Trying to sneak changes in under the same code will break your link continuity and confuse the DSPs.
Warning: Don’t Try to Change Your Artist Name
Changing your artist name during this process is a total nightmare.
- It won’t just rename your profile — it will create an entirely new artist identity
- Spotify, Apple, and other DSPs will treat it as a brand-new act
- You’ll lose continuity, linkages, and most of your ecosystem
Only do this if you’re ready for a full, painful rebrand — and even then, expect chaos.
If you’re trying to move your catalog without losing your audience, stats, or profile control, check out our digital admin services:
https://360promo.net/#Digital-Admin
360 Promo is a full-service music marketing, promotion, distribution and admin company. Learn more about us and what we do at 360 Promo, follow us on Instagram and contact us to tailor a plan that works for you.