Every new recording needs its own ISRC — including cover versions, alternate mixes, acoustic sessions, and live recordings. Reusing an original artist's ISRC on your cover is one of the most common metadata errors in independent music and it causes royalty misattribution for both artists.
The short answer
Yes. Every new recording of a song requires its own unique ISRC (International Standard Recording Code), regardless of whether the underlying composition already has an ISRC assigned to the original recording. The ISRC identifies the recording, not the song. A cover version is a different recording — therefore it requires a different ISRC.
What the ISRC actually identifies
An ISRC is a 12-character code in the format CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN. It is a permanent identifier for a specific sound recording. The key word is recording: a particular studio session, with a specific line-up of performers, mixed and mastered at a specific point in time. The same song can have dozens of ISRCs — the original, a remix, an acoustic version, a live recording, a cover by a different artist, and a re-recording by the original artist all require separate ISRCs. The ISRC is how streaming platforms, broadcasters, and collecting societies track which recording of a song is being used, and therefore who should be paid master recording income (PPL, SoundExchange) from that use.
Why using the wrong ISRC causes problems
When a cover recording is uploaded to a distributor using the same ISRC as the original recording, several things can go wrong:
- The streaming platform's database assigns the streams from the cover to the original recording. The cover artist's streams do not accumulate correctly, harming playlist algorithm signals and chart eligibility.
- PPL neighbouring rights income from broadcasts of the cover is attributed to the original recording's performers, not the cover artists. The cover artist loses all PPL broadcast income.
- SoundExchange (US digital performance) income from the cover is attributed to the original rights holders.
- The original artist's streaming and performance data is contaminated with usage events that belong to a different recording.
- Distributors and DSPs may flag the release for content conflicts, delaying or blocking delivery.
How to get an ISRC for your cover
In the UK, ISRCs are assigned by the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) to registered ISRC registrants — typically labels or distributors. The process:
- If you distribute through a major distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, Ditto, etc.), the distributor automatically assigns a unique ISRC to every release you submit. Do not manually enter another recording's ISRC — leave the ISRC field blank or enter the code your distributor assigns.
- If you are a registered ISRC registrant with the BPI, allocate the next available code from your registrant block for the new recording.
- Ensure the ISRC you assign is registered in your ISRC registry with the correct metadata: recording title, performers, release date, and duration.
What about remixes and alternate versions?
The same rule applies to all new recordings of the same composition: a radio edit, an extended mix, an instrumental, an acoustic version, a live recording, and a remix by a different producer all require their own unique ISRCs. The underlying composition (identified by ISWC) remains the same across all versions — the ISWC connects all recordings of a song to the composition rights holder (the songwriter). But each recording has its own ISRC connecting it to the master recording rights holder (the label or performing artist).
What about the composition rights for a cover?
Recording a cover and assigning a new ISRC handles the master recording side. You still need to ensure the composition rights are cleared. In the UK, streaming services pay MCPS a mechanical royalty for every cover they stream — MCPS then distributes to the original songwriter. You do not need to separately license the composition for streaming (this is handled by the platform's blanket MCPS licence). For physical manufacture of a cover (CD, vinyl), you need a separate MCPS mechanical licence. For sync (using your cover in TV, film, or advertising), you need permission from the original songwriter or their publisher.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my distributor already assigned an ISRC to my cover — do I need to change it?
If your distributor assigned a new unique ISRC to your cover recording, that is correct. No change needed. Only re-examine the ISRC if you manually entered an existing code (for example, copied from the original recording) or if your distributor's system shows a conflict.
Do I need the original artist's permission to record a cover for streaming?
For streaming distribution, the mechanical licence is handled by the platform (via MCPS in the UK and the MLC in the US) — you do not need direct permission from the original artist. You do need their permission (or their publisher's) to use the cover in sync, advertising, or physical manufacturing.
What ISRC format do I use for a live recording of a cover?
A live recording of a cover (or any song) is a new recording and requires a new ISRC assigned by your registrant. Follow your distributor's standard process — they will assign a new ISRC automatically for each submission.
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