There are 3 different situations for what changes you can make to your releases once they have been delivered to the DSPs. Note that the following explanation applies regardless of whether the release is already live or not — as long as it has been already delivered to the music services, this will apply:
1. CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE ON YOUR OWN BY SIMPLY SENDING AN UPDATE
When modifying any of the following aspects of your release, you can:
- Do so directly yourself without help from our support team
- Send the update to the DSPs (redistribute the release) without taking down your original release
Here is what you can change/update:
- Release cover image and title (as long as the image text matches the associated metadata – and vice versa – for the release)
- Language localization for artist names, submissions, and original/public domain tracks
- Additional artist names & roles
- Record label name IMPORTANT: if your account is set up as a parent-child account, then you must impersonate your child account before modifying the release's label. The only exception to this is if you are modifying the label on the Inspection page. There it is safe to do so without impersonating the child account.
- Track title and additional artist names & roles
- Genre
- P and C lines
- Publishing information
- Preview clip start time
- Explicit lyrics
- Distribution territories
- Pricing tier
- Sale start date
- Corrections for audio errors (like blank space, static or other corruption).
- In other words, you are keeping the same track/song (same ISRC) and you only need to replace the audio file, and your new audio file is close in duration. Note that the more different the new track length, the less likely the DSPs are to accept it. If you have time to wait and see if the DSPs will accept the update or reject it, then you can try redelivering your release with the new audio file by following these instructions. If you don't want to take a risk, please read the instructions for case #3.
- In other words, you are keeping the same track/song (same ISRC) and you only need to replace the audio file, and your new audio file is close in duration. Note that the more different the new track length, the less likely the DSPs are to accept it. If you have time to wait and see if the DSPs will accept the update or reject it, then you can try redelivering your release with the new audio file by following these instructions. If you don't want to take a risk, please read the instructions for case #3.
PROCEDURE
Simply edit your release and send the update to the DSPs
2. CHANGES THAT REQUIRE ASSISTANCE FROM SUPPORT (BUT WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE A TAKEDOWN OF YOUR RELEASE)
Here is what you can change/update:
- Original release date (this is not the date you indicate you want your release to go live when distributing it; this is in cases where you have indicated a historical release date)
PROCEDURE
Email us indicating the release ID or UPC and the release date. We will make the change for you.
3. CHANGES THAT REQUIRE A TAKE DOWN OF YOUR RELEASE
Here are the items you cannot change without taking down your release. Note that this is true even if your release isn't live yet.
- Track order
- Track count
- UPCs / ISRCs
- Audio changes that do not correct an audio error and/or significantly change the track length
- For Apple:
- The release catalog ID
- The track catalog ID
- Exceptions to the above:
- If you are using the Merlin Apple deal
- If you first distributed your release via Revelator after November 2024.
In such cases, the DSPs require that you redeliver your release with a new UPC.
PROCEDURE
- Create a new release with the changes
- Distribute the new release
- Take down the old release
- Add to the name of your old release " - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE" so that you don't get confused and redistribute the release. You should do the same to the old track with the bad audio if you had to change the audio file on one of your tracks.