How to get ISRC codes and report your music sales to Luminate

Are you gearing up to release a new album or single into the world? There is lots of preparation to be done before you start selling your album online. Learning about ISRC codes is an important piece of your release plan puzzle.

As an independent musician, you’ll want to sell music directly through your website. This way, more money will go directly to you, the artist (with no commission taken by a third party).

In order to report sales made through your own music website to Luminate (formerly SoundScan), the company that powers the Billboard charts, you'll need to get ISRC codes for each song. Reporting sales to Luminate is a built-in feature if you have a Bandzoogle website and opt for the Pro plan.

Now let’s address some questions you might have, including where to get ISRC codes, how to apply them to your tracks, and how to be sure your music is reported to Luminate:

What is Luminate and why is it important for my music?
What is an ISRC code, and why do I need it?
What music tracks are eligible for reporting?
Who can apply for an ISRC code?
How do I get ISRC codes for my songs?
How much do ISRC codes cost?
How do I apply ISRC codes to my tracks on my website?
When do online music sales through my website get reported to Luminate?
How do I report sales made at live shows?
Are my music streams reported to Luminate?

What is Luminate and why is it important for my music?

Luminate (formerly SoundScan) is a music data company, and its sales data feeds the Billboard music charts. It measures music sales across the US and Canada. Billboard's charts only count songs that carry an ISRC code and albums that carry a Universal Product Code (UPC).

While it’s certainly not necessary, getting your song onto a Billboard chart is definitely a nice measure of success that’s achievable by independent artists more than ever before.

Proving that you can sell music will go a long way towards booking shows and garnering buzz for your band. This in turn can generate interest in your music from the media, potential sponsors, or management and record labels.

What is an ISRC code, and why do I need it?

ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. It's a one-of-a-kind code that stays with one specific recording forever, so every sale of that recording can be counted.

Every ISRC is 12 characters long, made up of a two-character country code (for example, US or QZ for recordings registered in the US), a three-character registrant code, a two-digit year, and a five-digit designation code. For example: QZ-ABC-26-00001. The hyphens are only there to make it easier to read, so you'll often see the same code written as QZABC2600001.

Each recording gets its own code, so a remix, remaster, or live version of a song needs a new ISRC. A UPC, by contrast, identifies the whole release, like a single or an album. Streaming services and collection agencies also use ISRCs to track plays and pay artists, which links your music to several royalty streams.

What music tracks are eligible for reporting?

As long as your music has an ISRC code, Luminate can track it. Price matters too, so set each track at $0.69 USD or higher for it to count. Digital albums must sell for $7.99 USD or higher, CDs and cassettes for at least $7.99 USD, and vinyl for at least $15.99 USD. For example, a digital album priced at $6.99 won't count, so price it at $7.99 or higher.

Keep in mind that music sold in a bundle with merch, like an album and t-shirt bundle, isn't reported. Bulk orders of 5 or more copies are also reduced or excluded. Order size matters as well: when one customer buys 1 to 4 copies, every copy counts; 5 to 9 copies count as 4; and orders of 10 or more copies are excluded from reporting.

Who can apply for an ISRC code?

If you are the rights owner of the track, you can apply for the ISRC code.

How do I get ISRC codes for my songs?

If a distributor such as DistroKid gets your songs onto streaming services, you most likely have ISRC codes already. DistroKid automatically assigns an ISRC code to every song you upload. Open the release from your DistroKid dashboard, and you'll see each track's ISRC code next to its title.

If you're releasing without a distributor and still want your sales reported to Luminate, you'll need to get codes yourself from an agency.

You can head over to the International ISRC Agency's website to look for agencies in your area.

If you're in the US, visit the US ISRC Agency, where a single payment gets you a Rights Owner Prefix so you can assign ISRC codes to your own tracks. If you'd rather have someone handle your codes for you, the US ISRC Agency also lists approved ISRC managers who can assign them on your behalf.

In Canada, apply directly through Panorama (formerly SOPROQ), which now handles ISRC applications.

Once you get an ISRC code for a track, it's permanent for the life of the track. It works like a digital fingerprint for that recording, so getting one is a one-time job. If you switch distributors, bring your existing ISRC codes with you so your sales and streaming history stays connected.

How much do ISRC codes cost?

ISRC codes are included at no extra cost when you get them through a distributor like DistroKid. In the US, a Rights Owner Prefix (your country code plus registrant code) from the US ISRC Agency is a one-time $95 fee. After that, you can assign codes yourself at no extra cost. ISRC managers usually charge per code instead.

Distributor codes cover most independent artists. For example, if you release a 10-track album through DistroKid, you won't pay anything extra for ISRC codes. Registering your own prefix makes more sense if you release a lot of music or run a small label.

How do I apply ISRC codes to my tracks on my website?

Add ISRC codes to your tracks through your Bandzoogle website to be sure your digital sales are reported to Luminate. Here’s how:

1. In the Edit Content tab, click Add feature and select a music feature (Single, Album, Track List, Compact Player, or Music).
2. Upload a new track, select an existing track from your account, or import it from your DistroKid account.
3. Enter your code in the ISRC code field in the Track Details section.
4. Click Save.

To report full album sales, add the album's UPC code in the Album feature as well.

When do online music sales through my website get reported to Luminate?

US and Canadian digital music sales made through your Bandzoogle website are reported to Luminate daily. A digital sale counts once the buyer clicks their download link. For physical albums, add a UPC code in the product settings and mark the order as shipped in your Transaction History.

If you have set up a pre-order and make sales prior to your release date, all of the sales are reported once your album is released.

How do I report sales made at live shows?

If you want to report sales of your music at live shows to Luminate, a service such as atVenu (through its Luminate Reporter package) provides live venue sales reporting.

At in-person shows and during live streams, share a QR code linking to your website so fans can buy your latest release directly.

Are my music streams reported to Luminate?

Luminate does track streams, but Bandzoogle reports sales only. To have your streams counted, distribute through DistroKid, which delivers your music to 150+ platforms. Meanwhile, selling your music online through your website is how direct sales count toward the charts.

Still have more questions about Luminate? Check out our Help article: Reporting Sales to Luminate.