How to Migrate a Music Catalogue to a New Distribution Platform
- 13 Nov 2026
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Moving a whole catalogue to a new distribution platform is different from moving one artist's releases. A label or distributor may have hundreds of releases, many artists and contracts behind each one. Done carefully, stream counts and playlist placements usually carry over. Done badly, releases disappear, stream counts reset or royalties go missing for months.
Before you start
- Export everything from the old platform: titles, artists, contributors, ISRCs, UPCs, original release dates, labels, genres and ℗ and © lines.
- Collect the masters and artwork in the original quality. Do not rely on downloading files from a store.
- Check your contracts with the old distributor for notice periods and how takedowns work.
- Download your royalty reports and note which periods are still to be paid.
- Inform your artists about the timing and what, if anything, they need to do.
The rules that protect your streams
- Keep the same ISRCs and UPCs. Stores use them to recognise that a newly delivered release is the same as the existing one. New codes create a new release with no history.
- Keep the original release date. Otherwise the catalogue looks like new releases.
- Match the metadata and audio exactly: the same titles, artist names, track order and audio files. A remastered or re-edited file can break the link to the existing track.
- Go live first, take down second. Only ask the old distributor to remove releases after the new delivery is live in the stores.
- Sort out YouTube Content ID. If both distributors claim the same recordings, YouTube flags an ownership conflict. Ask the old distributor to release its Content ID claims as part of the move.
Read ISRC and UPC codes explained for background, and how to switch distributors for the same process at artist level.
Migrate in waves
- Test with a few releases. Pick releases with different formats and some streaming history.
- Check them in every major store once they are live: are play counts, playlist positions and artist pages intact?
- Move the rest in batches, starting with the releases that earn the most so you can watch them closely.
- Take down at the old distributor batch by batch, after each batch is confirmed live.
Royalties during the move
Stores pay months after streams happen. Earnings from the months before the switch will still be reported through your old distributor, sometimes for several reporting periods. Keep your account there open until the last statements arrive. See when streaming royalties arrive.
Migrating to SpaceMedia Whitelabel
On SpaceMedia Whitelabel, the migration feature retrieves release metadata from Spotify to speed up the import, and bulk catalogue migrations are supported for larger labels and distributors. Our team can help you plan the move. Check the imported data against your own export before delivery, especially songwriter and contributor credits.
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Register on SpaceMedia
Begin your music publishing journey by signing up and creating a free account on SpaceMedia.
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Choose the plan that suits you best
Select from a variety of membership options to find the one that aligns perfectly with your music distribution needs.
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Submit your music for distribution
Create a new release and upload your tracks to have them distributed across various platforms.
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Quick Review
Our team promptly evaluates your uploaded tracks, ensuring they meet our quality standards before distribution.
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Get Paid
Once your music is distributed and gains traction, we ensure timely compensation for your creative work.
SpaceMedia delivers music to a broad and changing network of streaming, download, social, and music-identification platforms. This can include major services such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, SoundCloud, Tidal, Pandora, Boomplay, Anghami, iHeart, JioSaavn, KKBOX, NetEase Cloud Music, Tencent, Qobuz, and other supported partners.
The exact network can change as platforms update territories, rules, and delivery requirements. SpaceMedia gives you access to supported distribution channels, but no distributor can guarantee that every platform will accept every release in every country.
Most major streaming services do not let every artist upload music directly. A distributor like SpaceMedia delivers your audio, artwork, metadata, and rights information to supported platforms so your release can appear on services such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, and others.
Create an account, choose the plan that fits your needs, upload the final release files, review the details, and submit. SpaceMedia reviews Free submissions within 5 business days, Premium submissions within 2 business days, and Label submissions within 1 to 2 business days. Store publishing happens afterwards.
You can monetize eligible music on supported video platforms through Content ID when your plan includes it. Content ID is currently included with Premium and Label, and it is not included with the Free plan.
Only submit music you fully control for Content ID. Tracks with uncleared samples, non-exclusive beats, royalty-free loops used by many creators, public-domain recordings, or disputed rights may be rejected or may cause claims that need to be resolved.
Submit your release through SpaceMedia and choose distribution to social music platforms where available. Eligible releases can be delivered to platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and other supported social or short-form music services.
Once delivered, each platform decides how the music appears, how long processing takes, and which features are available in each territory. Use accurate metadata and clean audio to reduce avoidable delivery issues.
Independent music distribution lets artists release music to streaming, download, and social platforms without signing to a traditional record label. You stay in control of your music while using a distributor to deliver it to supported services.
With SpaceMedia, you can manage releases, artist details, earnings, and payout information from your account. All standard plans let users keep 100% of standard store royalties.
The Free plan lets artists release music without an upfront distribution fee and keep 100% of standard store royalties.
This gives new artists a way to start releasing music before paying for a yearly plan. Premium and Label add more primary-artist capacity and tools. All standard plans include 100% of standard store royalties.
Yes. In many cases you can transfer existing releases to SpaceMedia while keeping them live, as long as you submit the same metadata, audio, artwork, UPC, and ISRCs where available.
Keep the old release live until the SpaceMedia delivery is live and matched correctly. Removing the old version too early can interrupt availability or make stores treat the transfer as a new release instead of matching it to the existing one.