The What, Why and How of Catalog Migration

Catalog migration is tricky business – just ask any artist and they’ll tell you as much.  With the advancement of technology, and new players entering the market everyday, it can be overwhelming to choose a solution that best suits you. But the more challenging part is yet to follow – the perfect goodbye.

Distribution is a story as old as the music industry. The difference is that it’s transformed from a physical record store to a digital space where each distributor provides unique solutions suited to the current industry climate.

So what’s stopping artists from shifting their catalog from one distributor to another even when it means better services and higher payout rates?

The answer is quite simple: market monopolies, lack of information about distribution agreements and legal implications, and the ever prominent fear of loss in streaming numbers and playlist placements.

So let’s break it down and understand how you can migrate your catalog to MADverse. But before we lay out the perfect game plan, let’s understand rules first

1. Metadata -

For the uninitiated, metadata is a collection of information that pertains to a song file such as Artist Name, Genre, Track Duration, Producer, to name a few. It may sound boring but, it’s this data which helps track, sort, discover and reward your musical compositions.

Think of it this way – if your song is the human body, then the metadata is the genetic coding that makes each person unique. And when it comes to metadata, International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) and Unique Product Code (UPC) are  the holy grail for music distributors.

ISRC is a unique identifier attached to each master copyright recording or audio file. MADverse Music automatically generates the ISRC code when you put up your song for release.

UPC  is a barcode identifier attached to the product/release which is typically provided by your distributor.
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2. Steps to Shift your Catalog to MADverse -

a. Collect all the metadata including ISRC codes of each release from your previous catalog.This information should be available on the back-end of your existing music distribution company.

b. Make an account with MADverse and upload your previous releases. Make sure that you use your existing ISRC code and metadata. You will be issued a new UPC but your ISRC will remain the same to ensure there is no loss of streams.

c. Once your release is live with MADverse Music, make sure you remove the release with your previous distributor to make sure there are no duplicate releases.

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3.   Why Choose MADverse Music -

MADverse Music is a one-stop artist services and distribution company which provides a vast variety of services such as distribution, sync, playlist pitching, fan links, in - house social media marketing, and more.

You can choose from our three available plans and take advantage of our prompt customer service, comprehensive data dashboard, artist friendly payout rates, and innovative solutions built into our website to meet all your needs throughout your musical journey.

Gone are the days where big music companies dominated the music industry. Artists are now the driving force who make and release music on their own accord. And, with this significant power shift, it is important for independent artists to have close allies such as MADverse Music to help them realize their artistic goals.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to MADverse Music and make your musical dreams a reality.

Have any questions? Write to me at hiya.gupta@madverse.co and let’s take the conversation forward.