The Ultimate Guide to Catalog Migration

You’ve put in the work. The streams are building, your releases are landing on playlists, and your catalog finally has some real momentum behind it.

The last thing you want is to switch distributors and watch all of that disappear.

That’s not an exaggeration. A poorly executed catalog migration can wipe out streaming history, drop playlist placements, and create duplicate releases that confuse both DSPs and your fans. It happens more than most people talk about, and it almost always comes down to the same preventable mistakes.

The good news? With the right process, none of that has to happen to you.

What Is Catalog Migration?

Catalog migration is the process of moving your music releases from one distributor to another while keeping everything intact: your streams, playlist placements, saves, metadata, and stats. The goal is to make sure DSPs like Spotify and Apple Music recognize your new delivery as the same release they already have on their platform, so your listening history stays connected and your fans never notice a thing.

The reason this gets complicated is that DSPs don’t track music by title alone. They rely on ISRCs, UPCs, and metadata to identify releases. If any of those change during the transfer, platforms may treat your redelivered music as a completely new release, which means disconnected stats, lost playlist placements, and in some cases, duplicate versions showing up on your artist profile.

Doing it right isn’t difficult, but it does require a clear plan. That’s exactly what this guide gives you.

Download the Free Catalog Migration Guide

We created The Ultimate Guide to Catalog Migration to take the guesswork out of switching distributors. It walks you through every step of the process so you can move your music to Symphonic with confidence, knowing your streaming history is protected the whole way through.

It’s completely free.

What’s Inside the Guide

How to Prep Your Catalog Before You Start

Migration problems almost always start before a single file is uploaded. The guide covers exactly what you need to gather ahead of time, from audio files and artwork to ISRCs, UPCs, songwriter info, and DSP-specific IDs, so nothing catches you off guard mid-transfer.

How to Use TransferTrack to Simplify the Process

Symphonic’s TransferTrack tool was built specifically for catalog migration. Instead of manually rebuilding every release from scratch, it imports your metadata directly from Spotify, flags mismatched information before anything goes live, and makes sure your ISRCs and UPCs carry over correctly. You don’t have to use it, but it makes the whole process significantly smoother. The guide shows you exactly how to use it step by step.

How to Keep Your ISRCs and UPCs Intact

This is the single most important technical step in any migration. The guide explains why these codes matter, what happens if they change, and how to make sure your tracks are properly matched across all DSPs so your streams and playlists stay connected.

How to Coordinate Takedowns the Right Way

One of the most common migration mistakes is taking releases down at the wrong time. The guide walks you through how to coordinate with your previous distributor so your old releases come down after your new ones are confirmed live, preventing any gaps where your music temporarily disappears from platforms.

How to Verify Everything After Migration

Getting your catalog live is only part of the job. The guide includes a full post-migration checklist covering releases, artist profiles, metadata, streams, playlists, territory settings, and more so you can catch any issues early and fix them fast. And once everything is confirmed live, Symphonic’s catalog optimization services can help you make the most of what you’ve built, from playlist pitching to sync licensing opportunities.

Who This Guide Is For

This guide is for any artist, manager, or label that is:

• Ready to switch distributors but nervous about losing streaming history
• Moving a large back catalog and wants a structured process to follow
• Switching to Symphonic for the first time and wants to get it right
• Looking for a clear checklist to make sure nothing gets missed

If you’ve ever searched “how to switch distributors without losing streams,” this guide answers that question in full. For a deeper look at what can go wrong during a switch, what no one tells you about switching distributors is worth reading alongside it.

Why Getting This Right Matters

Your catalog represents real career momentum. Every stream, every save, every playlist placement is part of how DSP algorithms understand your music and decide who to recommend it to. When a migration goes wrong, that data doesn’t always come back.

But when it goes right, the switch is invisible. Your music stays live, your history stays connected, and you move forward with a distribution partner that actually supports your growth.

That’s what this guide is designed to make possible. And once you’re over, these streaming analytics and catalog management features give you a clearer picture of your catalog’s performance than most artists have ever had access to.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is catalog migration?

Catalog migration is the process of transferring your music releases from one distributor to another while keeping streams, playlist placements, metadata, and stats connected. The key is making sure ISRCs, UPCs, and core metadata stay consistent so DSPs recognize the new delivery as the same release.

Will I lose streams or playlists when switching distributors?

Not if the migration is handled correctly. DSPs use ISRCs and UPCs to identify releases, so as long as those codes stay the same and your metadata matches, your streaming history should carry over. This breakdown of switching distributors without losing streams or playlists goes deeper if you want the full picture.

Do I need TransferTrack to migrate my catalog?

No, but it makes the process significantly easier. TransferTrack handles metadata import, flags errors before delivery, and helps make sure your codes stay consistent throughout the transfer. For large catalogs especially, it saves a lot of time and reduces the risk of mistakes.

Is the guide free?

Yes, completely free. No strings attached.

Download Your Free Catalog Migration Guide

Click below to download The Ultimate Guide to Catalog Migration from Symphonic and get the step-by-step process for moving your catalog without losing a single stream.

👉 Download the Free Guide Here