Once your song is live, you can still fix most things — cover art, credits, and many metadata fields update across stores within a few days. But two things are effectively permanent: the recording itself and its ISRC. If you need to change the actual audio, you release a new version with a new code, not an edit of the old one. Here's exactly what you can edit, what you can't, and how to take a release down without throwing away your streams and stats.
What you can change after release
- Cover art — re-upload a corrected square; it propagates to stores in a few days.
- Most metadata — credits, featured artists, genre, and (often) the title, following the metadata rules.
- Where it's sold — add or remove platforms.
- Royalty splits for future earnings — see royalty splits.
These are edits to information about the release, so stores accept them. Expect a short delay while each platform refreshes.
What you can't change
- The audio file. To change the actual recording (a new master, a different mix, a clean edit), you release it as a new track — you can't swap the file under a live release.
- The ISRC. The ISRC is tied to that specific recording for life. A new recording gets a new ISRC; the UPC identifies the release it sits in.
This is by design: the ISRC is how every platform tracks plays and pays royalties for that exact recording. Changing the audio would break that chain.
How to fix a mistake the right way
Wrong audio uploaded, or a master you want to replace? Take the old release down and re-release the correct version as a new track with a new ISRC. You'll lose the old recording's stream count, so only do this when the audio itself is wrong — for text or art mistakes, edit in place instead.
How to take a release down
- Request the takedown in your distributor's dashboard (or ask support).
- The distributor sends a removal request to every store.
- Stores remove the track over the next several days — timing varies by platform.
- Any royalties already earned are still paid out on the normal schedule.
Will a takedown lose my streams and playlist spots?
Yes — taking a song down resets its stream count and removes it from playlists, and re-releasing it starts from zero. So don't take a track down for a fixable text or art error; edit it in place. Only remove a release when the audio is wrong, the rights have changed, or you're intentionally retiring it. If you're switching distributors, follow the careful sequence in how to switch distributors so you keep your catalog and history intact.
Releasing with Grootin? Edits and takedowns are handled from your dashboard, and our team can advise before you remove anything you'd regret. See Grootin's plans.