Fix music metadata after release: prepare a clear correction

Classify the issue before changing anything

• A typo, credit, explicit label, artwork or track-order error is a metadata question.
• The right release on the wrong artist page is an artist-mapping problem.
• A new artist name or a changed recording can require a different review from a spelling correction.
• A disputed owner, unauthorised release or contested credit can involve rights and evidence beyond an ordinary data correction.

Prepare a before-and-after request

1. Identify the delivered release and affected track: title, release reference, ISRC or UPC where available, and a live store link.
2. Quote the current incorrect value and the exact intended replacement. “Fix the credits” is less useful than a specific corrected name and role.
3. State which destinations show the problem and which already display the intended value.
4. Provide relevant approvals or rights information, especially for artist roles or ownership-related changes. Do not include unrelated contracts or personal data.
5. For artwork, supply the correct approved file and explain which version it replaces. Keep the existing and replacement filenames distinct.

A useful message example

“Release [reference], track [ISRC], service [name], URL [link]. The producer credit currently reads [current value]; the approved credit is [correct value and role]. The artwork and audio are unchanged. Please confirm the appropriate correction route.” Replace the brackets with your own checked information. This is a request structure, not a promise that every proposed change is accepted.

Why the distributor is involved

Spotify’s official guidance routes delivered artist names, titles, artwork, dates, track order, territory availability, explicit tags, roles and credits through the label or distributor’s metadata update. Artist-tool access does not establish an ability to rewrite those delivered fields. Other services have their own processes; report each affected service clearly.

Avoid accidental duplicate releases

Do not delete and re-upload solely to see whether an error disappears. Do not change an ISRC or title to evade a correction or rights question. Ask whether the intended change is supported for the existing delivery and what must happen next. A new mix, edit or re-recording is not simply a metadata typo; use the recording-identity guide when the audio itself changes.

Keep a correction log

Record the request date, release and track, old value, proposed value, case reference and each destination’s result. A corrected display on one service does not prove that every other service has updated. After confirmation, inspect the actual release pages and keep a dated record of any remaining discrepancy. No fixed processing time or preservation of links, statistics or playlists is promised.

When DistroBolt did not deliver the release

Identify the delivering distributor for the affected version and period. DistroBolt cannot promise to edit somebody else’s delivery. If you are moving the catalogue, use the transfer guide to coordinate records and responsibilities rather than treating migration as an automatic metadata repair.

Prevent the next correction

Use one approved worksheet for titles, contributors, versions, artist links and files before submission. Follow the release checklist and keep collaborator approvals with your private release records.