Learn — By WATMM Desk —
What is a UPC (or EAN) for a music release?
A UPC is the barcode that identifies a whole release, such as a single, EP or album, as one product; the number it carries is a 12-digit GTIN, and an EAN is the 13-digit version. Here is how the number is built, what GS1 charges, and why most independent artists take the free one from their distributor.
Key facts
- GS1 US describes UPC-A as a 12-digit format; an EAN is a 13-digit GTIN, and GS1 US says both can be used internationally.
- The number is a GS1 company prefix, an item reference the brand owner assigns, and a check digit.
- CD Baby says a UPC is required for each submission and it gives one free if you do not have one (seen 26 Oct 2026).
A UPC (Universal Product Code) is the barcode that identifies a product, and for music the product is the release: one single, EP or album gets one UPC. The number under the bars is a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). An EAN is the same idea with 13 digits instead of 12. Individual recordings get a separate code, the ISRC.
How the number is built
GS1 US calls UPC-A "the flagship 12–digit format" used mostly by North American retailers, and says the GTIN is the identifying number while the UPC is the part a scanner reads. The 12 digits split into three parts:
- Company prefix: the first 6 to 10 digits, a company ID assigned by GS1.
- Item reference: the next 1 to 5 digits, assigned by the brand owner to each item.
- Check digit: the last digit, calculated from the other 11 so scanners can catch misreads.
UPC or EAN?
GS1 US says the 12-digit UPC is mainly used in North America and the 13-digit EAN mainly in the UK and Europe, and that "both UPCs and EANs can be seamlessly used internationally". For a digital release the distinction rarely matters: distributors ask for "UPC/EAN" in one field.
Where to get one
From GS1. GS1 US lists a single GTIN at $30 with no annual renewal, or 10 items for $250 plus $50 a year (prices seen 26 Oct 2026, US pricing). Buying from GS1 puts your own company prefix in the code.
From your distributor. CD Baby says "a UPC is required to distribute each submission", that you can get one from it free if you do not have one, and that digital platforms report sales to Nielsen SoundScan using the UPC (seen 26 Oct 2026).
What we think
For a streaming-only release, take the distributor's free code: listeners never see it, and the release still carries your artist and label metadata. Buy from GS1 only when you are pressing CDs or vinyl for shops, or running a label that wants its own prefix on every product. Either way, treat the UPC like the ISRC: write it down in your release records the day it is issued, because changing it later can split a release's sales history across two products.
Sources
- What Is a UPC Code?, GS1 US (primary source). Accessed 26 Oct 2026.
- EAN Numbers and UPCs: What is the Difference?, GS1 US (primary source). Accessed 26 Oct 2026.
- How Much Does CD Baby Cost?, CD Baby (primary source). Accessed 26 Oct 2026.
Researched with AI assistance, written and checked by WATMM Desk.