Old songs come back for good reasons. Maybe your first single came out years ago through a label you no longer work with, or a friend uploaded it under his own account, or the metadata was wrong from day one. Maybe you finally have a better master. Re-releasing is often a good idea, but it has a few traps, and most of them come from treating it like a brand-new release.
Same recording or a new one?
Start with this question, because everything else depends on it.
An ISRC is a code that identifies one specific recording, not the song in general. If you re-release exactly the same audio, it is the same recording and should keep its original ISRC. You can usually find the code in the old distributor's account or in old release documents, or get it from whoever released the song.
If the audio has changed, it is generally treated as a new recording with a new ISRC. That includes a new mix, a remaster that clearly sounds different, a new vocal take or a full re-recording. A 2025 version of Sami Rowe's "Paper Boats" with new drums is a different recording from the 2019 original, even though the song is the same.
Don't reuse an old ISRC for new audio, and don't give the same audio a new code just to make it look fresh. Both confuse the history and the reporting.
What happens to the old streams
Play counts and playlist positions belong to the release on the platform, not to you or to the song. When an old release is taken down, its counter and its playlist spots usually go with it.
Platforms can sometimes connect a new release to the old one when the ISRC is the same and the audio matches, and keep part of the history. This is not guaranteed and depends on each platform, so don't build your plan on it. Ask your distributor what is possible in your case. Many distributors also let you enter the original release date, so the song is shown with its real year.
The safest order is simple:
- Submit the re-release and wait until it is live everywhere.
- Update your links and ask playlist curators to switch to the new version.
- Only then request removal of the old release.
That way there is never a moment when the song is missing.
Why two copies are a problem
Leaving both versions online sounds harmless, but it causes trouble:
- Listeners and playlists split between two copies, so neither looks strong.
- Platforms may treat identical audio on two releases as duplicate content and remove one of them, not necessarily the one you would choose.
- On YouTube, two owners claiming the same recording through Content ID creates a conflict, and income can be held until it is resolved.
- Your artist profile shows the same song twice, often with different covers.
If you want both versions available, they should be genuinely different: for example the original and a clearly labelled acoustic or remastered version with its own ISRC.
Removing the old version properly
Only whoever released the old version can take it down: the former label, the old distributor or the friend who uploaded it. Contact them early, explain the plan and agree on a date after the new release is live. Ask for written confirmation of the takedown, and if they registered the song in Content ID, ask them to release those claims as well.
If you can't reach them, don't just upload a second copy and hope for the best. Collect whatever proves your ownership and explain the situation to your new distributor before you submit.
Check the rights before anything else
A re-release is a good moment to read old contracts. Even if you made the song, some parts may not be yours:
- The master. If a label paid for or released the recording, the contract may give it the rights for years or for good. Re-releasing the same recording then needs the label's permission.
- The beat. A leased beat may have had limits or an expiry date.
- Co-writers and featured artists. They should agree to the new release, especially if the credits change.
- The cover. A photo or design licensed for the original release may not cover a new one.
Distributors expect you to own, or have permission for, all audio, artwork and materials. At CULT the team reviews every release before it goes out, and if something about the rights is unclear, the requested changes appear in the portal. Having the answers ready beforehand is much quicker.
Before you submit the re-release
- The original ISRC, or a clear decision that this is a new recording with a new code.
- A written agreement with the old label or distributor about the takedown date.
- Permission from co-writers, featured artists and the beat producer where needed.
- A cover you hold the rights to, matching the title and artist name of the new release.
- The original release date, if you are re-releasing the same recording.
- A plan for links: which posts, bios and playlists need to point to the new version.
A re-release done in this order looks to listeners like a simple update, which is exactly what you want.