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How to Move a Release From Another Distributor to EngineEars

Already have music live on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. through another distributor? You can move it to EngineEars without losing your stream counts or playlist placements — as long as you follow these steps closely.

 

Want a hand with this? Join Office Hours and a member of our A&R team will walk you through migrating a single record live, so you can make sure it's done correctly. Check the schedule (updated every Monday) for a time that works. Don't see one that fits? Leave a comment in the "Support for Artist" section feed, tag @EngineEarsTeam, and request a time.

You can also contact support with any questions.

The Big Rule: Keep Everything Identical

Streaming platforms only recognize your migrated release as "the same release" if every detail matches your original 1:1. If anything is off, they'll treat it as a brand-new release and your stream counts/playlists will reset to zero.

Must match exactly:
  • Artist name(s)
  • Album/single title & song titles (including versions)
  • Original release date
  • Cover art
  • UPC/EAN and ISRCs
  • Track count & track duration
  • Audio files (same format, same compression — no re-exports or edits)
  • Language & Parental Advisory setting
  • Label name
  • Songwriter/producer credits

Tip: Have your original release open side-by-side while you fill out the new one, so you can double-check every field.

1. Start a new release on EngineEars by clicking the "Distribute" button on your dashboard


 

  • Choose "Distribute Only."

  • When asked for a Release Type, select "Migrate Existing Release."

Screenshot 2026-07-17 at 1.10.22 PM

  • Fill in the Original Release Date, UPC/EAN, ISRCs, and all metadata to match your live release exactly, then upload the identical audio files.

screencapture-engineears-release-8955-create-dsp-2026-07-17-13_36_51

2. Submit and wait

3. Check that it linked correctly

  • Once live, you'll briefly see a duplicate listing on platforms like Spotify (look for "1 more release"). This is normal — it's how you confirm the migration worked.

  • Compare stream counts, playlist placements, and fan saves between the original and the new upload. They should match.
  • If they don't match, double-check your metadata/audio files for anything that wasn't identical.

4. Take down the old release

  • Once you've confirmed everything lines up, log in to your previous distributor and request a takedown of the original release there.
Good to Know
  • Some duplicate overlap is normal while your old distributor processes the takedown — it's temporary.
  • iTunes/Amazon Music reviews may not carry over.
  • Historical analytics and royalty data from before the migration stay with your old distributor — EngineEars can't pull that in. Grab any historical data you need from your old distributor before switching. EngineEars analytics will pick up starting from the migration.
  • Migration isn't 100% guaranteed — it depends entirely on how closely your new upload matches the original. Identical metadata and audio files give you the best shot.