Why is ISRC matching better than text matching?

Text matching searches by song name and artist, which fails when multiple songs share similar names, when artist names have special characters, or when you want a specific version (original vs. remaster vs. live). ISRC matching uses a globally unique code to identify the exact recording.

What is MusicBrainz and how does Tunarc use it?

MusicBrainz is an open-source music database that catalogs ISRC codes, artist information, and recording metadata. When a track's ISRC is not directly available from a platform's API, Tunarc falls back to MusicBrainz to look up the correct ISRC code.

What happens to the 3% of tracks that don't match?

Unmatched tracks are typically platform exclusives or regional releases that genuinely do not exist on the destination platform. These tracks are flagged on a pending review page where you can manually search for alternatives.

ISRC Matching: The Most Accurate Way to Transfer Music

Every recording in the world has a unique ISRC code. When you transfer music between platforms, matching by ISRC is the difference between getting the right song and getting a cover, remix, or live version you did not want.

What Is an ISRC Code?

ISRC stands for International Standard Recording Code. It is a 12-character alphanumeric code assigned to every individual sound recording and music video. Think of it as a fingerprint for a specific recording -- not a song in general, but a specific version of a song.

The same composition performed by different artists gets different ISRCs. A studio version, a live version, a remaster, and a remix each get their own ISRC. This is what makes ISRC matching so precise.

GB-AYE-75-00107

Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody" (1975 Studio Version)

Country (GB = UK)

Registrant (EMI)

Year (1975)

Unique designation

Why Text-Based Matching Fails

Most playlist transfer tools search for songs by name and artist. This seems logical, but it breaks down in practice. Here are real examples of what goes wrong.

Text Matching (Name + Artist)

Search: "Love" by John Legend

Result: "Love" by John Legend (feat. various) -- wrong version

Search: "Yesterday" by The Beatles

Result: 2015 Remaster instead of original mix

Search: "Creep" by Radiohead

Result: Acoustic version instead of studio

Search: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd

Result: Remix version instead of original single

ISRC Matching (Tunarc)

ISRC: USSM11400627

Exact match: "Love" (Original Album Version)

ISRC: GBAYE0501495

Exact match: "Yesterday" (Original 1965 Mix)

ISRC: GBSTK9200012

Exact match: "Creep" (Studio Single Version)

ISRC: USUG11904187

Exact match: "Blinding Lights" (Original Single)

Text matching fails because there are millions of songs with similar names, multiple versions of the same recording, and inconsistencies in how platforms catalog artist names and featuring credits. ISRC bypasses all of these problems by using a globally unique identifier.

How Tunarc's Matching Pipeline Works

Tunarc does not rely on ISRC alone. It uses a multi-step pipeline that maximizes accuracy while handling edge cases.

ISRC Lookup from Source Platform

When you sync, Tunarc fetches ISRC codes directly from the source platform's API (Spotify, Tidal, or Apple Music). Most tracks have ISRCs embedded in their metadata.

ISRC Cache Check

Before making external API calls, Tunarc checks its local ISRC cache. If this track has been matched before, the cached result is used instantly -- making repeat syncs faster.

MusicBrainz Fallback

If the source platform does not provide an ISRC (common with GDPR exports or older catalog entries), Tunarc queries MusicBrainz -- the world's largest open-source music database -- to resolve the ISRC from track metadata.

Destination Platform Search

With the ISRC in hand, Tunarc searches the destination platform by ISRC code. If the exact ISRC is not found (rare), it falls back to a metadata-based search using title, artist, and album as a last resort.

The 97% Accuracy Number, Explained

We claim 97% accuracy and we mean it. Here is where that number comes from.

97%

Average match rate across all transfers

~94%

Matched directly by ISRC on first lookup

~3%

Matched via MusicBrainz fallback or cache

~3%

Unmatched (platform exclusives, regional)

The 3% that do not match are almost always tracks that genuinely do not exist on the destination platform. Think Spotify-exclusive releases, region-locked tracks, or content that has been removed. These are not matching failures -- they are catalog gaps between platforms. Tunarc flags every unmatched track so you can manually review them.

Frequently Asked Questions

ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique 12-character identifier assigned to every individual music recording. It is managed by the International ISRC Agency and used globally by the music industry to track recordings across platforms, royalty systems, and distribution networks.

Song name + artist matching fails when multiple versions of a song exist (original, remaster, live, acoustic, remix), when artist names have special characters or inconsistent formatting, or when multiple songs share the same name. ISRC codes uniquely identify each specific recording, eliminating ambiguity.

MusicBrainz is an open-source music encyclopedia that catalogs metadata for millions of recordings, including ISRC codes, artist information, album details, and release dates. Tunarc uses MusicBrainz as a fallback when a track's ISRC is not directly available from the source platform's API.

Unmatched tracks appear on the pending review page. Each track shows the original title, artist, and album so you can manually search for it on the destination platform. You can match it to an alternative version or dismiss it. Nothing is silently dropped.

Yes. Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music all include ISRC codes in their track metadata. The availability varies slightly (some older or independent releases may lack ISRCs on certain platforms), but the vast majority of tracks have them. When ISRCs are missing, Tunarc falls back to MusicBrainz lookup.

Transfer With 97% Accuracy

ISRC matching is the gold standard for music transfer. Try it free.

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