Distribution Troubleshooting & Editing a Live Release
Need to Edit a Live Release?
If your release has already been approved and is live, you can request certain updates. To do this, contact SoundCloud Support with:
The title of the release
The UPC
The specific change(s) you want
What You Can Change on a Live Release:
Contributor credits
Artwork
Label name
Track names
Release title
Release date
Profile/artist mapping
DSP/partner selections
What You Cannot Change on a Live Release:
Audio files
Adding or removing tracks
Changing track order
Can I Upload New Audio to a Live Release?
No. SoundCloud no longer processes audio updates for live distribution. If you need new audio:
Update the audio on your SoundCloud track
Create a new release
Request a takedown of the old release
Don’t reuse the same ISRCs — new ones will be assigned when needed
Want to Update Audio Without Losing Stats?
On SoundCloud itself, you can use the Replace file feature (pencil/edit icon → Replace file) to swap audio while keeping plays, comments, and timestamps — available only with Artist Pro.
I Changed My Artist Name — Can You Update It?
Artist name changes depend on store policies. To request an update:
You must already have at least one release live under your new artist name/profiles
After that, changes can be requested for previous releases
Some stores may still refuse updates
Choosing a unique artist name initially helps avoid problems later.
How Do I Submit a Takedown Request?
You can request takedown directly from your SC4A dashboard:
Log in to your SC4A account
Click Distribution in the left navigation bar
Select the release you'd like to take down
Click Request Takedown
Choose a reason
Confirm
Once submitted, takedowns are generally processed within a couple of days. Any earnings already generated will still be paid out.
Please note: Many changes to your release can be made without having to request a takedown. Please consult the list of changes that can be made to a live release before submitting a takedown request.
My Release Is on the Wrong Artist Profile — How Do I Fix It?
Usually, this is caused by a spelling or casing error in the artist name (e.g., typing in “b.O.b” instead of B.o.B) or having an artist name that matches an already existing artist.
When selecting an artist name for your first release, you must choose a unique artist name to avoid issues in the future. If you do need to remap your release to the correct artist profiles, please reach out via our support bot with the following information:
The release title
UPC
Incorrect artist name
A link to the correct artist profile
If a correct profile doesn’t exist yet, let us know and one can be created.
Changes often take 3–5 days to show across all stores.
Can I Remove a Single Song From a Release?
No — stores generally don’t allow a song to be removed from a live distributed release.
Workaround:
Create a new release without the song
Use the same ISRCs to preserve play counts and playlists
Once the new release is live, request takedown of the original version.
Why Isn’t My Release Live in All Stores?
The most common cause is that the release date was too early, or stores are still processing delivery. Some stores can take up to ~2 weeks to go live after distribution.
Artwork Upload Issues
If your artwork isn’t accepted because of size, it must be 3000 × 3000 pixels. You can resize using a free tool like PIXLR.
A Release That Isn’t Mine Appears on My Spotify Profile
If you see someone else’s release on your Spotify profile:
Log in to Spotify for Artists. Note: You must have a verified Spotify for Artists profile to successfully make this request. If you are not yet verified, please see more information here.
Choose “Another artist’s release is on my profile.”
Confirm your email address and artist name
Select the incorrect release
Spotify notes it may take up to 15 days to process this request.