Seamless Transition: Moving Your Music to Hankad, The Smart Way

As an independent artist, you might have started your distribution journey with another platform. Perhaps you’re now looking for better royalty splits, more comprehensive features, or a truly free model. Making the decision to switch distributors can feel intimidating, with concerns about losing hard-earned streams, playlist placements, or your release history.

Good news: transferring your music to Hankad can be a smooth, stream-preserving process. This article provides a clear, step-by-step guide on how to switch your music distribution to Hankad without losing your valuable data or disrupting your momentum.

The Fear of Losing Streams: Debunked

The primary fear when switching distributors is that your stream counts on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music will reset, or your music will disappear from playlists. This is largely a myth, provided you follow the correct procedure. Streaming services identify unique songs and albums using industry-standard identifiers:

  • ISRC (International Standard Recording Code): A unique identifier for each individual track.
  • UPC (Universal Product Code) / EAN (European Article Number): A unique identifier for the entire release (single, EP, album).

As long as these codes, and all associated metadata, remain identical, the streaming platforms recognize your “new” release as the “old” one, ensuring your stream counts and playlist placements are preserved.

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Switching to Hankad:

Follow these crucial steps to ensure a seamless transition:

Step 1: Gather ALL Your Existing Release Data

This is the most critical step. Accuracy is paramount. Log into your current distributor’s dashboard and collect every piece of information related to the release(s) you want to transfer:

  • Original Audio Files: You must use the exact same WAV files you originally uploaded. Do not use remastered versions unless absolutely necessary, and be aware it carries a higher risk.
  • Original Cover Art: The exact same JPEG image, 3000×3000 pixels.
  • Exact Track Titles: Including any punctuation, capitalization, or special characters.
  • Exact Artist/Featured Artist Names: Ensure consistent spelling and formatting.
  • Original Release Date: This is vital for maintaining stream counts.
  • Crucially: Original ISRC and UPC/EAN Codes: Locate these unique identifiers for each track and the entire release. These are usually found in the details section of your release on your current distributor’s platform. Do NOT let Hankad generate new ones for transferred releases.
  • All Other Metadata: Lyrics, composers, producers, explicit content tagging, genre, etc. – everything must match perfectly.

Step 2: Upload Your Music to Hankad (But Don’t Takedown Yet!)

  • Create Your Hankad Account: If you haven’t already, sign up for a free Hankad account.
  • Initiate a New Release: Follow Hankad’s straightforward upload process (as detailed in our “How to Upload Your Music” guide).
  • Input Data EXACTLY: When uploading, carefully input all the metadata you collected in Step 1. Pay meticulous attention to:
    • Using your original ISRC codes for each track.
    • Using your original UPC/EAN code for the release.
    • Entering the original release date.
    • Ensuring the audio files and cover art are identical to the originals.
  • Set the Release Date: It’s often recommended to set the release date on Hankad to be the same as your original release date. Alternatively, you can set it a few days in the future to give the platforms time to process.
  • Submit to Hankad: Complete the submission process on Hankad.

Step 3: Wait for Hankad’s Release to Go Live and Match Streams

  • Patience is Key: Hankad will now deliver your music to all chosen platforms. This can take a few days to a few weeks, depending on the platform (Hankad’s “Fastlane” can expedite this for priority releases).
  • Verify Match: Once Hankad’s version of your release appears on streaming platforms (like Spotify or Apple Music), check your artist profiles. You might temporarily see two versions of the same release. Critically, verify that the stream counts and playlist placements are matching and transferring to the Hankad-distributed version. Sometimes, you might see a “1 other release” button or similar indicator on Spotify.
  • Confirm: Allow a few days for the streaming data to fully propagate and match. Ensure streams on Hankad’s version are consistent with your expectations.

Step 4: Request Takedown from Your Old Distributor

  • Crucial Timing: ONLY proceed with this step once you have verified that Hankad’s version is live and matching streams across all major platforms.
  • Takedown Request: Contact your previous distributor’s support or use their dashboard’s takedown feature (if available) to remove the original release. Be specific about the tracks/releases you want taken down, providing their ISRC and UPC codes.
  • Monitor: Continue to monitor your artist profiles for a few days to ensure the old version is removed and the Hankad version remains active with all data intact.

Why Switch to Hankad?

Migrating your music to Hankad offers significant advantages:

  • Keep 80% Royalties: Maximizing your earnings is easier when you keep a larger share.
  • Truly Free Distribution: No annual fees, no per-release costs, ever.
  • 100% Ownership Retention: You always maintain full control of your masters and compositions.
  • Comprehensive Features: Access to Fastlane delivery, Music Publishing Administration, Social Media Monetization, Royalty Advances, and more.
  • Dedicated Support: Hankad’s team is there to assist you, including with migration questions.

Making the switch to Hankad is a strategic move to empower your independent music career. By following these steps carefully, you can transition seamlessly and continue building your legacy without losing a single stream.

Ready to make the smart move? Sign up with Hankad today and transfer your music for free! Visit hankad.io.