Why Your Release Ends Up Under the Wrong Artist Profile (and How to Fix It)

Understanding why your release ended up on the wrong profile is the first step to fixing and preventing the issue. Nearly every misattributed release comes down to how streaming platforms identify, categorize, and match music to the correct artist. Here are the most common causes.

Here’s an uncomfortable truth many of you likely know: a lot of artists share the same or very similar names. At the same time, most platforms allow multiple artists to use the same name simultaneously. With millions of artists on DSPs (digital streaming providers) and over 8 billion people in the world, this situation is quite common, and name collisions are bound to happen. This isn't unique to independent artists – even well-established musicians occasionally face this challenge.

Previously, we also covered the story of a German rapper named Future, whose debut track accidentally ended up on the world-famous Future’s Spotify profile – simply because the platform saw the name and assumed it belonged to the same artist.

Streaming platforms sometimes merge releases incorrectly when they encounter multiple artists with identical or nearly identical names. The platform's matching system tries to be helpful by grouping together under what it thinks is the same artist's work. Unfortunately, if the metadata isn't precise enough to distinguish between two different artists, the algorithm makes its best guess – and sometimes gets it wrong.

As we pointed out in our article about the most common metadata mistakes musicians make, metadata is like your music’s digital ID card. It includes information such as your artist name, track title, album name, genre, and more, all of which a distributor relies on to properly register and list your tracks. And just like an ID, even small errors can cause major issues.

Common mistakes include wrong spelling, missing middle initials or suffixes, inconsistent capitalization, and adding or removing special characters, accents, or emojis. Let’s say you released your first single as “john smith” (all lowercase), your second as “John Smith,” and your third as “John Smith Music.” To a human, these might seem like harmless variations of one artist's name. But to a DSP’s matching algorithm, they could appear as three entirely different artists.

DSP’s systems rely on exact matches to group releases correctly. As a result, even minor metadata inconsistencies like missing hyphens, an extra space, or switching from “The Band” to “Band, The” can lead DSPs to believe your release is tied to a different artist, especially if there’s an existing profile that closely matches.

Streaming platforms don't manually review every single release delivered to them. That would simply be impossible given that roughly 100,000 to 120,000 new tracks are released on music streaming platforms every day. Instead, they rely on automated matching systems that process releases at scale and try to connect new releases to existing artist profiles based on the metadata provided.

Here’s how they work:

1. DSPs review the metadata provided by distributors.

2. They compare that data against existing artist profiles.

3. If the system finds what it considers a match, even if it’s not a perfect one, it assigns your release accordingly.

These algorithms are advanced, but they're far from perfect. If your metadata isn't accurate and consistent, the system may link your release to an existing profile that appears to be a close match.

This is especially problematic if you share a name with another artist who already has an established presence on the platform. The algorithm might assume your release belongs to that existing profile rather than creating a new one or properly differentiating between two separate artists (unless it has clear evidence otherwise).

Each streaming platform has its own system of unique identifiers that help reduce confusion and distinguish between artists with similar names. Spotify uses Spotify URIs, Apple Music has Apple Music IDs, and many platforms now support Official Artist Channels (OACs) or similar verification systems.

These unique IDs act like social security numbers for artists, making sure that your music goes to your profile, and only your profile, regardless of name similarities.

However, if you haven't claimed and verified your official artist profile on these platforms, there's no unique identifier linking your releases to a specific account. Without a unique identifier assigned to your profile, DSPs rely only on metadata, which significantly increases the risk of your music being attributed to the wrong artist profile.

One should also be careful to avoid giving your distributor the wrong artist ID – this might also send your release to someone else entirely.

If you've discovered that your release is on the wrong profile, don't panic! While it's frustrating, there are clear steps you can take to resolve the issue. Here’s what to do:

If you’re facing any issues with your release, your distributor should be your first point of contact. They are the ones who submitted your music and related metadata to streaming platforms and have direct channels to resolve these issues.

While distributors cannot guarantee that your release will always be assigned to the correct profiles (since this is managed by DSPs), they can usually (depending on the platform) submit a request on your behalf to fix this if needed. Most reputable distributors, including iMusician, have support teams specially trained to handle metadata, profile mismatches, and attribution issues.

When reaching out to your distributor, be as specific and organized as possible. First of all, gather all relevant links (specifically, iMusician asks for exactly this kind of information):

• Link to the misattributed release

• Link to the incorrect artist profile

• Link to your correct artist profile (or indicate “create new profile” if you don’t have one yet)

The more details you provide, the faster they can address the issue. Distributors take these matters seriously because they understand how important correct attribution is to artists. Still, be ready for these fixes to take some time, so please be patient.

Important note: Each DSP has different rules and processes in place, meaning that not all of them accept correction requests through distributors. With iMusician, the process above works with: Anghami, Beatport, Google Play, Qobuz, Tidal, Apple Music, Deezer, KKBOX, Pandora, Spotify, Traxsource, and Yandex.

Below are a few exceptions:

• Spotify: If you encounter an issue where your music is mixed up with another artist, you can report it yourself through your Spotify for Artists profile using the content mismatch form.

• Amazon Music: Artists can submit a correction request directly through Amazon Music for Artists, following the instructions in their FAQ. Amazon Music’s catalog team will look into the issue and resolve it for you.

• YouTube: For YouTube/YouTube Music, the correction process is slightly different. To submit a request through iMusician, you’ll need to provide:

  • The link to your release on YouTube (not the YouTube Music link)

  • The link to the incorrect channel

  • The link to your Official Artist Channel or your Topic channel. If this is your first release, please write “create a new Topic channel.” (For more details, check out our relevant FAQs article.)

If you haven't already done so, claiming your artist profiles is one of the most important steps you can take – both to fix current issues and prevent future ones. This includes Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, Deezer Backstage, Amazon Music for Artists, and any other major platform where your music appears, depending on your genre and territory.

Verification gives you direct control over your artist profile and makes sure that future corrections happen faster. Many platforms prioritize requests that come from verified accounts because they know the request is coming from the actual artist rather than a third party. Additionally, once you're verified, you can monitor your releases in real-time and catch attribution errors much more quickly.

The verification process is usually quick, often taking only a few days. Platforms may ask you to confirm your identity, link your social accounts, or verify your connection to the music through your distributor.

If your catalog is split across multiple profiles – or merged with another artist’s catalog – you may need to request a profile separation. Just like when your release appears on someone else’s profile, this request should, in most cases, be submitted through your distributor. (See above for DSP exceptions where you can submit requests directly).

To separate your catalog from that of another artist, you might, in some cases, be asked to provide proof that your music belongs to a different artist entity, depending on each platform’s requirements. For example, Apple Music could request social media proof to verify the name.

The platform will review your request, and if approved, will split the profiles so each artist's music shows up only on their correct page. This process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the platform, the amount of evidence needed, how complicated the case is, and whether you’re already verified.

If you don’t see progress after the timeframe your distributor suggests, it’s perfectly acceptable to follow up. Just keep in mind that these processes involve manual review by DSP teams and may require multiple steps.

While you can always fix attribution errors after they happen, preventing them is much easier – and less stressful. By taking a few proactive steps, you can significantly reduce the chances of your releases ending up on the wrong profile from the start.

We understand; choosing and changing your artist name can feel deeply personal. You might have selected an artist name that perfectly matches who you are as a musician, and the idea of adjusting it because someone else is already using something similar doesn’t sound appealing at all. But hear us out! Picking a distinctive artist name is one of the most effective ways to avoid attribution problems and profile mix-ups. These are the benefits of having a unique name:

• Your fans can find you more easily,

• DSP algorithms identify your profile correctly

• Your brand stands out in a crowded digital landscape

• You overall reduce the risk of confusion with other artists

Before committing to a name, we suggest you take the time to do thorough research. Search for it on all major streaming platforms, Google it, check the performing rights organization (PRO) databases such as ASCAP, BMI, GEMA, or PRS, and look at social media handles and YouTube channels.

If you come across artists with the same or very similar names, think about variations that help you stand out – for example, consider adding a location, a unique word, or a creative spelling that maintains your brand identity while making your name distinct.

“Single-person names like ‘Samuel’ or ‘John’ almost always cause issues, so it's wise to add something unique to them. Also, the artist will benefit from having a distinctive name when the audience searches for their music online,” says Samuel, Editorial Playlist Pitching Manager at iMusician.

Remember that your artist name is an essential part of your brand. Choosing something unique from the start saves you countless headaches down the line.

Consistency is absolutely crucial when it comes to metadata. Always spell your artist name the same way across all releases, all platforms, all distributor submissions, as well as all marketing materials. This means keeping the same capitalization, punctuation, spacing, and any special characters.

If your artist name is “The Wild Roses,” make sure you release all your music under that exact format (avoid variations like “the wild roses” or "Wild Roses”). Simply choose one specific format of your name and stick with it religiously. The same principle goes for adding emojis or symbols – if you include them, use them consistently every single time. Better, though, avoid emojis and unusual characters in your official artist name altogether. Although they might look cool, they can cause technical issues on some platforms.

This consistency should extend beyond your artist name to all metadata fields, including:

• Album titles

• Track titles

• Featured artist names

• Collaborations

• Credits

To make things easier, consider creating your own metadata style guide: a simple document that outlines how your name, titles, and credits should always appear. It might seem tedious at first, but it's a simple way to make sure everything remains uniform at all times.

Don't wait until there's a problem to claim your artist profiles. As soon as your first release goes live, claim and verify your pages on Spotify for Artists, Apple Music for Artists, and every other available major platform. This proactive approach prevents algorithm mismatches from the very beginning.

When you have verified profiles, the platforms have a clear, official record of who you are and where your music should appear. This dramatically reduces the chances of new releases being incorrectly attributed to other artists, even if you share similar names. Additionally, verified profiles give you access to valuable real-time analytics, promotional tools, editorial submission opportunities, and direct communication channels with the platforms, all of which help you manage your artist presence more effectively.

Think of claiming your profiles as setting up your official home on each streaming platform. Once it's established, all your music has a clear place to go.

Modern distribution systems rely on several unique identifiers to accurately link your releases to your artist profile. These include ISRC and UPC/EAN codes, which identify individual tracks or releases (albums or singles), respectively. These codes are essential for catalog integrity as they help DSPs correctly match releases with the right artists. Your distributor should automatically generate them, but it's worth double-checking that they're included with every release.

Some distributors, including iMusician, also allow you to attach official platform profile IDs during the upload process. If your distributor offers this option, use it. Providing your Spotify URI, Apple Music Artist ID, or other platform-specific identifiers when you submit your release creates a direct link between your new music and your existing profile.

For instance, iMusician can link your artist name to an artist page on Spotify and Apple Music/iTunes:

• If you state that you already have an existing artist profile, the system will display a list of all matching artist names, so you can select the correct one.

• To verify it's you, both Apple Music/iTunes and Spotify will show the last release distributed on your artist profile.

• If you don’t have an existing profile on these platforms, we will make sure that a new artist ID is created for you.

When setting up a new release with your distributor, take a few extra minutes to fill out all the available fields completely and accurately. Those small details can make a big difference in helping your music end up exactly where it should.

Still, it’s important to highlight that despite all the small and big actions one may take to prevent their releases from ending up under the wrong profile, it is not guaranteed that your release will, in fact, not appear under the wrong profile.

“Generally, I recommend waiting until the first release is properly assigned to the correct new artist profiles before planning additional releases. Many new artists submit several releases at the same time, and if a problem occurs with the initial one, there might not be enough time to fix it before the other releases go live – especially when release dates are scheduled too close together,” explains Libera, Artist & Label Relations Executive at iMusician.

“It’s better to make sure everything is correctly set up from the beginning, so the following releases can roll out more smoothly — even if profile issues can still occasionally happen after profiles are created,” she adds.

At this point, you might be thinking, “Okay, I understand the technical side, but does this really matter so much beyond the obvious frustration?” The short answer: yes, it matters a lot. Correct artist attribution affects nearly every part of your career, from your brand to your revenue to the relationship you have with your audience.

• Artist identity & brand integrity. Your artist profile is more than just a collection of tracks and albums; it’s what represents you digitally. When fans search for you, they expect to find your entire catalog. If releases are spread across multiple profiles or listed under other artists' names, it causes confusion and makes it harder for listeners to engage with your whole body of work. This fragmentation weakens your brand and makes you seem less professional, even though it's not your fault.

• Royalties & revenue tracking. There's also the matter of royalties. While most major streaming platforms have systems designed to make sure royalties go to the correct rights holders, even if attribution is wrong, misattributed streams can still cause significant confusion, delays in payment, and reporting inconsistencies. If your music appears on someone else's profile, you might not see accurate streaming data, which makes it difficult to understand your audience and plan future releases. In worst-case scenarios, especially with smaller platforms, attribution errors could even result in royalties being directed to the wrong account.

• Fan confusion & discoverability. Finally, there's the issue of fan trust. Your listeners want to support you directly. When they stream your music, they're not just enjoying your songs; they're engaging with you as an artist. If they can't reliably find your music under your name, or if they're unsure whether a release is actually yours, that trust and connection weaken. Building a loyal fanbase requires consistency, and proper attribution is a key part of that consistency.

Simply put, accurate artist attribution safeguards your professional reputation, your income, and your relationship with fans. It’s a core part of building a stable, credible, and thriving music career, and for that reason, it's worth taking seriously.

Discovering that your release has ended up on the wrong artist profile is frustrating – there’s no doubt about that. But it's important to remember that this is an incredibly common issue and it's definitely fixable.

The key takeaways are straightforward:

• Choose a unique artist name if possible

• Use consistent metadata across all your releases

• Claim and verify your official artist profiles as early as possible

• Provide your distributor with all available identifiers that they accept to ensure accurate delivery

These actions might seem small, but together they dramatically reduce the risk of metadata mishaps that lead to attribution errors.

Above all, stay proactive. Don't wait for problems to arise before taking control of your artist presence online. Today’s music industry is digital at its core, which means your metadata carries as much weight as your music. Treat it with the same level of care and consistency you give your art.

Your releases deserve to be found under your name, by your fans, connected to your story. By taking control of your metadata and artist pages today, you’re making sure that every track you create ends up exactly where it belongs. This approach essentially helps you grow your audience, strengthen your brand, and build the career you dream of.