An ISRC uniquely identifies one specific sound recording. Every distinct version of a track needs its own.
2.14.1 What it is
A 12-character alphanumeric code (CC-XXX-YY-NNNNN) that permanently identifies a specific recording — not the composition, not the release. The studio version, live version, acoustic version, and instrumental version of the same song each require a separate ISRC, because they are different recordings.
2.14.2 Why it matters
DSPs, collection societies, and content identification systems use ISRCs to identify exactly which recording is being played and to attribute royalty payments correctly. An incorrect or missing ISRC can cause royalty misattribution.
2.14.3 Madverse-assigned ISRCs
Madverse assigns a unique ISRC to every uploaded track. Existing ISRCs can be preserved during catalog migration to maintain continuity.
Source: MadDesk article 2.14 (2-14)