Background
DDEX ERN (Notificación electrónica de lanzamiento) is the XML-based standard that music distribución platforms use to communicate release data, audio files, y rights information to DSPs. Spotify formally moved to ERN 4.3 as its preferred ingestion format in Q4 2025, with a deprecation cronograma for older ERN 3.x feeds running a través de mid-2026.
ToneGrid's Spotify delivery pipeline has ahora been fully migrated to ERN 4.3. Todo nuevo releases delivered a través de ToneGrid to Spotify go out in ERN 4.3 format as of today. Existing catalog is being re-delivered on a rolling basis over the next 30 days.
What ERN 4.3 Changes
ERN 4.3 is no a cosmetic upgrade. The specification introduced several substantive changes that affect how releases are described, delivered, y processed at the DSP level.
AI Contenido Disclosure Fields
ERN 4.3 includes mandatory fields for disclosing AI-generated or AI-assisted content — both at the sound recording y composición level. ToneGrid's ingestion layer ahora requires rights holders y distributors to declare AI content status at upload, y this data is passed a través de to Spotify in the correct ERN 4.3 fields. Inaccurate disclosure is grounds for takedown under Spotify's updated content policies.
Enhanced Spatial Audio Metadatos
ERN 4.3 adds structured metadata fields for Dolby Atmos y Sony 360 Realidad Audio deliveries, replacing the informal handling used in earlier spec versions. ToneGrid clients delivering spatial audio formats will ver improved processing times y fewer manual interventions at the Spotify side.
Improved Rights Expression
The rights expression layer in ERN 4.3 supports more granular territory-by-territory rights declarations, better adjacent rights holder identification (including producers y session musicians with registered shares), y cleaner handoff for releases involving multiple rights holders across jurisdictions.
Transaction-Level Acknowledgments
ERN 4.3 delivery pairs with updated ACK (acknowledgment) messaging from Spotify. ToneGrid's delivery tracking ahora surfaces these ERN 4.3-level acknowledgments in real time — meaning distributors y labels can ver precisely where in Spotify's ingestion pipeline a release sits.
Rollout Plan
| Phase | Scope | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 — Nuevo releases | Todo nuevo deliveries to Spotify | Vivir today |
| Phase 2 — Activo catalog | Lanzamientos from the last 12 meses | Siguiente 14 days |
| Phase 3 — Full back catalog | Todo historical releases | Day 15–30 |
No action is required from ToneGrid clients. The upgrade is manejado entirely at the platform level.
Otros DSPs
Following the Spotify migration, ToneGrid will be upgrading Amazon Music, TIDAL, y Apple Music delivery feeds to ERN 4.3 over Q2 2026. Boomplay, Anghami, y JioSaavn use derivative DDEX profiles y will be updated according to their individual specification timelines.
The full DDEX ERN 4.3 upgrade across todo active Conexiones DSP is expected to be complete by end of Q2 2026.