What’s a UPC/EAN code and why do I need one?
Why, the mark of the beast, of course! HA, I KID. The UPC/EAN is a numerical code, usually associated with a barcode, that uniquely identifies your product for sale. You need to buy one, usually, for a nominal fee. Sometimes your label has ’em. Sometimes you can get them from your distributor (Tunecore and ReverbNation will allow you to get a UPC for your release). If you want to sell your music in stores, physical or virtual, you need a UPC. The UPC code also can (and should) be embedded in the CD metadata itself.