Artwork is the first thing most people see of your release - usually as a tiny square on a phone screen. Good artwork makes someone curious enough to press play. It also has strict technical rules that, if broken, will delay your release.
Specifications
Requirements vary slightly by distributor, but typically:
- Square, 1:1 aspect ratio.
- 3000 x 3000 pixels is the common standard (some accept a minimum of 1400 or 1600 pixels, but 3000 is safest).
- RGB colour, JPG or PNG.
- High quality - no blur, pixelation or visible compression.
Check your distributor's exact requirements before you finish the design.
What gets rejected
Stores and distributors commonly reject artwork that includes:
- Web addresses, social media handles or email addresses.
- Logos or names of stores and streaming services.
- Prices, "new" labels, or promotional text.
- Text that does not match the release metadata (artist and title must match exactly if included).
- Blurry, stretched or low-resolution images.
- Explicit or offensive imagery that breaks platform rules.
- Images you do not have the rights to use.
Design for the thumbnail
Your artwork will mostly be seen very small.
- Strong, simple composition - one clear focal point.
- Bold contrast so it stands out in a grid of other covers.
- Readable type if you use text - or no text at all.
- Test it small - shrink it to the size of a playlist thumbnail and see whether it still works.
Typography and branding
- Choose a typeface (or a logo) and use it consistently.
- Keep the artist name and title legible.
- Consider a visual identity across releases - colours, photography style, layout - so fans recognise your work instantly.
Working with others
- Photographers and designers should be briefed clearly: the mood, references, the song or project, the deadline and the technical specs.
- Agree rights in writing - that you can use the work for the release, promotion, merchandise and future reissues, and how they will be credited.
- Fonts need a licence that covers commercial use.
Beyond the square
The same artwork will be needed in other formats:
- Canvas and motion artwork - short looping videos on streaming services.
- Social media - square posts, vertical stories and video formats.
- Banners and headers for profiles.
- Physical formats - CD, vinyl and cassette need print-ready artwork with bleed, at print resolution, often in CMYK.
Design with these in mind from the start.
Do this now
- Check your distributor's artwork requirements.
- Create or brief artwork at 3000 x 3000 pixels, and test it at thumbnail size alongside current releases.
- Make vertical and square social versions from the same design.