Most musicians donвЂ™t have the time or skill to create the perfect album cover art. Minimal looking cover art is a trend in the electronic music scene.

Last, sometimes a little goes a long way.

And donвЂ™t use the original artistsвЂ™ photo unless you have permission. Avoid making the name of the original artist larger than the performing artist.

DonвЂ™t mislead people on a tribute album.Unique and artistic fonts are fun, but they will be difficult to read. Also, consider a font color thatвЂ™s easy to see against a background. It makes it harder to see, especially on thumbnail images. DonвЂ™t add text on top of a busy background. So, ensure your cover art still looks great and easy to see when itвЂ™s size is reduced. Most music retailers and streaming services display small thumbnails. Design your cover art for one-inch size.Use font, colors, and imagery that represents your music and brand identity. Avoid using art that doesnвЂ™t match the release or your brand.Also, make sure the images you purchase are cleared for commercial use. DonвЂ™t use images that are copyright protected unless you get permission to use them. DonвЂ™t use the same image for multiple releases unless the artist name or track/album name is different.

Your image should be unique to the release.For example, referencing an artist that does not perform on the release. For example, вЂњincluded DVDвЂќ or вЂњincludes lyrics.вЂќ Cover art must not reference content the release doesnвЂ™t include.Also, if you re-release, those codes may change. The music retailer or distribution service will provide them. Cover art must not contain pornography or inappropriate images of any kind.For example, CD, DVD, or Digital Exclusive. Cover art must not reference the format as a physical or digital product.For example, вЂњAvailable for $1.99,вЂќ вЂњLow Price,вЂќ or вЂњFor Promo Use.вЂќ Do not include email addresses, social media logos, URLs, or any other contact information.Cover art must not contain URLs, logos, or any reference to a Digital Service Provider, record label, website, or other brands.Do not add text that says вЂњExclusive,вЂќ вЂњLimited Edition,вЂќ вЂњNew Release,вЂќ the release date, or anything else that states a time frame.Most music platforms display the artist and release info next to the cover art. ItвЂ™s also ok to use an image without text. The copy should match your release info and metadata exactly. Only include text stating the artist name and release title.Images must not be blurry, pixelated, misaligned, or have other quality issues.RGB color mode for best quality (CMYK may not show up correctly).JPEG file format (not all music retailers accept PNG or GIF).A minimum resolution of 72dpi (300dpi for best quality).A minimum size of 3000 x 3000 pixels (a perfect square).These best practices also offer tips for creating quality album cover art. Many music distributors will reject cover art that doesnвЂ™t meet these guidelines. Your album cover art should follow these specs to meet the requirements of most major music retailers and streaming services. ItвЂ™s a reflection of your style as much as your music! Album Cover Art Best Practices

The design you use to present your music is another way of branding yourself. Potential fans are also more likely to listen to your music when your album artwork stands out.ДЄlbum cover art is also an essential part of music promotion and music distribution. Your album art will often grab someoneвЂ™s attention before they listen to your music. ItвЂ™s also the image listeners will associate with your music.ДЇirst impressions are key to music discovery. Cover art is the visual gateway to your music.

Photo by Miguel Ferreira Why Album Cover Art is ImportantДesigning effective album cover artwork is crucial.

How to display album covers