Music Cover Art Guidelines for Spotify, Apple Music & All Streaming Platforms
Cover art is the first impression of your release. A blurry, text-heavy, or rule-breaking cover can get your entire submission rejected — costing you days or weeks. Here are the exact 2025 rules for Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn, and other major platforms.
The universal specs (works everywhere)
- Dimensions: 3000 × 3000 pixels (square)
- Format: JPEG or PNG
- Color mode: RGB (not CMYK)
- File size: Under 10 MB
- Resolution: 72 DPI is enough (it's a digital image, DPI doesn't really matter — pixel count does)
If you only remember one rule: 3000×3000, square, JPEG. That works for every platform.
What's NOT allowed (and gets you rejected)
1. Streaming platform logos and badges
Do not put "Available on Spotify" or any Spotify/Apple/JioSaavn logo on your artwork. This is the #1 rejection reason. Even the words "Spotify" or "Apple Music" in your art will get flagged.
2. Social media handles or URLs
No "@yourartist" in the corner. No Instagram logos. No website URLs. Cover art is artwork, not a business card.
3. Blurry or low-quality images
If your final file looks pixelated when viewed at 100% zoom, redo it. Apple Music is particularly strict about pixelation.
4. Misleading content
Cover art must reflect the music. Putting a Drake-lookalike on your art when it's not Drake = rejection. Putting another artist's photo on your release without permission = rejection.
5. Unlicensed celebrity photos
Spotify and Apple Music will reject cover art using photos of celebrities, religious figures, or public personalities without proof of permission.
6. Offensive content
Explicit nudity, hate symbols, slurs in text, or imagery promoting violence will be rejected. Tasteful "artistic nudity" sometimes passes; pornographic imagery never does.
7. Generic stock images
If you use a Canva template thousands of others have used, expect rejection or low editorial pickup. Use your own photos or paid stock with proper license.
8. Empty/text-only covers
Spotify allows text-only covers; Apple Music sometimes rejects them. A cover that's just "TRACK TITLE" on a plain background is risky.
What works exceptionally well
- One clear focal subject (face, object, symbol)
- Strong color contrast — covers that pop at 100×100 pixel thumbnail size
- Mood matching the song genre
- Original photography or illustration
- Simple typography if any text is used
How thumbnails actually look
Your cover will be displayed at:
- 640×640 pixels on most desktop browsers
- 300×300 pixels on mobile
- 120×120 pixels in playlist thumbnails
- 64×64 pixels in "currently playing" mini-players
Test your art at 64×64. If it's still readable and visually striking, you're good. If it becomes a blur, simplify.
Color and contrast tips
- High contrast = better thumbnail visibility
- Dark backgrounds with one bright accent color work well
- Pure white or pure black gradients pop in dark-mode interfaces
- Avoid yellow text on white background (or black on dark)
Where to make cover art
Free / cheap
- Canva: Free templates, but everyone uses these. Customize heavily.
- Photopea: Free Photoshop alternative in your browser.
- Procreate (iPad): ₹999 one-time, great for hand-drawn covers.
AI tools (2025)
- Midjourney: Best quality. Subscription-based.
- Adobe Firefly: Commercial license included.
- Leonardo.ai: Free tier available.
If you use AI: always upscale to 3000×3000 and add a small human touch (color correction, your artist signature). Pure AI covers occasionally get extra scrutiny but rarely rejected outright.
Hiring a designer
Budget ₹500–₹3,000 on Fiverr/Behance for an indie cover. ₹3,000–₹15,000 for professional brand-aligned covers. Make sure you get the high-res PSD/PNG and a written agreement that you own the work.
Album / EP covers
Same 3000×3000 spec. The album cover applies to every track in the release. If you want different art per song, release each as a separate single instead of as an album.
Re-release with new cover
You can't update cover art on an existing release without taking it down and re-releasing — which loses your stream history. Get it right the first time.
The Auripy art review
Auripy reviews every cover before submission and flags issues before they cause platform rejection. If your art is borderline, our team messages you with specific fixes — saving you days of back-and-forth with platforms.
Final thoughts
Cover art is one of the cheapest, most impactful decisions in your release. A great cover doubles save-to-library rates and triples editorial pickup chances. Spend a few extra hours (or a few hundred rupees) here — it's the single best ROI in your release budget.