Digital partners (like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon) have strict requirements for cover art to ensure consistency across their platforms. Following these guidelines helps your release look professional and ensures it isn’t delayed or rejected during distribution.

What isn't permitted on cover art?

• Website URLs
• Social media handles or symbols (e.g., @username, Facebook logos)
• Contact information (emails, phone numbers, etc.)
• Pornographic images
• Pricing information
• Copyrighted images you don’t own rights to
• Scans of CDs (art must be retail-ready, not photographed packaging)
• UPC barcodes or QR codes
• Images of or references to other formats, including physical (e.g. vinyl, CD, disc, digital exclusive, digital version) 
• Low-quality images (blurry, pixelated, distorted)
• Promises of content not included (e.g., “Includes DVD,” “Free stickers”)
• Advertising for other products (e.g., merch, other albums)
• Claims of exclusivity with a partner without permission (e.g., “iTunes™ Exclusive”)
• Graphic depictions of violence or gore
• The word “new” or any other time-sensitive references

Things to note

• Any text on your cover art must match your metadata exactly.
  • For example, if your submission lists the artist name as The Example Band, your cover art must also say The Example Band—not Example or Example Band Official.
• The release title in your metadata must also appear the same way on your cover art.
• For examples and more details, see this article.