In this lesson you will learn: Pixel dimensions and color profile that match your distributor. Text and logo rules that avoid common rejections. Thumbnail readability at tiny sizes (carousels and phones).
Art rejections burn release-week energy. Build once to your distributor’s maximum required size, keep important art out of the outer 10% (“safe zone”), and assume your cover will be seen as a stamp-sized thumbnail first.
No misaligned borders or low-res upscaling; vector logos exported crisp.. Avoid illegible micro-text—DSP previews are small.. Match parental/explicit visual policy if your distributor mirrors store rules.
If you run multiple formats (single vs album), keep a layered source file so updates stay fast when tracklists change.
Apple Music and Spotify publish artwork guidelines (dimensions, resolution, no misleading text); distributors mirror them in QC.. Thumbnail visibility tests: industry art directors preview covers at phone icon size before approval.. Parental advisory stickers and explicit imagery rules vary by retailer and region—explicit audio does not always mean explicit cover art.