Why streaming platforms reject album artwork
The rejection reasons distributors actually cite — resolution, text errors, colour profile, borders and logos — and how to avoid all of them.
Artwork rejections almost always arrive after your release date is locked. Here is what triggers them.
Resolution and upscaling
3000×3000 is the standard. Below 1400×1400 gets rejected outright, and upscaled artwork often gets rejected too — distributors can see softness that was not in an original render.
Render native at 3000×3000. Do not make something small and enlarge it.
Text errors
The most common rejection at Apple Music. A misspelled artist name or album title fails review, and AI-rendered text is misspelled more often than not.
If the cover carries type, add it yourself afterwards.
Wrong colour profile
sRGB, not CMYK. CMYK is for print, and a CMYK file will either be rejected or come back looking washed out.
Borders and frames
Several platforms reject artwork with added borders, because the app draws its own frame and yours ends up doubled.
Fill the square edge to edge.
URLs, handles and logos
Streaming artwork cannot carry a website, a social handle, a price, or a “streaming now” badge. Those are promotional overlays, and they are not permitted on the cover itself.
Make a separate version for social.
Blurry or low-contrast at thumbnail
Not always an automatic rejection, but it is a commercial failure regardless. If the cover does not read at 200×200, nobody sees it.
The checklist
- 3000×3000, rendered native
- sRGB
- No text, or type added by hand and proofread
- No borders, URLs, handles or badges
- Subject in the upper two thirds
- Legible at 200×200
Six checks, one minute. Cheaper than missing a release date.