Before submitting artwork to CD Baby, check the exported file, the text on the image and your rights to the material. These are separate checks: a correctly sized file can still contain text or imagery that does not meet the distribution rules.

Official guidance checked October 6, 2026. Always confirm the current instructions for your release; this checklist is not a promise of acceptance or a release date.

Check the actual file specifications

CD Baby's artwork requirements list these specifications:

• A square image from 1400 by 1400 through 3000 by 3000 pixels.
• PNG, GIF, JPG or JPEG format.
• 72–300 dpi; its guidance prefers 300 dpi.
• File size below 25 MB.
• RGB color rather than CMYK.

Open the file you will actually upload and inspect its dimensions, format and size. Do not rely on the export settings you remember choosing or a filename that says “final.” Changing a dpi label alone does not add detail to a small image.

Compare the cover text with your release metadata

CD Baby says artist and release-title text on the cover must precisely match the submission. Compare the spelling, punctuation and artist name with the fields in your release form. Its requirements also warn that generic artwork, such as a plain solid-color square with no text, may not be accepted.

A fictional example: if your submitted artist name is The Harbor Lights, a cover labeled Harbor Lights Official does not match. Fix the wording in the appropriate place before submitting, rather than expecting the distributor to infer which name you intended.

Remove restricted content before export

The separate cover-art restrictions include URLs, contact information, social handles or symbols, pricing, QR codes and barcodes, advertising, and references to physical or digital formats. They also address low-quality images, time-sensitive wording, explicit content and images you do not have rights to use.

Read the complete current list for your image. Keep promotional messages and release announcements in separate campaign graphics when they do not belong on the distributed artwork. Retain the applicable licenses and creation records for the source material; using an image tool does not establish every right needed for distribution.

Keep an original and a reviewed upload copy

Save the original artwork separately from the upload export. Give each file a clear destination and version label. After making a correction, reopen the replacement file and check it again; do not accidentally upload the older copy.

Use the release artwork checklist to record the exported dimensions, format, file size, text comparison and review date. If CD Baby returns a specific error, address that error first and ask its support team when the explanation is unclear.

Review the design without confusing it with approval

Inspect the artwork at full size for image defects and at thumbnail size for visual clarity. Check the artist name and title character by character. These design checks are useful preparation; they do not prove that the cover will earn more streams or pass every store's review.

For a visual check, follow the thumbnail review method. If you want to explore a different composition, try Covermatic Studio and review the actual result and downloaded file yourself.

A generation attempt uses 5 credits; an edit uses another 5. Check the current credit costs before buying. Covermatic does not guarantee CD Baby acceptance, a particular export specification, adequate rights documentation or faster distribution.