Release Artwork Checklist Before You Upload Your Song

Check the file you will actually submit, not just the preview in your design app. This checklist separates upload requirements from creative checks so you can find the problem and make a specific correction.

Before you start: keep your exported cover, the release submission form and your chosen distributor's current artwork instructions open together. A technically valid file does not guarantee acceptance or establish the rights to use its contents.

Download the free one-page artwork check to use beside your exported file. No email signup is required.

1. Use the requirements for your submission route

There is no single export specification that fits every route. These official pages give different dimensions. Follow the instructions for the service through which you are submitting; if they conflict with a destination's guidance, ask your distributor before uploading.

Official pages checked October 6, 2026. Recheck them when you submit.

Open the exported file's properties and confirm its dimensions, format and size. Reopen it in an image viewer to inspect the crop, sharpness and colors. Renaming a PNG to .jpg does not convert it. Enlarging a blurry source does not restore missing detail: return to the original artwork or obtain a suitable higher-resolution source.

2. Compare every visible name with the release form

If the cover includes an artist name or release title, place the image beside the submission form and compare spelling, punctuation and spacing. CD Baby requires the visible name and title to match the submitted information precisely. Check any featured-artist or version wording against your distributor's instructions.

Example: if the form says After the Last Train, inspect every word of that title on the cover. This is a fictional release used to illustrate the check. An attractive preview is not enough if one letter is wrong.

3. Remove promotional material and review permissions

Keep release artwork separate from your promotional graphics. Apple and DistroKid restrict material such as URLs, pricing and platform logos. Apple also lists dates, barcodes and brand advertising among its restrictions. Review the full source lists rather than assuming this short summary covers every case.

Confirm permission for photographs, illustrations and other assets used in the release. An image found online, a premade template or an AI-generated result is not automatically cleared for your intended use. Save the relevant license or written permission with your release files; a checklist is not a rights determination.

4. Run a separate creative thumbnail check

This is design advice, not a distributor rule. View a small copy of the cover on your phone, then look away and back. Can you identify the main subject? If text matters to the concept, can you read it without zooming?

If the title disappears into the background, change one thing: placement, contrast or type size. If the subject gets lost, simplify the crop or competing detail. Compare the revised thumbnail with the original before making more changes. Do not add a second redesign merely because the image feels unfinished.

5. Check the saved result and keep a release copy

• The submitted file matches the chosen route's current requirements.
• Visible artist/title text matches the release form.
• No prohibited promotional elements remain.
• Asset permissions have been reviewed and retained.
• The downloaded file opens correctly and has been checked at full and thumbnail size.
• A dated final copy is stored separately from working drafts.

If you need to revise the image, use a specific brief rather than asking for a completely different cover. The photo-to-cover walkthrough shows how to describe what should stay and what may change. Covermatic currently uses 5 credits for a generation and another 5 for an edit; these are attempts, not guaranteed finished covers. Check your balance and the current credit packs before committing to an attempt. Inspect the exported result against your submission route; this guide does not certify Covermatic output dimensions or acceptance.