Album Cover Delivery Checklist: 20-Point Pre-Release Artwork QA

Album Cover Delivery Checklist: 20-Point Pre-Release Artwork QA

A strong cover can still create release-day problems if the final file is wrong. This checklist gives independent artists, managers and designers a repeatable quality-control pass before artwork is sent to a distributor.

Quick standard: build a clean square master, preserve an editable source file, verify the release metadata against the artwork, and export a platform-ready copy without unnecessary compression or upscaling.

Why a delivery checklist matters

Streaming services and distributors apply technical and content requirements to artwork. Spotify currently requires cover art to use a 1:1 aspect ratio, sRGB color, and a width and height between 640 and 10,000 pixels. Apple’s current Video and Audio Asset Guide recommends 3000 × 3000 pixels for music album artwork and lists 1400 × 1400 as the minimum in its album-cover profile. Requirements can change, so always confirm the distributor and platform rules for the specific release.

Sources: Spotify Cover Art Requirements and Apple Video and Audio Asset Guide.

The 20-point album cover QA checklist

File and canvas

  1. Square canvas: confirm the final master is 1:1.
  2. Resolution: use a high-resolution source. A 3000 × 3000 master is a practical cross-platform working target because Apple recommends that size and it falls inside Spotify’s accepted range.
  3. Color space: prepare the delivery file in RGB/sRGB as required by the destination.
  4. Approved format: export an accepted format. Spotify lists TIFF, PNG or JPG; Apple lists JPEG or PNG for its music album cover profile.
  5. No artificial upscaling: start with sufficient source resolution. Spotify specifically says not to upscale images.

Release identity

  1. Artist name: compare any artist name shown in the artwork with the final release metadata.
  2. Release title: check spelling, capitalization and punctuation against the distributor submission.
  3. Featured artists: do not visually imply participation that is not accurate. Apple’s Music Style Guide says artwork must not be misleading.
  4. Version language: verify remix, deluxe, live or edition wording against the actual metadata.
  5. Explicit-content handling: follow your distributor’s current process rather than inventing your own platform markings.

Visual quality

  1. Thumbnail test: shrink the cover dramatically. The central idea should still read.
  2. Edge inspection: check all four edges for accidental crops, stray pixels and export artifacts.
  3. Typography: inspect small text at 100% zoom for softness, clipping and spacing errors.
  4. Image quality: remove unintended pixelation, misalignment and low-quality assets. Apple’s current style guide explicitly rejects low-quality, pixelated or misaligned artwork.
  5. Contrast: test the cover on both dark and light interfaces so important information does not disappear.

Rights and delivery

  1. Image rights: confirm permission for photography, illustration, logos and other third-party visual material.
  2. Personal likeness: confirm permission when another person’s image is used. Spotify’s artist-image guidance specifically flags copyright, trademark and personal-image rights.
  3. Source archive: save the editable working file separately from the flattened delivery export.
  4. Filename: use a clear versioned name such as ARTIST_RELEASE_COVER_FINAL_3000.jpg.
  5. Final open test: reopen the exported file on another device before delivery. Confirm dimensions, appearance and filename one final time.

Copyable artwork handoff template

Release: [TITLE]
Artist: [ARTIST]
Release type: [SINGLE / EP / ALBUM]
Final canvas: [WIDTH × HEIGHT]
Color: [RGB / sRGB]
Delivery format: [JPG / PNG / TIFF]
Editable source archived: YES / NO
Metadata checked: YES / NO
Rights checked: YES / NO
Final export opened and inspected: YES / NO

Build the artwork before the deadline

If you are still defining the visual direction, use the Album Cover Design Brief Template before this QA checklist. For platform dimensions, compare the current Album Cover Size Guide.

Need original release artwork rather than another template? Start Cover Artwork & Release Creative with ii syndicate LLC. Independent builders can also use The Entrepreneur Resource Vault™ to organize the wider business and launch process.

Platform specifications cited here were checked August 18, 2026. Always verify the current requirements of your distributor and destination platform before delivery.

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