Cover Art Guidelines

Basic Format Requirements

Album cover format required is 3000 x 3000 pixels - 4500 x 4500 pixels, JPG image only.

As your partner, AIM-issue is committed to transmitting your works to all authorized platforms. We follow the rules and legal guidelines of digital music distribution services to ensure your release goes live smoothly.

Platforms constantly update their review rules to provide users with original and high-quality content. As a preferred partner of key platforms, we strictly enforce cover/illustration guidelines to help you avoid takedowns.

# # Cover Design Recommendations

Provide original covers whenever possible. Ideal covers may include the following info (spelled correctly):

  • Main Artist Name
  • Album Name
  • Label Name and/or Label Icon
  • Featuring Artist (Must clarify main artist and featuring artist)
  • Cover creator/designer info should be noted in album description, do not add on the cover

Note: The above info is not mandatory; the cover can contain only visual parts without other info.

Cover Quality Rules

Covers must comply with the following quality standards:

  • Distorted Cover:When zoomed to 100%, the image must be clearly visible; distorted covers are not accepted.
  • Blurry Cover:When zoomed to 100%, the image must be fully visible; blurry covers are not accepted.
  • Stretched Cover:Stretched covers that change original proportions to meet size requirements are not accepted.
  • Cropped/Added Bars:Covers with added side bars or cropped parts to meet size requirements are not accepted.
  • Misaligned Cover:Image must be centered; misaligned covers with borders showing white space are not accepted.
  • Rotated Cover:Rotated covers that are obviously upside down without artistic reason are not accepted.

Artist's Choice: In some cases, if the above issues are listed as the artist's creative choice, they may be accepted.

# # Cover Image Rules

  • Third-Party IP:Do not display unauthorized third-party intellectual property on the cover, including famous people, artworks, logos, trademarks, etc.
  • Trademark Sponsorship:If the album is sponsored by a trademark, it can be used only after the label and trademark confirm the sponsorship agreement.
  • Artist Portrayal:Portrayal of the artist as a movie, TV show, or cartoon character may be accepted.
  • Disturbing Images:Covers containing shocking images or graphic content are not accepted (Metal genres may have some tolerance).
  • Discriminatory Content:Covers promoting or displaying any form of harassment, xenophobia, or discriminatory images are not accepted.
  • Terrorism:Covers with terrorist content or inciting terrorist activities are not accepted.
  • Minors:Covers showing minors may be accepted, but showing minors in inappropriate scenes may require additional confirmation.
  • Nudity:Covers containing obvious genitalia, nipples, sexual intercourse, pubic hair, or buttock clefts (direct or implied) are not accepted.
  • Generic Templates:Covers using generic templates are not accepted; changing color of the same image is also considered a generic template.

Cover Info Rules

  • Info Matching:Info displayed on the cover should match the release metadata exactly (e.g., artist name, release title).
  • Multi-Language Info:If the cover contains multi-language info, at least one should match the release metadata.
  • Content Label:Do not mark sensitive content labels on the cover unless at least one song is marked as sensitive content.
  • DMS Logo:Covers containing Digital Music Store logos are not accepted (except in special cases).
  • Misleading Content:Covers containing references to content not included in the release are not accepted.
  • Physical Product Reference:Covers containing physical info or packaging content (like "CD", "Cassette", etc.) are not accepted.
  • Digital Product Reference:Covers containing digital product terms (like "mp3", "Digital Version", etc.) are not accepted.
  • Time-Sensitive Info:Covers containing terms valid only for a specific period (like "New", "Latest", etc.) are not accepted.
  • Pricing/Barcode:Covers containing any currency or barcodes are not accepted.
  • Rights Restriction:Covers prohibiting or restricting distribution rights in any way are not accepted.
  • Sales/Ads:Covers containing sales or promotion of other products are not accepted.
  • Contact Info:Covers containing any contact info (phone number, email, etc.) or web links are not accepted; social media account names are also considered contact info.

Please note: This list is not exhaustive, and your cover will still need to pass a review process. If there are any issues with your cover for some reason, we will contact you.