Spotify
Updated July 2026.
Yes — LabelGrid delivers your releases to Spotify, the largest music streaming service globally. Spotify serves listeners worldwide and offers artists a deep promotional toolkit through Spotify for Artists. Once you’ve claimed your Spotify for Artists profile, you can access these promotional features.
Portal: artists.spotify.com
Delivery specs at a glance
Section titled “Delivery specs at a glance”| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Audio format accepted | Lossless WAV or FLAC master |
| Artwork spec | Minimum 3000x3000px, RGB, square (1:1), no promotional text, URLs, or social handles |
| Lossless / Hi-Res / Spatial support | Standard streaming quality (lossless tier per Spotify’s rollout) |
| Territory / regions | Global |
| Monetization / Content ID | Streaming royalties; tracks need at least 1,000 streams in the prior 12 months for recording-royalty eligibility |
| Artist-profile linking | Claim via Spotify for Artists after delivery |
| Go-live timeline | Varies by platform — deliver several days ahead; verify per DSP |
For more on distribution timing and store coverage, see Distribution Lead Times and Supported Stores. To claim your profiles across platforms, see Claim Your Profiles. LabelGrid distributes to all major DSPs — see LabelGrid Music Distribution Platforms.
Important Spotify Policies
Section titled “Important Spotify Policies”Before promoting on Spotify, understand these key requirements that affect how your music performs:
Royalty Eligibility Threshold
Section titled “Royalty Eligibility Threshold”Tracks must receive at least 1,000 streams to be eligible for royalty payments. This policy helps ensure royalties are distributed to music that reaches a meaningful audience.
Functional/Ambient Audio Rules
Section titled “Functional/Ambient Audio Rules”White noise, rain sounds, sleep music, and similar “functional” audio content has special rules:
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum length | 2 minutes per track |
| Royalty rate | Reduced (fraction of music track value) |
| Artist name | Cannot use generic names (see below) |
Prohibited Artist Names
Section titled “Prohibited Artist Names”Spotify prohibits generic artist names. These cannot be used:
- Sleep Music, Rain Sounds, White Noise, Nature Sounds
- Workout Music, Gym Beats, Meditation
- Relaxation, Chill, Lo-Fi Beats
- Christmas Hits, Holiday Music, Top Hits
Use your actual artist/project name instead. Content using generic names may be removed from Spotify.
Credit Requirements
Section titled “Credit Requirements”Composer and Lyricist must use full legal names - not aliases, stage names, or initials. This ensures proper rights attribution with publishing societies.
Artist Limits
Section titled “Artist Limits”Spotify displays “Various Artists” on releases with 5 or more main artists. If your release has fewer than 5 main artists, all are listed individually.
LabelGrid handles this automatically: If you add 5 or more main artists, our system displays “Various Artists” on Spotify while preserving individual artist credits on platforms that support more.
Canvas
Section titled “Canvas”Canvas is a short looping visual (3-8 seconds) that plays behind your track on the Spotify mobile app. Think of it as album artwork for the streaming age.
What Canvas Does
Section titled “What Canvas Does”- Loops continuously while your song plays on mobile
- Appears when fans share your track to Instagram Stories or Snapchat
- Helps your music stand out in a listener’s queue
- Can be added to any track, including upcoming releases
Canvas Requirements
Section titled “Canvas Requirements”| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Length | 3-8 seconds |
| Format | MP4 or JPEG (for static) |
| Orientation | Vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) |
| Resolution | 720px wide minimum |
| File size | Under 10MB |
| Loop | Must loop seamlessly |
How to Add a Canvas
Section titled “How to Add a Canvas”- Go to artists.spotify.com
- Navigate to Music → select your track
- Click Add Canvas
- Upload your video or image
- Preview how it loops
- Submit for review (usually approved within 24 hours)
For detailed guidance, see Spotify’s Canvas help article.
Promo Cards
Section titled “Promo Cards”Promo Cards are shareable graphics you can create directly in Spotify for Artists to promote your music on social media.
Types of Promo Cards
Section titled “Types of Promo Cards”| Card Type | When Available |
|---|---|
| Release Card | When you have a new release |
| Milestone Card | When you hit stream milestones (1K, 10K, 100K, 1M, etc.) |
| Playlist Card | When added to editorial playlists |
| Follower Card | When you reach follower milestones |
| Chart Card | When your track enters Top 50 Global Weekly |
| Wrapped Card | During Spotify Wrapped season |
How to Create Promo Cards
Section titled “How to Create Promo Cards”- Go to promocards.byspotify.com
- Sign in with your Spotify for Artists account
- Select the card type you want to create
- Customize colors and layout
- Download and share on your social channels
Clips are short, vertical videos (under 30 seconds) tagged with your music. They appear in a dedicated Clips tab on your artist profile.
What Clips Can Include
Section titled “What Clips Can Include”- Behind-the-scenes footage
- Studio sessions
- Tour moments
- Personal messages to fans
- Anything that invites fans into your creative process
How to Post Clips
Section titled “How to Post Clips”- Open the Spotify for Artists mobile app
- Tap the + button
- Select Clip
- Record or upload a video (under 30 seconds)
- Tag it to one of your tracks
- Add a caption and post
Playlist Pitching
Section titled “Playlist Pitching”Pitch your upcoming releases directly to Spotify’s editorial team for playlist consideration.
Key Rules
Section titled “Key Rules”- Must pitch at least 7 days before release
- Only one song per release can be pitched
- Pitching doesn’t guarantee placement
- You can only pitch unreleased music
How to Pitch
Section titled “How to Pitch”- Go to artists.spotify.com
- Navigate to Music → Upcoming
- Select your unreleased track
- Click Pitch a song
- Fill out the pitch form:
- Genre and mood
- Song description
- Cultural context
- Instruments and recording location
- Submit your pitch
For more details, see Spotify’s playlist pitching guide.
Artist Pick
Section titled “Artist Pick”Artist Pick lets you highlight content at the top of your profile. It could be:
- A new release
- A playlist you curated
- An upcoming concert
- A podcast episode
How to Set an Artist Pick
Section titled “How to Set an Artist Pick”- Go to artists.spotify.com
- Navigate to Profile → Artist Pick
- Select what you want to feature
- Add an optional message (140 characters)
- Set an end date if you want it to expire
Marquee (Paid)
Section titled “Marquee (Paid)”Marquee is Spotify’s paid promotional tool that shows a full-screen recommendation to listeners who have shown interest in your music.
How Marquee Works
Section titled “How Marquee Works”- Targets listeners who’ve engaged with your music before
- Full-screen takeover when they open Spotify
- Links directly to your new release
- Pay per click (varies by market)
When to Use Marquee
Section titled “When to Use Marquee”- New album or EP releases
- Important single drops
- Re-engaging dormant listeners
Marquee is available to eligible artists through the Spotify for Artists dashboard under Campaigns.
Showcase (Paid)
Section titled “Showcase (Paid)”Showcase places your release at the top of Spotify’s Home feed for targeted listeners.
- Appears as a sponsored card on Home
- Targets based on listening history
- Pay per click model
- Available in select markets
Discovery Mode
Section titled “Discovery Mode”Discovery Mode lets you signal to Spotify that a track is a priority, which may increase its likelihood of being recommended in algorithmic playlists like Release Radar and Radio.
Key Points
Section titled “Key Points”- No upfront cost
- You agree to a promotional royalty rate for streams from Discovery Mode placements
- Not available for all tracks or artists
Lyrics (via Musixmatch)
Section titled “Lyrics (via Musixmatch)”To display lyrics on your Spotify tracks:
- Create an account at artists.musixmatch.com
- Verify your artist identity
- Add or correct lyrics for your songs
- Sync lyrics to timestamps (for karaoke-style display)
Verified lyrics appear on Spotify and can be shared to Instagram Stories.
See Spotify’s lyrics guide for more details.
Music Videos (Beta)
Section titled “Music Videos (Beta)”Spotify has been rolling out music video support:
- Available in 100+ markets as of 2025
- Upload through Spotify for Artists
- Appears on your track’s page
Contact your LabelGrid representative for details on video delivery.
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”- Plan ahead - Pitch playlists 7+ days before release
- Use Canvas - Tracks with Canvas get more saves and shares
- Celebrate milestones - Create Promo Cards for every achievement
- Post Clips regularly - Keep fans engaged between releases
- Update Artist Pick - Rotate featured content to keep profile fresh
- Add lyrics - Listeners engage more with tracks that have lyrics
”Does LabelGrid deliver to Spotify?”
Section titled “”Does LabelGrid deliver to Spotify?””Yes — LabelGrid delivers your releases to Spotify. Once your release is live, claim your Spotify for Artists profile to access Canvas, playlist pitching, Promo Cards, and analytics.
”How do I claim my Spotify for Artists profile?”
Section titled “”How do I claim my Spotify for Artists profile?””Claim your profile at artists.spotify.com by requesting access to your artist page. LabelGrid delivers your releases so your profile can be matched and verified.
”How do I pitch a song to Spotify editorial playlists?”
Section titled “”How do I pitch a song to Spotify editorial playlists?””Pitch through Spotify for Artists at least 7 days before release. Go to Music, then Upcoming, select the unreleased track, and complete the pitch form. You can pitch only one song per release, and pitching does not guarantee placement.
”How long does it take for a release to go live on Spotify?”
Section titled “”How long does it take for a release to go live on Spotify?””Delivery times vary by platform and are not guaranteed — allow a labeled range and verify per DSP. Deliver several days before your release date so the release is processed in time to go live on schedule.
”How many streams does a track need to earn royalties on Spotify?”
Section titled “”How many streams does a track need to earn royalties on Spotify?””A track must receive at least 1,000 streams in the prior 12 months to be eligible for recording royalties under Spotify’s policy.
”Can I take my music down from Spotify?”
Section titled “”Can I take my music down from Spotify?””Yes — request a takedown through your LabelGrid dashboard and the removal is sent to Spotify. Processing time varies by platform.
Resources
Section titled “Resources”Official Spotify Documentation
Section titled “Official Spotify Documentation”- Metadata Formatting Guidelines - Official rules for track titles, artist names, and credits
- Cover Art Requirements - Artwork specifications and content policies
- Prohibited Content Policy - What content is not allowed
- Artificial Streaming Policy - Rules about stream manipulation
Additional Resources
Section titled “Additional Resources”Not using LabelGrid yet?
Everything you just read about is available on our platform.
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