Spotify Canvas..What is it and how can you make one?
Hey, are you familiar with the Spotify Canvas feature?
It’s that short video clip that keeps looping while people listen to your song…
Opposed to having a still-shot of your artwork just sitting there.
It gives your audience an immediate vibe and a compelling experience around your music.
But for the most part, you’ve probably only seen major label artists doing this so far…
And you’ve probably thought to yourself, “damn, if only I could find a way to upload this type of video content with each of my next music releases… that would be a game changer...”
And you’re probably right that it would be a game changer.
Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your song would suddenly blow up to millions of views, but it would certainly incentivize a lot more of your listeners to share your music…
Which would help you grow your fanbase at a faster rate than it is now.
More than anything, it’s what would separate you from all of the average underground artists and give you the appearance of a major artist whom people should pay attention to.
Uploading a Canvas to Spotify is making your music stand out among the endless waves of new releases.
If you get this right and produce a well-thought out 8-second loop that transitions seamlessly...
You can make your Canvas catchy enough to where people may watch it over and over again, with the assumption that they’re watching a trailer for your upcoming music video…
Even if you never actually produce a full budget music video lol.
In fact, if you were to upload the same video clip on Instagram or Tik Tok, it would probably be the most viral post you ever released. Simply because of the replay value.
So… Wanna know how to upload a Spotify Canvas video?
Simply follow the instructions below:
Verify your Spotify for Artists account - https://artists.spotify.com/blog/how-to-get-verified
On desktop, open your posted music and future releases in Spotify
Select your song
Select "Change Canvas" to edit
Press the "+" sign to upload and trim your video
Save your changes
That's it! Your Canvas is ready and available to be shared. You and your fans can even share your Spotify Canvas through Instagram directly.
Check out this video if you'd like to see how Spotify recommends using this feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD0mLVdCmJM
Now, you might be wondering what kind of video would be best for this…
The truth is, that really depends on your resources and personal vibe.
You'll want to produce something you can afford and something that complements the aesthetic of the song.
For example, even if you kept it to a super simple on-camera performance shot with your phones camera or showing just one intriguing interaction between two people…
You would still have created more attractive branding for your song than 95% of artists around the world.
I’ve also come across some really dope custom anime clips. But unless you have a close friend who’s a custom animation artist, this option could get pretty expensive.
Either way, here are a few different types of loops that you could consider producing:
Continuous Loop - feels like a seamlessly looping GIF with no clear beginning or end
Hard-Cut Loop - an intentional edit that is meant to send a specific message and leave the audience with a cliffhanger
Rebound Loop - plays your clip for 4-5 seconds, and then reverses it. This could work well for a performance shot... or could also make for a movie-like scene where someone walks into a moment that they can never unsee (hence, replaying that moment in their head endlessly)
...Something that stands out but isn't too busy, that engages fans but doesn't direct them elsewhere, and that elevates your work would be perfect for your Canvas.
You can either work within your skill set, connect with a friend or a familiar artist, or turn to online sites such as Fiverr.com to hire someone who can help you manifest your vision.
Of course, you could also contact Forever Current and we’ll be happy to connect you with one of our video directors - mgmt@forevercurrent.com
Another great thing is that you don’t have to settle for future releases, you can actually add a canvas to previously released music too
And if you already have a music video for one of your songs, you can upload and trim the piece of the video you want to use for a loop
And finally…
A potential solution for anyone who’s currently struggling financially or does not have access to a quality video producer:
Although it is not absolutely clear whether or not Spotify permits the use of stock video clips for Canvas…
As long as the website where you download the clip from specifically provides a license to use their stock videos/photos (and also specifies that those are royalty free), then this could be worth a try for you in the meantime!
But you MUST make sure to download the license (or take a screenshot of the section that expresses the permissions granted) for whichever specific media content you end up using... just in case you have to submit any proof of permission at some point sooner or later.
You can find Spotify's content policy here: https://artists.spotify.com/help/article/canvas-content-policy
You've got this, and Forever Current is here with you!
Have a great week!