Apple Music guidelines for publicity photos

If our editorial team is interested in featuring an artist, we’ll request 3-5 images called publicity photos. These are medium shots that can show up in artwork promoting playlists, radio shows, and campaigns.

To get them approved, and maintain an artist’s vision across devices, platforms, and placements — follow our guidelines:

Guideline contents


Ready to upload? Anyone with access to Media Requests in Apple Music Connect can submit images.



Specifications for publicity photos

To make artists look good, stick to these required specs.

Quantity 3-5 images total
File format JPG, TIF, PNG, PSD, or RAW
Image size 3000 pixels (width or height) or larger
File size 2MB minimum
Image mode RGB, color image only


Best practices

Publicity photos can crop and display in different ways, for different artwork. These best practices create a high-quality visual experience across them all.

Submit high-quality files. To get your images approved and best represent artists, export at 300 dots per inch (DPI) and at least 3000 x 3000 pixels. Check out all of the required specs above. Make it a medium shot. The artist’s head, shoulders, arms, and waist should all be in frame. Avoid close-ups or closely cropped images.

Get the group together. Groups of two or more people should be positioned closely together — and posed at similar heights.

Keep artists in focus. Images should show the artist in sharp focus and even lighting — without filters, effects, or color treatments. Avoid added noise, distortion, or blur.

Let the artist be the star. Artists should be clear of any other object in the image. Leave instruments, hand gestures, and busy backgrounds behind.

Stay front and center. Images should show artists in an upright, neutral pose. Avoid leaning, sitting, or squatting.

Be brand and logo-free. Clothing and accessories in images should be free of any graphics, copyrighted brands, or sports franchise logos. This includes equipment like headphones and musical instruments.



Creative expression is everything. But here are the things image submissions shouldn’t include:

  • Any photographs that could be construed as offensive or include profanity.
  • Any nudity, partial nudity, the suggestion of nudity, or sexualized bodies.
  • Any depictions of sex, violence, gore, smoking, alcohol, or drugs.
  • Any logos, branding, or graphics on clothing, accessories, or tattoos.
  • Any branded or recognizable equipment or props.
  • AI-generated imagery, (e.g. imagery created by Midjourney, Dall-E, Adobe Firefly/generative fill, etc.) AI image editing tools are okay.
  • Religious, political symbols, and national flags. Certain religious items are okay where used for personal reasons.
  • Visual representation of any Apple Products (old and new) such as Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, etc.
  • Non-Apple products (hardware or devices) that are in the same category as Apple products. 

Before delivering photos, ensure that any assets are free and clear for Apple’s global use on our platforms, including on Apple Music and off of our platforms, including in our marketing, and that no other party has rights that would affect Apple’s right to use those assets. This means that all assets you provide, including any imagery or other third-party content contained in those assets, should be properly licensed for use in Apple Music deliverables, both on and off platform.