Requirements
| Parameter | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Shape | 1:1 square |
| Size | usually from 3000×3000 px |
| Format | JPG or PNG |
| Color | RGB |
| Quality | no blur or pixelation |
| Text | artist name and release title, no unrelated text |
| Not allowed | links, dates, prices, QR codes, ads, brand and platform logos |
| Image | original, no other people’s photos or characters |
Requirements differ between distributors and platforms, so check with yours.
How to generate
- 1:1 format, 4K resolution. If the distributor needs more, enlarge the image with an upscaler.
- Keep the lettering short: artist name and title. Write it word for word in quotation marks and check every letter.
- Avoid small details near the edges: platforms show the cover small, sometimes with rounded corners.
- Check it on a phone: people see the cover at the size of a fingernail.
Prompts by genre
Rap, night city:
Square album cover: a lonely figure in a hoodie stands on a wet rooftop at night, neon city lights below, heavy rain, cinematic moody colors, grain. Text at the bottom: «НОЧЬ» in bold condensed white letters. 1:1
«НОЧЬ» means “NIGHT”.
Lyrical, minimalism:
Minimal square single cover: a single white paper boat on calm dark water, soft moonlight, lots of empty space. Small text at the bottom: «Тише» in a thin elegant font. 1:1
«Тише» means “Quieter”.
Electronic:
Square album cover: abstract glowing geometric shapes floating in dark space, neon pink and cyan light, smooth gradients, futuristic. No text. 1:1
Indie, retro:
Square single cover in the style of a faded 1990s film photo: an old car parked by a seaside road at sunset, warm washed-out colors, light leaks. Text at the top: «Лето» in a handwritten font. 1:1
«Лето» means “Summer”.
Rock:
Square album cover: a burning electric guitar on cracked desert ground under a dark stormy sky, dramatic contrast, gritty texture. Text at the top: «ГРОЗА» in bold distressed letters. 1:1
«ГРОЗА» means “THUNDERSTORM”.
With your photo:
Keep the face of the person from the photo exactly the same. Square single cover: the person in a dark jacket stands in thick fog, a single red light behind, moody cinematic look. Text at the bottom: «Имя артиста» in bold clean letters. 1:1
«Имя артиста» means “Artist name”: put your own name here.
Video cover
For platforms with video covers, upload the finished cover to a video model:
Subtle looping animation: fog drifts slowly, the light pulses gently, rain falls. The composition and text stay unchanged. No sound.
Veo 3.1 Lite (16:9 or 9:16) or Seedance 2.0 (which also has a 1:1 square), 6 seconds. A companion to the article about music videos: AI music video.
Rights
- The cover must be original: no other people’s photos, film stills, characters or logos: other brands, logos and characters in AI.
- Other people’s faces only with their consent.
- If a designer makes the cover with AI to order, agree on the transfer of rights in the contract: copyright on AI images.
What it costs
| Model | Resolution | Approximately |
|---|---|---|
| Seedream 4.5 | 4K | ~8 rub. |
| Nano Banana Pro | 2K | ~25 rub. |
| Nano Banana Pro | 4K | ~44 rub. |
| Video cover 6 s, Veo 3.1 Lite, no sound | 1080p | ~51 rub. |
KADR (kadr-ai.ru) prices, October 2026. This is not a public offer.
In short
AI track cover art: a 1:1 square in 4K, short lettering (artist name and title) word for word in quotation marks, no links, dates or logos. The image must be original. On Nano Banana Pro with Russian lettering a cover costs about 44 rubles in 4K, on Seedream 4.5 about 8 rubles.
