The Two Things Most Often Forgotten Right Before Release
Mastering is done, the artwork is ready — and yet when you open the track in the Spotify app, there's no background video and no lyrics. That's because neither one is something "the distributor takes care of"; both are assets the artist has to handle separately. This guide covers the two items most often missed on a release checklist — Spotify Canvas and lyrics display — including who makes them, where, and how.
What Is Spotify Canvas?
Canvas is a 3–8 second vertical looping video that plays where the album cover would be in the Spotify mobile app while a track plays. A short visual loop conveys the song's mood and makes the screen easy to share with friends.
The key point is that the distributor does not make it for you. ISRC/UPC issuance and store registration are handled by the distributor, but Canvas is a free asset the artist uploads directly in Spotify for Artists.
Canvas specs
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | Vertical 9:16 |
| Recommended resolution | 720x1280px or higher |
| Format | MP4 video (or still image) |
| Length | 3–8 seconds, auto-loop |
| Sound | Does not play (silent loop) |
What the guidelines prohibit
- Promotional copy / purchase-driving CTAs
- Phone numbers, emails, social media handles
- External logos / trademarks (assets you don't own rights to)
- Excessive flashing / strobing
- Video or images you don't hold the rights to
The best Canvas is a simple repeat of one scene from the song rather than flashy editing. A single cut from a music video, an image that evokes the lyrics, or artwork that moves subtly all work well.
Where to upload it
- Go to Spotify for Artists (web or app)
- Select the track in your catalog
- Upload the video under the Add Canvas menu
- Upload per track (for an album, each song separately)
If you prepare it before release, you can line it up to appear the moment the track goes live.
Why it's worth adding
According to Spotify's own figures, tracks with a Canvas showed higher shares, saves, playlist adds, and artist-profile visits than tracks without one. That said, these are average tendencies the platform presented, and results vary by track. Since it costs nothing, it's worth adding to enrich the listening experience.
Spotify Lyrics — A Different Path from Canvas
Although it's often bundled with Canvas in the same question, lyrics display is handled through a completely different path.
Spotify's real-time lyrics feature is provided through a partnership with Musixmatch. That is, you don't upload lyrics directly in Spotify for Artists — instead, you register the lyrics on Musixmatch and sync the time codes so the lyrics scroll in time with the music, and that data reflects onto Spotify.
Lyrics registration flow
- Register the artist/track on Musixmatch
- Enter the lyrics text
- Sync the time codes per line (so the lyrics flow with the music)
- After review and approval, it reflects onto Spotify and other connected platforms
Since it takes time to reflect, register ahead of the release if you want lyrics to appear. Other platforms such as Apple Music each have their own lyrics handling, and some receive lyrics via the distributor.
Where They Sit on Your Release Asset Checklist
Canvas and lyrics shouldn't be treated as "nice to have" — handle them as standard assets right before release so they don't slip. Add the following to your checklist one to two weeks before release.
- Final master
- Artwork (square, 3000x3000px)
- Metadata, credits, ISRC/UPC
- Spotify Canvas (vertical video per track)
- Lyrics (Musixmatch registration & sync)
- Pre-save link
What Studio NOL Helps With
As we organize mastering and metadata in-house, Studio NOL includes the easily-missed Canvas and lyrics in the checklist and guides you through them right before release.
- Canvas planning support: we help set a visual direction that fits the song's mood and suggest safe options such as motion using the artwork or footage from the work session. (Video production itself is arranged separately.)
- Lyrics sync guidance: we walk you through the Musixmatch registration and sync process and align the schedule so lyrics appear properly at release.
- Asset-freeze review: one week before release, we check Canvas and lyrics readiness in one pass alongside the master, artwork, and metadata.
In Closing
Spotify Canvas and lyrics are both the artist's job — not something the distributor does for you. Canvas is a 3–8 second vertical video you upload per track directly in Spotify for Artists, and lyrics flow onto Spotify only after you register and sync them on Musixmatch. Just knowing precisely that the paths are different lets you avoid the release-day shock of "why does my track have no video and no lyrics?"
Since they're free assets, the surest approach is to build them into your release checklist from the start and prepare them in advance.
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