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“Animated album covers are here to stay wheater you like it or not,” says 2D animation specialist MANZON from CARVALHO-MANZON Digital Arts with 500+ animated album covers and animated wallpapers for Desktop (Wallpaper Engine – Steam) and mobile.
More info: animatedalbumcover.com
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Unleash the Power of Animated Album Covers
AN EMERGING TREND
Animated album covers are an emerging trend which adds a dynamic and interactive element to the static images we know. By incorporating animated elements into your album covers, artists can create a more immersive experience for their fans and potential listeners, leading to greater engagement and more streams on music streaming platforms.
In this article, I will explore about the rise of animated album covers and why album cover animation is the future of music streaming platforms with relevant data and statistics to support my decision, as well as the reason why artists should consider investing in this trend which is becoming an essential tool for musicians and songwriters looking to promote their music online.
Pink Floyd – The Endless River (2014)
THE ORIGIN OF ANIMATED ALBUM COVERS
Animated album covers has been around for several decades, although it wasn’t widely used until the advent of music platforms. One of the first examples of an animated album cover dates back to 1976 when the rock band Queen released their album “A Day at the Races” which included a holographic image of the band members on the cover. When the album was tilted the image appeared to move, creating a dynamic effect.
Although this animated album cover is an early example, there were other examples of similar techniques being used around the same time.
In 1973, the band Led Zeppelin released their album “Houses of the Holy” which featured an intricately folded cover with a montage of images that appeared to be moving when the pages were flipped.
Another example of an animated album cover can be found on the 1978 album “Parallel Lines” by the band Blondie. The cover art featured a photograph of vocalist Debbie Harry with various parts of the image painted in bright colors. When viewed through a special filter included in the album, the colors appeared to move and change, creating a dynamic and eye-catching effect.
The use of animated album covers has a long and storied history that goes back several decades. While the techniques and technology used to create these covers have evolved over time, the basic idea of using dynamic, engaging visuals to promote music remains as relevant today as it ever was.
Animated album covers have become even more widespread thanks to the increased use of music streaming platforms like Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music. These platforms have provided artists with new tools and resources to promote their songs and animated album covers have re-emerged as a way to stand out in the field. As the music industry continues to advance and evolve, it is quite likely that we will see even more innovative and creative uses of animated album covers over the next years.
Stratovarius – Infinite (2000)
A NEW WAY TO CONNECT WITH FANS
Music streaming has completely revolutionized the music industry over the past decade, offering artists a new way to reach their audience and connect with fans.
With millions of songs available on music streaming platforms, artists are continually competing for the listener’s attention. It can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. Thus, it became more challenging to hold the listener’s attention “only” with audio and a static album cover.
This is where animated album covers come in, offering a new way to showcase your music and capture the attention of potential listeners and fans alike.
Nickelback – All the Right Reasons (2005)
ON MUSIC STREAMING PLATFORMS
In late 2020, Spotify introduced a feature that allows artists to upload Canvas, which is an 8-second looping video that can play an animated album cover instead of a static album artwork. This tool is available to all artists and platform users.
In 2018, Apple Music introduced a similar feature called “Music Videos” that allows artists to upload a short video that plays animated album covers when their music is streamed on the platform. However, this feature is only available to artists who are signed to Apple Music.
Tidal, meanwhile, has supported animated album covers for some time now, allowing artists to upload a custom video that plays in the background.
Megadeth – Rust in Peace (1990)
SPOTIFY CANVAS
Spotify introduced the Canvas feature in 2019, which allows artists to upload an 8-second looping video that can play animated album covers in place of static album covers. According to Spotify itself, “the feature has been shown to increase artist engagement and listening time on the platform” and it is available to all artists and platform users.
In terms of stats, Spotify reports that songs with animated album covers are streamed 120% more often and have a 145% increase in shares compared to songs with static album covers. The feature has been shown to increase engagement with users being more likely to add a track to their playlist if it has an animated album cover.
To use Canvas on Spotify, artists need to upload a video with a resolution of at least 640×640 pixels in resolution and a file size of less than 4MB. The video can be in landscape or portrait format, but it must meet certain guidelines to ensure that animated album covers meets Spotify’s content policies.
Iron Maiden – Powerslave (1984)
APPLE MUSIC
In 2018, Apple Music introduced a similar feature called “Music Videos” which allows artists to upload a short video that plays when the song is streamed on the platform. However, this feature is only available to artists who are signed to Apple Music.
While there are no specific statistics available on how music videos affect engagement on the platform, the feature has been used by many popular artists to promote their music, including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and Drake.
To use “Music Videos” on Apple Music, artists need to have an agreement with the platform and upload their videos through a third-party distributor.
Metallica – Master of Puppets (1986)
TIDAL
Tidal has supported animated album covers for some time now, allowing artists to upload a custom video that plays on the background. The feature is available to all artists on the platform and can be used to create a more intense and immersive experience to your fans and potential new listeners.
There are no specific statistics available on how animated album covers impact engagement on Tidal, but the feature has been used by many popular artists, including Beyonce and Kanye West.
To use animated album covers on Tidal, artists must upload a video with a resolution of at least 1280 x 720 pixels and a file size of less than 500MB. Video can be in landscape or portrait format and must meet certain guidelines to ensure it meets Tidal’s content policies.
Overall, support for animated album covers on music streaming platforms is a relatively new trend, but it has already been shown to increase engagement and listen time on these platforms. As more artists start using this type of feature to promote their songs, it’s likely that they will become an increasingly important part of the music streaming landscape.
It’s worth noting that not all streaming platforms support animated album covers, and the implementation of this feature may vary across platforms. However, animated album covers have become more and more popular and more streaming platforms may support this feature in the future.
PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC WITH FANS
In addition to capturing the listener’s attention with quality animation, animated album covers can also help artists to promote music on social media platforms through their own fans.
According to a BuzzSumo study, posts with images are shared more often on social media platforms than those without images. Imagine videos? Thus, animated album covers increase the chances of sharing your music, making it more interesting and attractive.
Studies have shown that album art plays a significant role in listener engagement. A survey by music streaming platform Deezer found that 61% of listeners admitted to listening to music because they were drawn to the animated album cover. Another Nielsen Music study found that 47% of users who stream music on their smartphones are drawn to animated album covers on platforms.
Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Advertising Research found that “compelling visual images” can increase viewer attention by 75%. Animated album covers with dynamic visuals, cool motion and effects are more likely to capture the listener’s attention, which is essential in today’s competitive music industry.
Animated album covers are not only visually appealing, but also provide a way for artists to express their creativity and music more dynamically. The International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction published a study showing that animated album covers can significantly impact the perceived quality and popularity of music, making animated album covers a valuable tool for artists looking to increase visibility on streaming platforms.
To summarize, there is a significant body of evidence that animated album covers are the future of music streaming platforms. Album covers can play a significant role in listener engagement and animated album covers have the potential to take engagement to the next level. They provide an opportunity for artists to express creativity and add a new layer of depth to songs. With the growing importance of visuals in music marketing, investing in animated album covers is a smart move for artists looking to promote music and reach new listeners.
In conclusion, the music industry is highly competitive and standing out from the crowd is crucial. Animated album covers have the potential to increase listener engagement, visibility and sharing rates on social media. With extensive data and studies showing the importance of animated album cover in listener engagement, it’s time for artists to invest. An animated album cover is not only visually appealing, but it can also create a lasting impression on your fans and listeners, leading to increased streaming of your music and getting your music in front of more people.
Don’t miss the opportunity to stand out. Bring your music to life with animated album covers! Reach out!
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