How to Prepare Your Music Video for Distribution

Before you send over anything, you need to make sure your video has certain details in place so we can deliver your music video in a timely manner. To help you out, our video expert has put together some video distribution tips for your next release to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Here’s the rundown…

How to Prepare for Video Distribution

Technical Specifications

Before we dive into the fun stuff, these technical specifications should be met before anything else:

• Video should be high quality (1920 x 1080 with a high bitrate of at least 50 Mbit/sec). (4K is now accepted by most video streaming platforms.)
• Video should be Pro Res .mov or .H264 .mp4.
• You should send your distributor the highest quality version of the video you have.

Each video platform has their own format for video delivery. You don’t want your video looking compressed or blurry on some sites because you submitted a low quality version to begin with. — Get it up to par at the beginning to save yourself the trouble down the line.

Content Specifications

Bottom line… Your video should promote your music and overall brand as an artist. Don’t use videos with stock footage/public domain footage. Your fans want to get to know YOU. Either way, most platforms require music videos to contain 100% original content anyway. Stock footage is boring. You aren’t.

In addition, your video should be shot with a high quality camera, edited well, and include multiple angles. It should be dynamic, intriguing, and it should look professional.

Some other things to keep in mind here:

• Your video can’t contain full frontal nudity, explicit drug use or graphic violence. This will cause your video to be rejected. (However, the video CAN have explicit language, but it needs to be marked as such during delivery.)
• Your video should not have any promotional content like social media URLs, hashtags, album art, release dates, shoutouts, etc. The video platforms (and fans!) want to see the video itself with no on screen distractions.
• Socials and video credits can always be put in the video description. 

Lyric Video Content

Lyric music videos with lyrics stylized into a produced video are also accepted here at Symphonic.

Your video should not have any promotional content like social media URLs, hashtags, album art, release dates, shoutouts, etc. THESE WILL BE REJECTED. As we mentioned earlier, the video platforms (and fans!) want to see the video itself with no on-screen distractions. To be completely honest, they just aren’t appealing. You can do better.

Here’s an example of a GOOD lyric video by Laura Marano:

Marketing

You should have a solid plan on how to promote your upcoming video release and then a plan for after its release. If you need help planning your rollout, check out our guide on how to promote a music video.

We recommend submitting your video for distribution at least a month before your release to give our marketing team time to pitch it on our end but also give you time to promote its release.

Once your video is delivered to platforms, your promotion strategy becomes just as important as the technical preparation. Planning your release day rollout, pitching the video to blogs and playlists, and sharing clips across social media can significantly increase your video’s reach.

FAQ: Music Video Distribution

What format should a music video be for distribution?

Most distributors require high-quality video files such as ProRes .mov or H.264 .mp4. Videos should typically be delivered in 1080p resolution with a high bitrate to maintain quality across streaming platforms.

Can I use stock footage in a music video for distribution?

Many platforms require that music videos contain primarily original content. Heavy use of stock or public domain footage can lead to rejection depending on the platform’s guidelines.

Why do music video platforms reject videos?

Videos can be rejected for several reasons including low-quality files, promotional overlays like URLs or release dates, explicit content that violates platform guidelines, or incorrect formatting.

How far in advance should I submit a music video for distribution?

It’s generally recommended to submit your music video at least four weeks before your planned release date. This allows time for processing, pitching opportunities, and promotional planning.

Can lyric videos be distributed to music platforms?

Yes, lyric videos are accepted by many distributors as long as they meet technical requirements and are professionally produced without promotional overlays or distracting elements.

Good luck!