Video is just about the solution to promote music in 2025.
As a result of a superb music video can nonetheless:
- seize our consideration
- invite deeper engagement
- and organically attain new followers…
…. even in a world of short-attention spans and media saturation.
And if video can efficiently do all of the above, a terrific video will push the associated observe additional than that music may’ve gone with out visuals. Which is why the music business is so laser-focused on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube.
Be part of us for a dwell dialogue about music movies in 2025
Within the subsequent interactive episode of The Music Profession Research Group, we’re going to debate the massive alternative unbiased artists have with music movies, ten kinds of movies you must make within the yr forward, what every format is finest used for, and prioritize your video efforts.
Be part of us on YouTube or Fb on Thursday, December twelfth at 2pm EST / 11am PST:
Why unbiased music creators ought to deal with video
In contrast to different areas of music promotion — like publicity, radio, and even playlists — the place main labels and notable acts have a transparent benefit, video continues to be a reasonably “democratized” approach of reaching audiences.
And that’s largely because of the advice engines of social platforms. As a result of the principle aim of TikTok, Reels, and Shorts is to retain viewers. If content material by an unbiased creator retains individuals glued, it’s acquired the benefit.
It could be controversial to say that social platforms are meritocracies, however ya know, they’re not not meritocracies. And that’s excellent news for you. As a result of you may make nice movies to your music!
Video might be overwhelming for some musicians although. The place to start with so many alternative approaches, platforms, and codecs!? Properly, that’s why we put collectively this checklist of music video concepts and codecs. If you happen to needed to prioritize one factor, I’d counsel brief, vertical, single-camera, single-take, live-performance movies.
However as with something in music, you’ll discover probably the most success once you’re most inventive. So take a look at the checklist under and select whichever idea feels most inspiring.
10 kinds of music movies you must create
1. The official music video
The “official” music video isn’t useless.
It’s nonetheless very helpful when selling your music to media retailers. Some blogs nonetheless wish to premiere official movies. Official video additionally make nice nurturing content material for brand new followers who’re previous the purpose of introductions, and who now need to dig deeper. So embed your finest official video in your web site’s homepage. And naturally your diehard followers will get pleasure from full-length official movies too.
However take into accout: “official” movies aren’t as helpful at reaching new audiences on short-form platforms, and they are often costly to supply, so don’t lay our a fortune right here. That fast video you shot in 5 minutes and posted to TikTok may doubtless discover far more viewers than the “official” video you labored on for weeks.
2. The song-snippet video
Simply make a video for the hook of your music. In truth, make a whole lot of completely different variations. Get inventive. Nobody stated you possibly can solely have one video for a music. And if the video is barely 15 seconds lengthy, you possibly can create extra choices!
These may very well be dwell performances, “dwell” lip-syncing to the recorded observe, or extra narrative/summary, like a section from the official video (however vertical).
Take a look at these social traits in music video promo for tons of inspiration!
3. Visualizations
These are the kinds of movies which have graphics that transfer to the music. Most frequently, they’re widescreen orientation.
Similar to the official music video, these received’t be nice for outreach to strangers, however for the loyal followers, they’ll dig it. So make them as refined or artsy as you need.
4. Lyric movies or karaoke movies
These are nice for followers who need to sing alongside, or learn alongside and get the phrases appropriate!
Identical caveat as earlier although: These are movies for present followers, not for wowing model new audiences.
5. Artwork Monitor movies
An Artwork Monitor is a video that shows a static picture of your album paintings whereas the music performs. It’s useful to have.
And fortunately, YouTube creates them for you routinely once you distribute tracks to YouTube Music. So that you may not even have to MAKE these, however reasonably simply seize the hyperlink and share!
6. Spotify Canvas video
A Spotify Canvas is the brief looping video that performs on Spotify. You possibly can add them inside Spotify for Artists.
They need to be roughly three to seven seconds lengthy. There aren’t many guidelines right here, so get inventive. Simply do not forget that the video is not going to be “synched” to the music, so that you would possibly need to keep away from clips of somebody singing particular lyrics.
By the best way, you possibly can swap it out anytime. So strive various things and see what works finest.
7. Music-related short-form movies
It’s a class of its personal, however consider all of the shorter movies you see artists making on TikTok and Reels that relate to their music with out being an precise music video or efficiency video.
There’s rather a lot to dive into, and numerous choices to discover, so let your character shine.
To repeat: These movies ought to be about YOUR artistry and YOUR character. As a result of that’s the factor that’s going to distinguish you and hold individuals coming again for extra.
8. Cowl music movies
These work extraordinarily effectively for locating new audiences, and you must positively use them! Even when your focus is on authentic music, do not forget that acts from The Beatles to Adele leveraged cowl songs to broaden their enchantment.
Better of all, with social platforms, you don’t even have to do the WHOLE music. It may simply be a TikTok of you singing the refrain.
And they are often stripped-down and acoustic covers, or full-on stunt productions of Taylor Swift hits. Or something in between.
9. Dwell movies
I discussed above that you just would possibly need to focus on easy, dwell efficiency movies for social. And sure, these movies might be VERY easy, so long as the music is nice.
However I’m not speaking about social right here. I’m speaking about widescreen documentation of your efficiency expertise. Principally, the kind of video you’ll need to present a expertise purchaser, live performance promoter, or home live performance host to show to them that you just placed on a superb present and hold audiences entertained.
So attempt to seize footage at a venue. Simply don’t submit boring movies from the again of the room the place you seem small onstage and the membership appears half empty.
Sound and visible high quality are useful, however the principle precedence is to show you’re filling venues, wowing crowds, and holding individuals within the room!
So attempt to seize one thing magical about your efficiency expertise, whether or not it’s your voice, your instrumental prowess, your manufacturing expertise, or your songwriting, but additionally seize the viewers vitality.
10. Behind-the-scenes movies
Give your followers a peek behind the scenes of what it’s wish to be an artist. Share the sights and sounds (and smells) of being on tour, within the studio, at a radio station, or the rehearsal house. You possibly can do that as a mini-documentary, as an AMA (speaking to the digicam), or as a fast vertical video.
There are, in fact, many different types of video you possibly can create to advertise your music. And you’ll combine and match any of the above — add lyrics on-screen throughout your “official” video, do a dwell cowl music snippet, and many others.
Crucial factor is: Understand the facility and significance of video for transferring your music ahead. After which go make a video!