Video is just about the approach to promote music in 2025.
As a result of 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 fantastic 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 a part of us for a reside 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 12 months forward, what every format is greatest used for, and the way to prioritize your video efforts.
Be a part of us on YouTube or Fb on Thursday, December twelfth at 2pm EST / 11am PST:
Why unbiased music creators ought to give attention to 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 remains 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 purpose of TikTok, Reels, and Shorts is to retain viewers. If content material by an unbiased creator retains folks glued, it’s bought the benefit.
It may 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 can also make nice movies on your music!
Video will be overwhelming for some musicians although. The place to start with so many alternative approaches, platforms, and codecs!? Nicely, that’s why we put collectively this listing of music video concepts and codecs. For those who needed to prioritize one factor, I’d counsel quick, vertical, single-camera, single-take, live-performance movies.
However as with something in music, you’ll discover essentially the most success while you’re most artistic. So try the listing 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 lifeless.
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 greatest official video in your web site’s homepage. And naturally your diehard followers will take pleasure in full-length official movies too.
However be mindful: “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 possible 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 quite a lot of completely different variations. Get artistic. Nobody stated you may solely have one video for a music. And if the video is simply 15 seconds lengthy, you may create extra choices!
These could possibly be reside performances, “reside” lip-syncing to the recorded observe, or extra narrative/summary, like a phase from the official video (however vertical).
Try these social developments 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.
Identical 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 current followers, not for wowing model new audiences.
5. Artwork Observe movies
An Artwork Observe is a video that shows a static picture of your album art work whereas the music performs. It’s helpful to have.
And fortunately, YouTube creates them for you routinely while you distribute tracks to YouTube Music. So that you may not even must MAKE these, however somewhat simply seize the hyperlink and share!
6. Spotify Canvas video
A Spotify Canvas is the quick looping video that performs on Spotify. You may 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 artistic. Simply do not forget that the video is not going to be “synched” to the music, so that you may need to keep away from clips of somebody singing particular lyrics.
By the way in which, you may swap it out anytime. So attempt various things and see what works greatest.
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 loads to dive into, and numerous choices to discover, so let your character shine.
To repeat: These movies must be about YOUR artistry and YOUR character. As a result of that’s the factor that’s going to distinguish you and preserve folks coming again for extra.
8. Cowl music movies
These work extraordinarily nicely for locating new audiences, and you must positively use them! Even when your focus is on unique music, do not forget that acts from The Beatles to Adele leveraged cowl songs to broaden their attraction.
Better of all, with social platforms, you don’t even must 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 may need to think about easy, reside efficiency movies for social. And sure, these movies will 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 present and preserve audiences entertained.
So attempt to seize footage at a venue. Simply don’t publish boring movies from the again of the room the place you seem small onstage and the membership appears to be like half empty.
Sound and visible high quality are useful, however the principle precedence is to show you’re filling venues, wowing crowds, and preserving folks 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 in addition seize the viewers power.
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 might do that as a mini-documentary, as an AMA (speaking to the digicam), or as a fast vertical video.
There are, after all, many different types of video you may 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 reside cowl music snippet, and so forth.
An important factor is: Understand the ability and significance of video for shifting your music ahead. After which go make a video!