Video is just about the technique to promote music in 2025.
As a result of a very good 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, an important 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 stay dialogue about music movies in 2025
Within the subsequent interactive episode of The Music Profession Examine Group, we’re going to debate the massive alternative unbiased artists have with music movies, ten forms of movies you need to make within the yr forward, what every format is greatest used for, and how you can 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 continues to be a reasonably “democratized” means of reaching audiences.
And that’s principally due to 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 folks glued, it’s received 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 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 checklist of music video concepts and codecs. In the event you 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 essentially the most success whenever you’re most artistic. So try the checklist under and select whichever idea feels most inspiring.
10 forms of music movies you need to create
1. The official music video
The “official” music video isn’t useless.
It’s nonetheless very helpful when selling your music to media shops. 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 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 provide, 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 tune. In actual fact, make numerous totally different variations. Get artistic. Nobody stated you possibly can solely have one video for a tune. And if the video is just 15 seconds lengthy, you possibly can create extra choices!
These may very well be stay performances, “stay” lip-syncing to the recorded observe, or extra narrative/summary, like a section from the official video (however vertical).
Try these social tendencies in music video promo for tons of inspiration!
3. Visualizations
These are the forms 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 right!
Similar 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 paintings whereas the music performs. It’s helpful to have.
And fortunately, YouTube creates them for you mechanically whenever 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 brief looping video that performs on Spotify. You’ll be able to 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 keep in mind that the video won’t be “synched” to the tune, 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 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 quite a bit to dive into, and numerous choices to discover, so let your persona shine.
To repeat: These movies needs to be about YOUR artistry and YOUR persona. As a result of that’s the factor that’s going to distinguish you and hold folks coming again for extra.
8. Cowl tune movies
These work extraordinarily nicely for locating new audiences, and you need to undoubtedly use them! Even when your focus is on authentic music, keep in mind that acts from The Beatles to Adele leveraged cowl songs to broaden their enchantment.
Better of all, with social platforms, you don’t even must do the WHOLE tune. 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. Stay movies
I discussed above that you just would possibly need to think about easy, stay efficiency movies for social. And sure, these movies will be VERY easy, so long as the music is sweet.
However I’m not speaking about social right here. I’m speaking about widescreen documentation of your efficiency abilities. 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 very good present and hold 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 seems half empty.
Sound and visible high quality are useful, however the principle precedence is to show you’re filling venues, wowing crowds, and conserving folks within the room!
So attempt to seize one thing magical about your efficiency abilities, whether or not it’s your voice, your instrumental prowess, your manufacturing abilities, 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 can 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 possibly can create to advertise your music. And you may combine and match any of the above — add lyrics on-screen throughout your “official” video, do a stay cowl tune snippet, and so on.
A very powerful factor is: Understand the ability and significance of video for shifting your music ahead. After which go make a video!
