Video is just about the technique to promote music in 2025.
As a result of an excellent 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 incredible video will push the associated observe additional than that music might’ve gone with out visuals. Which is why the music trade 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 impartial artists have with music movies, ten forms of movies it is best to make within the 12 months forward, what every format is finest used for, and prioritize your video efforts.
Be a part of us on YouTube or Fb on Thursday, December twelfth at 2pm EST / 11am PST:
Why impartial music creators ought to deal with video
Not like 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” means of reaching audiences.
And that’s principally due to the advice engines of social platforms. As a result of the primary purpose of TikTok, Reels, and Shorts is to retain viewers. If content material by an impartial creator retains individuals glued, it’s acquired the benefit.
It is likely to 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 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. If you happen to needed to prioritize one factor, I’d recommend quick, 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 inventive. So take a look at the checklist beneath and select whichever idea feels most inspiring.
10 forms of music movies it is best to create
1. The official music video
The “official” music video isn’t lifeless.
It’s nonetheless very helpful when selling your music to media shops. Some blogs nonetheless prefer to premiere official movies. Official video additionally make nice nurturing content material for brand spanking new followers who’re previous the purpose of introductions, and who now wish to dig deeper. So embed your finest official video in your web site’s homepage. And naturally your diehard followers will take pleasure in full-length official movies too.
However take into account: “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 might 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. The truth is, make a number of totally 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 reside performances, “reside” 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.
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 delicate or artsy as you need.Â
4. Lyric movies or karaoke movies
These are nice for followers who wish to sing alongside, or learn alongside and get the phrases appropriate!
Similar caveat as earlier although: These are movies for current followers, not for wowing model new audiences.Â
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 routinely whenever you distribute tracks to YouTube Music. So that you may not even must MAKE these, however fairly simply seize the hyperlink and share!
6. Spotify Canvas video
A Spotify Canvas is the quick 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 keep in mind that the video won’t be “synched” to the music, so that you would possibly wish to keep away from clips of somebody singing particular lyrics.
By the way in which, you possibly can swap it out anytime. So strive various things and see what works finest. Â
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 lots to dive into, and numerous choices to discover, so let your character shine.Â
To repeat: These movies needs 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 properly for locating new audiences, and it is best to undoubtedly use them! Even when your focus is on unique music, keep in mind 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 might simply be a TikTok of you singing the refrain.Â
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 simply would possibly wish to consider easy, reside 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 expertise. Principally, the kind of video you’d wish to present a expertise purchaser, live performance promoter, or home live performance host to show to them that you simply placed on an excellent present and hold audiences entertained.
So attempt to seize footage at a venue. Simply don’t put up boring movies from the again of the room the place you seem small onstage and the membership seems to be half empty.
Sound and visible high quality are useful, however the primary precedence is to show you’re filling venues, wowing crowds, and preserving 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 prefer 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 could possibly do that as a mini-documentary, as an AMA (speaking to the digital camera), or as a fast vertical video.Â
There are, in fact, 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 reside cowl music snippet, and many others.
A very powerful factor is: Notice the ability and significance of video for shifting your music ahead. After which go make a video!