Album art dimensions?

Question

Album art dimensions?

What are the ideal dimensions of iTunes album art?

After hours of searching, I'm still convinced someone in the world must know the ideal dimensions of album art is. After all, someone designed the app.

I'm sure when I first began publishing a video podcast, I spent hours of trail and error getting artwork the proper WxH dimensions, as well as the ideal size. I resolved it was 640x480. But with a newer version of iTunes, all the album art I created is smaller than all the other album art in my collection.

What I really want to know:
1. What are the ideal WxH dimensions?
2. What is the ideal size?
3. Does iTunes resize album art when added?
4. Does iTunes scale the display of album art? (It seems it does.)
5. Why won't Apple share this info to preserve the sanity of podcast publishers, at least?
6. How many man-years were wasted by people trying to figure it out?
(My searches suggest decades.)

Posted on Sep 24, 2007 5:21 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 24, 2007 6:08 PM in response to This is the real me

I Googled "podcast artwork size" and found a reference on the MacWorld site (from 2006) stating that it is 150 x 150 pixels.

However, About.com says it's 300 x 300. DigitalPodcast.com also recommends 300 X 300.

I looked around and found no definitive size from Apple. I'll let you know if I find anything more.

Diane Wordsmith

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Answer 2

Sep 24, 2007 6:16 PM in response to This is the real me

I did find this at http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcastingfaq.html

+Why do I need cover art?+
+Attractive and interesting cover art attracts new subscribers to your podcast. Podcasts must have good cover art to be featured on the Podcast main page or the Store main page. Most good podcast images include an image as well as a title, brand, or source name. A 300x300-pixel JPG is the recommended size and format. Using this relatively large format, the iTunes Store automatically generates the various smaller images you see in the podcast directory. Before you settle on the art for your podcast, you may want to review the Top Podcasts page and note the various elements that contribute to compelling art.+

Hope this helps.

Diane Wordsmith

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Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Sep 24, 2007 6:57 PM in response to This is the real me

*What are the ideal dimensions of iTunes album art?*
Depends on what you mean by "ideal"?

Artwork is usually square, so the dimensions should be the same.

If you want it to be "ideal" on the iPod, it should be bigger than 240x240.

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Answer 4

jere7my

Level 4

1,815 points

Sep 24, 2007 8:36 PM in response to This is the real me

The artwork iTunes supplies is generally 600x600, but 300x300 usually works just fine.

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Answer 5

Sep 29, 2007 6:43 AM in response to jere7my

Thank you very much everybody!

A few days have passed - my publishing software went flaky and I've been pre-occupied with it - and I've had time to calm down and decide to quit being such a control freak.

Incidentally, publishing for iTunes seems a bit fraught, as things seem to keep changing. Ex. first podcasts had album art, then iTunes stopped displaying it, and now it's re-appeared, but it seems a different dimension format. I think video for iPod sizes keep changing. Some podcast client's display the podcasts album art, iTunes uses the first track in the podcast for all the tracks.

I suppose one day the W3C will define podcasting standards and we'll all live happily ever after 🙂
Anyway, thanks again.

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