A YouTube Official Artist Channel (OAC) combines all of an artist’s content (music videos, official releases, and automatically generated Art tracks) into one central hub. It features a music note badge next to the artist’s name, signifying verified status and providing fans with a single, centralized space for all of your music on YouTube.
Features and Benefits
- Unified Channel: Combines your main channel and topic channel into a single Official Artist Channel for a centralized presence.
- Upgraded Channel Status: Displays a music note badge next to your channel name, confirming your official artist identity.
- Organized Music Library: Automatically creates Releases and Music Videos sections, organizing songs by albums, EPs, and singles, and showcasing videos by upload date or popularity.
- Dedicated Artist Hub: Includes a separate artist bio and photos, distinct from your standard channel description.
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Fan Engagement Tools:
- Links to ticketing and merchandise platforms.
- Promotes tour dates directly on your videos.
- Provides YouTube Analytics for Artists for detailed audience insights.
- Supports interaction via community posts and comment hearts.
- Enhanced Discoverability: Improves your visibility in YouTube search and may qualify you for promotional programs like Artists on the Rise to reach new audiences.
Requirements for an Official Artist Channel
To be eligible for an Official Artist Channel, you must meet the following prerequisites:
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An active “Artist - Topic” channel
- These are automatically created when you deliver music to YouTube Music via Too Lost or another distributor.
- When Too Lost delivers your releases to YouTube, they may first appear on a Release - Topic channel, otherwise known as a Various Artists channel. Once YouTube fully processes the delivery (no missing metadata), the tracks will remap to an Artist - Topic channel, typically within 1-30 days.
- Once your music has moved to a topic channel under your artist name, you can apply for an Official Artist Channel.
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A music-focused YouTube channel that matches your artist name
- Your main channel must primarily feature music or music-related videos.
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At least one music video
- You must have uploaded at least one music video to your main YouTube channel.
How to Apply for an Official Artist Channel
If you meet all the requirements, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the Support portal of your Too Lost account.
- Create a YouTube Official Artist Channel Requests ticket.
Once submitted, please allow 1-12 weeks for YouTube to process this request.
Additional Resources
For a detailed overview of YouTube’s Official Artist Channel features and best practices, review the YouTube Official Artist Channel Playbook.