How do I get the Official Artist Channel on YouTube?

There are very high requirements to get verified on YouTube. Only channels with at least 100,000 subscribers are considered. Fortunately, there is an easier way for musicians to be verified, namely the Official Artist Channel (OAC), which can be recognized by the music note next to the artist name.

What is an Official Artist Channel?

The OAC bundles all your videos, albums and singles in one place. Instead of a YouTube and a topic channel, you only have the OAC. The topic channel contains all the songs you uploaded to YouTube Music as art tracks (audio plus cover).

This makes it easier for your fans to find the right channel and follow it plus they stay longer because there is more content. Thanks to the music note, it’s immediately clear which is your channel and which are just fan accounts.

What are the benefits?

• The channel is easier to find and thus generates more traffic
• The videos and art tracks are sorted and presented clearly
• You can edit the profile (picture and bio) – also for YouTube Music.
• Access to analytics data that shows which videos or songs perform best or where your music is consumed the most
• Promotion: define what you want to highlight on the profile home page.

Just like regular verification, there are no additional bonus features with the OAC.

What are the requirements?

All you need is a YouTube channel running under your artist name and at least three releases that have been delivered to YouTube. In addition, there must be no policy violations on your channel.

In addition, at least one of these points must be met:

• You work with a YouTube partner manager
• You participate in the YouTube Partner Program yourself
• Your channel is part of a label network that works with a partner manager

How do I get the Official Artist Channel?

The easiest way to do this is through your distributor. At iGroove you can simply contact our support and send the following information:

• Link to your YouTube channel
• Link to your topic channel
• Links to three art tracks

It is an advantage if the name of the YouTube channel and the topic channel match. Now all you need is a little patience, as the verification process can take several weeks.