Vevo – Pros and cons
Vevo is a network of channels with official music videos on YouTube and on smart TVs. It offers reach and a recognised brand, but the channel does not belong to you and you have no control over the video on it. Before you ask for Vevo, weigh up both sides.
In the music video wizard, you will see Vevo listed among the platforms as unavailable – you cannot tick it. We make it available on request, separately for each music video. For some artists Vevo is worth it, for others it is better to keep the video on their own YouTube channel only. In this article, you will find out how Vevo works, what you gain, what you give up and how to request it. How to prepare a music video for distribution is described in the article Music videos – Music video distribution.
What Vevo is
Vevo is a music video network founded in 2009 by the major record labels. On YouTube, it runs artist channels named in the format ArtistNameVEVO, and it also distributes its videos to apps and channels on smart TVs and streaming services.
You cannot upload a video to Vevo yourself. It has to be delivered by a record label or distributor that works with Vevo – in your case, we take care of it.
The Vevo channel and your YouTube channel
A Vevo channel is a standalone channel on YouTube, separate from your Official Artist Channel (OAC). The table sums up the differences.
| Your channel (OAC) | Vevo channel | |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns it | You, or your management | Vevo |
| Signing in and uploading | You sign in and upload videos yourself | You cannot sign in, we deliver the videos |
| Editing and deleting | Yourself, at any time | Only through us |
| Views | Counted towards the videos on your channel | Counted towards the video on the Vevo channel |
| Ad revenue | From YouTube, if the channel is in the YouTube Partner Program | Vevo sells the ads, the revenue comes through distribution and you receive your share in your royalties |
| Moving videos | – | A video cannot be moved from the Vevo channel to your channel |
A Vevo channel can be merged with your Official Artist Channel – the merge is carried out by YouTube. The subscribers are then combined and the Vevo videos also appear on your channel. The videos, however, stay on the Vevo channel, and merging does not give you access to that channel or to its revenue data. Without a merge, Vevo videos do not appear on your channel. What an Official Artist Channel is and how it relates to YouTube Music is explained in the article Linking YouTube Music with your Official Artist Channel on YouTube.
Where Vevo videos are played
YouTube
On your ArtistNameVEVO channel. Vevo also promotes selected videos in its playlists and on social media.
Smart TVs
In Vevo apps and channels on TVs and streaming services, such as Apple TV, Roku, Samsung TV Plus or Pluto TV.
Venues
Through partners, Vevo videos are also played in commercial premises.
Pros and cons
What Vevo offers
- The official video brand. An ArtistNameVEVO channel sets the official music video apart from fan uploads.
- Reach beyond YouTube. The videos also go to apps and channels on smart TVs and to venues.
- Revenue without your own monetisation. Vevo sells the ads on Vevo videos, so your channel does not have to be in the YouTube Partner Program for this.
- A chance of promotion. Vevo promotes selected videos in playlists and on social media – but there is no entitlement to being selected.
What to consider
- The channel does not belong to you. Vevo owns and runs it. You cannot sign in to it, you cannot upload anything to it yourself, and you cannot change or delete the video yourself.
- The video stays with Vevo. It cannot be moved from the Vevo channel to your own channel.
- Views do not count towards your channel. A Vevo video collects views on the Vevo channel. If you also upload the same video to your own channel, they will be two separate videos and the views will be split between them.
- You cannot see inside the channel. Even after it has been merged with your Official Artist Channel, you do not get access to the Vevo channel's revenue data.
- Stricter rules. Only high-quality official videos without AI imagery can go to Vevo – details below.
- On request only. We make Vevo available separately for each music video – you cannot tick it in the wizard yourself.
Music video requirements for Vevo
All the requirements from the article Music videos – Music video distribution apply, and we check every music video before it is sent to the platforms. In addition, the following applies to Vevo:
- A resolution of at least Full HD (1920 × 1080), with no opening or closing titles or cards.
- No imagery created or edited by artificial intelligence. Vevo does not accept music videos with AI imagery – if you state in the Video origin part of the wizard that the video contains AI imagery, we will not make Vevo available for it.
- We also will not make Vevo available for a music video with third-party footage (stock footage, footage from the internet or social media) or for a music video for a recording that is AI-generated music or built on a beat from the internet.
- The Vevo channel must belong to you. If you already have one, send us a link to it – channels with similar names are easily mixed up.
Who Vevo makes sense for
Probably yes
You have a professionally shot official video, you want it to play beyond YouTube too, and you do not mind that you will not have full control over it and that the views will not count towards your channel.
Probably not
You are building your own YouTube channel and want that channel above all to grow. You want to manage, edit or delete the video yourself. Or the video contains AI imagery or third-party footage.
How to request Vevo
Prepare the music video. Create it in the Music videos section as usual. In the Details and platforms step, select the other platforms – Vevo cannot be ticked.
Write to us. Send an email to info@bezlabelu.cz stating which recording the music video belongs to, with a link to your YouTube channel and, if you already have one, to your Vevo channel. Ideally before you send the music video for review. You can also mention it in the Message for the review.
Wait for the review. We review the music video like any other. If it meets the conditions, we make Vevo available for it. If not, we will tell you why.
Frequently asked questions
The video is already on my channel. Does it make sense to put it on Vevo too?
A Vevo video is a separate video on the Vevo channel. The views from your channel are not transferred to it, and new views will be split between the two videos. Whether it is worth it for you, weigh up using the points above.
I have a Vevo channel from before. Can I use it?
Yes, send us a link to it. A single Vevo channel can hold videos from different record labels and distributors.
Can I delete the Vevo video later?
You cannot delete anything on the Vevo channel yourself – you arrange the removal of a music video through us. However, a video cannot be moved from Vevo to your own channel.
What if the video contains AI imagery?
It cannot go to Vevo or to YouTube Content ID. It can go to the other platforms, but the AI content must be honestly labelled – that is why the music video wizard asks about it in the Video origin part.