Apple Adding Original Art From Iconic Artists to Thousands of Apple Music Playlists

For the last few weeks, Apple has been updating the artwork on playlists within Apple Music, and today, The Verge has shed some light on the reason why with input from Apple's global director of editorial, Rachel Newman.

Apple is using original artwork from well-known artists like the creator of the AC/DC logo for playlists in an effort to bring instant recognition to its content and to better connect with different communities.

applemusicplaylistart

New art for the Hip Hop Hits playlist, designed by the artist who created Migos' Culture album cover

According to Newman, the custom art for playlists is meant to be a "visual representation of the music that you will find inside the playlist."

That rootedness in specific cultures was something that Apple wanted to emphasize when it was commissioning art. "Suddenly there is really no strong definition of a genre anymore like there used to [be], you know, in the olden days," said Newman, the editorial director. Genre is now, in her words, a melting pot.

For each genre, Apple is choosing "huge name" artists that fit well and have worked within the genre before. Stole "Moab" Stojmenov, who designed the cover for Migos' album "Culture," created the art for Apple's "Hip Hop Hits" playlist, for example.

Carlos Perez, who directed the video for hit song "Despacito," created artwork for several playlists, including "Dale Reggaetón." Perez said that with Apple's freedom, he aimed for authenticity when creating the artwork, which seems to be Apple's goal with the project.

Apple plans to redesign "many thousands" of ‌Apple Music‌ playlists, with new artwork rolling out over the course of the next few months.

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
microsoft copilot plus pc

Microsoft Says 'We're Faster Than a Mac' in Latest Windows PC Ad

Thursday May 15, 2025 12:29 pm PDT by
Microsoft today shared a new ad on YouTube with the tagline "we're faster than a Mac." In the video, Microsoft says the top-end Windows PCs with Copilot+ branding are up to 58% faster than the previous-generation MacBook Air with the M3 chip, based on Cinebench 2024 multi-core CPU benchmark results. The ad is citing old figures that were reported on all the way back in May 2024, so take that ...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
81 months ago
The artwork in the OP is my favorite genre: Scorpion Flower.
I’m more a Shovel Protractor fan myself, but to each their own. :)



Attachment Image
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
autrefois Avatar
81 months ago
According to Newman, the custom art for playlists is meant to be a "visual representation of the music that you will find inside the playlist."
The artwork in the OP is my favorite genre: Scorpion Flower.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
81 months ago
A great idea!
Love this: it's definitely very 'Apple' - celebrating creativity.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Naraxus Avatar
81 months ago
A shame they don’t put this effort into their Mac line....
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marcus PM Avatar
81 months ago
Simple visual recognition, right up Apples alley.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
81 months ago
I’m more a Shovel Protractor fan myself, but to each their own. :)
Dude, we know they’ve hired you to do some of these due to your fascinating artistic sensibility.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)