To show album art on a YouTube radio stream, add the radio audio to an OBS scene, then add an Image source containing artwork you have permission to use. That keeps one image on screen. To change the artwork with each song, use a now-playing overlay connected to a player that exposes track and artwork metadata; OBS cannot infer the current song from audio alone.
Choose a fixed image or changing artwork
| Approach | Best for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Static OBS Image source | A station logo, background, or single album cover | Simple to set up, but it will not change with the track. Confirm you have the right to use the image. |
| Metadata-driven browser overlay | Per-track artwork with title, artist, or progress | Requires a compatible player, API, or integration that provides current track metadata and artwork. |
| Hosted radio feed into OBS | Stations already delivering audio through a hosted service | The audio-feed setup is separate from artwork display. Confirm the feed works in OBS and that the player or service supplies metadata if you want automatic changes. |
Show one fixed album cover in OBS
- Select the scene. In OBS, select or create the scene used for the radio stream.
- Add the audio. Connect the station’s audio route. Depending on how the station reaches your computer, that might be an audio-capture source or a hosted station feed routed into OBS. Radio.co documents one provider-specific example using a VLC Video Source for a hosted station feed and Audio Input Capture for direct broadcasting; neither is required for album art.
- Add the artwork. In the Sources panel, select +, choose Image, create a source, and select the image file. Place and resize it in the preview. Add and arrange any station name or logo you want alongside it.
- Check the scene and audio. Confirm the image is visible where intended and that the audio meters respond. Make a private or unlisted test before relying on the scene for a broadcast.
A fixed image is appropriate when the visual does not need to follow each track. The image can be an album cover, station logo, or other still artwork, provided you have the necessary rights to use it.
Change the cover when the track changes
For automatic track-by-track artwork, the image source must be updated by something that knows what is playing. One documented example is YTMDesktop2, which supports a local API and an OBS browser overlay. This is specific to playback through that application, not a universal method for internet-radio players.
- In YTMDesktop2, enable its local API.
- Open the application’s OBS settings, select a layout, and copy the overlay URL.
- In OBS, add a Browser source and paste the URL. The YTMDesktop2 documentation suggests about 480 × 140 pixels for a compact card; use a full-scene source for its fullscreen-art layout.
- Check the result in the OBS preview while tracks change. The documented default card includes artwork, title, artist, and progress. Other layouts include compact, badge, ticker, stack, text-only, and fullscreen.
YTMDesktop2’s documented overlay gets artwork from the application’s thumbnail endpoint and track-change events through its local WebSocket. If you use another radio player, first check whether it exposes current-track and artwork metadata, or find an integration made for that player. YouTube does not automatically read a radio stream’s metadata and change the visual in your outgoing video.
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Music and artwork rights still apply
Displaying a cover is a visual-production choice; it does not grant permission to stream the recording or reproduce the artwork. Rights to the sound recording and the image may be separate.
YouTube says it scans all live streams for matches to third-party content. If it identifies content, it may replace the stream image with a placeholder, warn the broadcaster, temporarily interrupt the stream, or terminate it. A licence does not necessarily prevent an interruption: YouTube says the rights owner may need to add the channel to its Content ID allowlist. Archived live videos can also receive Content ID claims after the broadcast.
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YouTube describes copyright-safe music as public-domain music or music used with the copyright owner’s permission. A track labelled “free” is not necessarily safe from a Content ID match, and a description saying the music is free does not change that. YouTube points creators to the Audio Library, original music, Creator Music where available, or third-party music only after checking the licence terms.
Check the current terms for the particular Creator Music track and your region before using it in a continuous radio format. The restrictions described by YouTube for Creator Music prohibit using licensed tracks to create an Art Track (a static image while the whole song plays), a repetitive visualizer for the whole song, a lyric video, or karaoke video.
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Troubleshoot common problems
- The image is missing: Check that the Image source points to the correct file and is visible in the Sources list. Confirm it is not hidden behind another source or outside the scene canvas.
- The image covers the audio scene: Resize and reposition the source in the preview, and reorder sources so logos or text appear above the artwork where needed. The image itself does not carry or control the audio.
- The artwork does not change with the song: A static Image source will not update automatically. Use an overlay tied to the playback system’s metadata, and verify that the player exposes artwork and track-change information.
- The overlay is blank or stale: Check that the supported player is running, its local API is enabled, and the Browser source uses the current overlay URL. An integration documented for one playback application should not be assumed to work with another.
- YouTube interrupts or replaces the visual: Check the stream for third-party content and review the music licence. If you have permission, ask the rights owner whether your channel must be allowlisted in Content ID; permission alone may not prevent a live interruption.
- OBS reports increasing dropped frames: OBS says this can indicate an unstable connection or a bitrate higher than the connection can sustain. Use OBS’s Auto-Configuration Wizard for initial streaming settings, then adjust based on the connection and OBS guidance.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuous YouTube stream made from uploaded recordings rather than a live OBS scene, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos; it does not broadcast from a camera. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on, and the service can recover automatically if YouTube drops the stream. Uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot.
The first day is free with no card. The monthly option is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube, not for making a live OBS scene with changing artwork from arbitrary radio-player metadata. To try the cloud workflow, start the free first day.
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For OBS setup and dropped-frame guidance, see the OBS Help portal. The player-specific overlay steps are in YTMDesktop2’s OBS overlay documentation; the hosted-feed example is in Radio.co’s YouTube radio guide.
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