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To show album art on a YouTube internet radio stream, add the radio audio and an image to the same OBS scene. That keeps one image on screen. To change the artwork with each track, use a now-playing overlay connected to a player that supplies track and artwork metadata; OBS cannot infer that information from audio alone.
Choose a fixed image or changing artwork
| Approach | Best for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Image source | A fixed album cover, station logo, or background | It remains unchanged when the track changes. Make sure you have permission to use the image. |
| Metadata-driven browser overlay | Artwork that changes with the track, optionally showing title, artist, or progress | The playback app or a separate integration must provide usable track and artwork metadata. The YTMDesktop2 method below is specific to that application. |
| Hosted radio feed routed into OBS | Stations that already deliver audio through a hosted service | Audio delivery is separate from album-art display. Check that the feed route and metadata meet your needs. |
Show one fixed image in OBS
The general method is to put the radio audio and the artwork in the scene OBS sends to YouTube. Depending on how your station reaches the computer, audio may come from an audio-capture source or a player/feed routed into OBS. Radio.co documents both direct audio capture and a hosted-feed example; its guide is an illustration, not a requirement to use that provider. Radio.co’s OBS guide
- Select the scene. In OBS, choose the scene used for your radio broadcast, or create one.
- Add the radio audio. Use the source appropriate to your setup, such as Audio Input Capture for audio entering the computer, or a supported player/feed source for hosted station audio. Confirm that the OBS audio meter responds while the radio plays.
- Add the image. In the Sources panel, select + → Image, create or select the source, and choose the artwork file.
- Arrange the scene. Position and resize the image in the preview. Add other visuals, such as a station name or logo, if needed. Check the source order: an image placed above another visual may cover it.
- Check before broadcasting. Confirm that the image is framed as intended and audio is present. If practical, check the outgoing result with a private or unlisted test before relying on it for a public broadcast.
This approach is simplest when the image can stay on screen for the whole broadcast. OBS is free and open-source; its help portal says it has no watermark or commercial-use restriction. For initial streaming settings, OBS points users to its Auto-Configuration Wizard. OBS Help
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A static Image source does not change when the track changes. Automatic artwork requires a metadata path: the playback system or an integration must know the current track and its artwork, then supply that information to a changing visual source.
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Documented YTMDesktop2 and OBS setup
YTMDesktop2 documents a method for its supported playback. It uses the application’s local API and a Browser Source in OBS. Follow the application’s current instructions for enabling its API and configuring the overlay. YTMDesktop2 overlay documentation
- Enable the YTMDesktop2 local API, then open its OBS settings.
- Choose the overlay layout and copy the OBS URL provided by the application.
- In OBS, select + in the Sources panel → Browser, then paste the URL into the source’s URL field.
- Set the source dimensions to suit the layout. YTMDesktop2 suggests about 480 × 140 pixels for its compact card; fullscreen art needs a source that fills the scene.
- Play supported content and check that the overlay updates as tracks change. Adjust its position and size in the OBS preview.
The documented default card can display artwork, title, artist, and progress. Other documented layouts include compact, badge, ticker, stack, text-only, and fullscreen art. The integration’s artwork and track-change behavior relies on YTMDesktop2’s application endpoints and local WebSocket, so do not assume the same URL or setup works with another internet-radio player.
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For another radio player
Before choosing an overlay, check whether the player exposes current-track metadata and an artwork URL, or whether it has an integration designed for OBS. If it does not provide those details, a browser overlay cannot reliably change the cover on its own. YouTube does not automatically read a radio stream’s metadata and update the outgoing visual.
Understand music and artwork rights before going live
Displaying cover art is a production choice; it does not grant permission to stream the recording or reproduce the image. Rights to the music and the artwork may be separate. YouTube says live streams are scanned for matches to third-party content. If it identifies such content, it may replace the stream image with a placeholder, warn the streamer, interrupt the live stream, or terminate it. YouTube also says a licensed channel may need to be added to the rights owner’s Content ID allowlist to avoid interruption. Archived live videos may receive Content ID claims after the stream ends. YouTube Help: copyright issues with live streams
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- YouTube describes copyright-safe music as public-domain music or music used with permission from the copyright owner. Check that the permission covers the intended use, including a continuous live broadcast.
- A track labelled “free” is not necessarily cleared for your stream. YouTube says Content ID does not take written descriptions of “free” music into account. The YouTube Audio Library, original music, Creator Music where available, or properly licensed third-party music are options to investigate; read the applicable terms.
- YouTube’s surfaced Creator Music restrictions prohibit using licensed Creator Music tracks to make an Art Track (a static image while the full song plays), a repetitive visualizer for the whole song, a lyric video, or karaoke video. Check the current terms for the particular track and region before using Creator Music in a continuous radio format.
- Having permission from a rights owner does not by itself establish that YouTube’s Content ID system will let the live broadcast continue uninterrupted. Ask the owner about allowlisting the channel where relevant.
Troubleshoot the visual and stream
The image does not appear
- Check that the source is enabled and belongs to the scene currently being broadcast.
- Check its position and dimensions in the OBS preview; it may be off-canvas or covered by another source.
- For an Image source, confirm the selected file is available at the path OBS is using.
The cover does not change with the song
- A static Image source is expected to stay fixed; use a metadata-driven overlay for track changes.
- Confirm the playback app is supported and its API or integration is enabled.
- For a browser overlay, check the URL and source dimensions. If the app is not sending current-track or artwork data, OBS cannot create the update itself.
Audio or video drops during the broadcast
OBS says increasing dropped frames may indicate an unstable connection or a bitrate higher than the connection can sustain. Run the Auto-Configuration Wizard for an initial configuration, then review OBS’s dropped-frame guidance if the problem continues. OBS Help
YouTube replaces the image or interrupts the live stream
A placeholder, warning, interruption, or termination can be a response to detected third-party content rather than an OBS image-source problem. Review YouTube’s live-stream copyright guidance, confirm your music permissions, and contact the rights owner about Content ID allowlisting if you have a licence.
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