Gary
Diamond Member
Joined: January 2014
Posts: 45,662
|
Post by Gary on Mar 28, 2014 19:27:11 GMT -5
Is The Beyonce Approach Working For Other 'Surprise' Albums? News /
By Andrew Hampp | March 28, 2014 5:50 PM EDT
Since midnight on Dec. 13, 2013, "pulling a Beyonce" has become shorthand for the music industry's favorite new marketing tactic -- issuing a "surprise" album with little or no prior fanfare. But has the strategy paid off for those who've tried their own spin on the stealth approach?
The results thus far have varied, but the trend is likely here to stay. "This is going to happen, you know it and I know it," a senior major-label distribution executive tells Billboard. "By June, at least two more big artist will release an album without fanfare, just like Beyonce. I don't know who that will be, but it will happen."
Kid Cudi's "Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon," released surreptitiously at midnight on iTunes February 25, was the first major test of the Beyonce approach, with a well-known artist releasing new music without the aid of an advance single or promo campaign. Though the album moved an impressive 87,000 copies in its first week (enough to secure a No. 4 debut on the Billboard 200), it was nevertheless the rapper's smallest debut sales week for a solo project -- trailing 2013's "Indicud" (136,000), 2010's "Man On The Moon II" (169,000) and 2009's "Man On The Moon" (104,000), according to Nielsen SoundScan.
And just last week, Skrillex became the latest entrant with "Recess," his first proper full-length album, which hit digital retailers one week after a surprise streaming preview on March 11. In Skrillex's case, the approach paid off in terms of sheer numbers -- "Recess" was handily his best debut week, following 2012's "Bangarang" EP (24,000 copies) and his pair of "Monsters and Sprites" EPs.
Whether "Recess" can eventually top the 595,000 copies "Bangarang" has sold to date, or "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites"' 638,000 collective haul, remains to be seen. After all, the sheer jolt of surprised press and fans helped "Beyonce" outsell the singer's previous album "4" in just four weeks -- a feat that other artists will struggle to top based on the lack of novelty.
"I think the surprise release is a one-trick pony," says the distribution executive. "I am not sure it will work again." Adds another sales executive, "I wonder when this is done frequently, does the surprise factor wane? If there are a lot of releases promoted this way, it will become less impactful. If mid-level and lower-level artists pile in, will the surprise get applied to the point where the public doesn't care anymore?"
One could argue that fatigue could already be working against Australian rockers Wolfmother, who quietly released an album, "New Crown," on Tuesday to a fraction of the press Beyonce, Skrillex and even Cudi received. Granted, Wolfmother has been off the scene since 2009's "Cosmic Egg, which sold 28,000 copies in its first week (126,000 to date) and hasn't had a hit album since 2006's self-titled set (597,000 copies to date). But the album's out-of-the-blue launch is likely just as due to frontman Andrew Stockdale's desire to part ways with the Wolfmother name, having told Billboard in April 2013, "For the last three years I've performed as Wolfmother, and I don't feel comfortable about it…Chris Ross, who played bass and keys in the first line-up when we started, he came up with that band name. That name was for me, Chris and (drummer) Myles Heskett. It became Wolfmother. Because of the success of the name, there was pressure then to call yourself Wolfmother. But it felt weird."
With the summer-release season around the corner, rumors are already swirling that everyone from Lana Del Rey to Lil Wayne to an un-named superstar with a "Beyonce"-like visual album could all be next in line.
Senior executives suggest that one-week surprise exclusives via streaming, a la Skrillex, could be a more viable model for other artists to try out, and require less make-goods to important accounts at retail, streaming services like Spotify, Beats and Vevo and influential radio programming directors in the long run. Irish folk-soul singer Hozier seems to be testing out this approach this week, having quietly released his second EP "From Eden" exclusively on Spotify this Tuesday. It's seemingly no coincidence, however, that Hozier is distributed by Columbia -- home to Beyonce as well as David Bowie and Daft Punk, each of whom experimented with furtive release strategies through the label in 2013.
After all, by releasing "Beyonce" exclusively via iTunes in its first week of release, Beyonce made important frenemies out of Target and Amazon, and shoe-horned a visit to a Walmart in Tewksbury, Mass., into her touring schedule on Dec. 20 (an appearance where the singer handed out $37,500 in "free" gift cards, paid for by Sony). Radio was also less than pleased by the Beyonce blitzkrieg, pushing back at Columbia's plans to release album track "Blow" to Top 40 for its racy lyrics, proposing Ryan Tedder ballad "XO" in its place over the album's release weekend.
So who's really the next Beyonce? A major-label president, who has not yet been involved in a surprise release, says, "This kind of event is the territory for maybe 10 artists in the world," the executive says, suggesting Rihanna, Eminem, Adele, Jay Z, P!nk and Justin Timberlake as a few examples of the artists in that elite camp. "It was a bold move that in many ways was a necessity. It's a credit to her being CEO of her brand, and having years of sold-out touring and a huge amount of anticipation built in for this album."
|
|
Lozzy
Diamond Member
Joined: January 2010
Posts: 49,237
|
Post by Lozzy on Mar 28, 2014 19:35:40 GMT -5
I didn't even know Wolfmother are still around.
|
|
|
Post by ListenToItTwice on Mar 28, 2014 19:58:36 GMT -5
I can absolutely see Lana Del Rey doing this, so I suspect those rumors are true. She loves the visual aspects of her work, and couldn't care less about standard promo. And with a new tour starting in two weeks, she's gotta have new material to showcase, right?
|
|
|
Post by Ezekiel 23:20–21 on Mar 28, 2014 20:48:39 GMT -5
This sort of release strategy can work well for certain artists better than it will for others. I could see artists like Adele, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Prince (he did do the whole album without any preceding singles back in the mid 80s right on the heels of Purple Rain), and Rihanna doing something like this in the future. As ListenToItTwice suggested, I also see Lana Del Rey potentially utilizing such a strategy as well given how often she makes long form videos that go with her songs. Beyonce already had been working on an album and it had been delayed numerous times, but the interest was there for new music despite no concrete release date at the time. She also has a huge worldwide audience and social media following so the unveiling of her visual album as she did on Facebook with no prior announcement was still unusual given how structured album and single releases are with promo happening at certain intervals, TV promo appearances at specific times, certain awards shows, music videos and remixes at a certain time. It demonstrated that it is possible to release an album without doing it in the traditional way.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2014 9:03:58 GMT -5
I'm waiting for Adele to do it.
|
|
|
Post by KeepDeanWeird on Mar 29, 2014 9:52:06 GMT -5
Taylor Swift should be on that list. Remember that surprise launch of WANEGBT? Considering how many units Taylor moves, she could do it easily.
|
|
Sir Benji
Diamond Member
The One
Joined: April 2008
Posts: 13,349
|
Post by Sir Benji on Mar 29, 2014 10:31:35 GMT -5
This sort of release strategy can work well for certain artists better than it will for others. I could see artists like Adele, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Prince (he did do the whole album without any preceding singles back in the mid 80s right on the heels of Purple Rain), and Rihanna doing something like this in the future. As ListenToItTwice suggested, I also see Lana Del Rey potentially utilizing such a strategy as well given how often she makes long form videos that go with her songs. I could definitely see Prince doing it for a 3rd time. (The Black Album's original release was pretty much a surprise release before it was pulled)
|
|
Agent Yoncé
Diamond Member
Joined: November 2010
Posts: 24,872
|
Post by Agent Yoncé on Mar 29, 2014 12:19:57 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2014 13:29:14 GMT -5
It's only going to work with big named artists who will get the publicity and media coverage. CNN don't care about skrillex, wolf mother or Cudi.
Anyways nice to see other people "pulling a beyonce". Her impact ;(
|
|
felipe
3x Platinum Member
Joined: January 2009
Posts: 3,018
|
Post by felipe on Mar 29, 2014 14:21:29 GMT -5
I'm waiting for Adele to do it. I don't think she would, though. Too gimmicky for her.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2014 17:37:34 GMT -5
I'm waiting for Adele to do it. I don't think she would, though. Too gimmicky for her. Weird that releasing an album with no promo would be considered 'gimmicky.' I would think the lack of fanfare and promo leading up to a traditional release would play to all of Adele's strongest traits; she is known for being a lowkey artist who relies on little more than the music itself to sell (and she also, incidentally, is signed to Columbia in the US). If labels try to jump on this as a way to drum up hype and sales then yes, the novelty of it will die quickly. However, on the flip side of this, I have maintained since Beyonce dropped that she and her label saved a good chunk of money and energy by not having to promote one or two lead singles to pop in advance of the album. They are probably making as much or more money as they would have had she released a lead single in advance. So looking at it from that angle, using this strategy multiple times might not be a bad idea, at least for the acts who are already established and can sell at least 75k opening week. Newer artists and C/D list flunkies really need the opening promotion to establish themselves more first.
|
|
|
Post by ListenToItTwice on Mar 29, 2014 18:27:59 GMT -5
Taylor Swift should be on that list. Remember that surprise launch of WANEGBT? Considering how many units Taylor moves, she could do it easily. I think Taylor and Big Machine are attached to, enjoy, and have faith in a more calculated rollout. Countdown singles, expensive/creative lead video, early release date announcement, Q4 in even-numbered years, Target Deluxe Edition and ads, all of it. She's gotten two 1-million+ opening weeks out of it; I don't see them switching it up while she's still at the top of her sales game.
|
|
|
Post by areyoureadytojump on Mar 29, 2014 18:35:20 GMT -5
^Yes, and Adele won't do it either.
When you are following a 26 million selling album, there will be a well executed roll out.
|
|
Libra
Diamond Member
The One Who Knows Where All the Bodies Are Buried
:)
Joined: September 2003
Posts: 14,376
My Charts
|
Post by Libra on Mar 29, 2014 18:43:35 GMT -5
Prince (he did do the whole album without any preceding singles back in the mid 80s right on the heels of Purple Rain) This actually came up last weekend on another board I'm on...I read that his motivation behind how Around the World in a Day was unveiled was that he wanted the public to first experience the entire record, rather than starting with just one particular song. Similar in a way to Bey's own intent with her album, actually.
|
|
Joe1240
6x Platinum Member
Taylor Swift-The Best in Pop & Country Music!
Joined: September 2003
Posts: 6,952
|
Post by Joe1240 on Mar 29, 2014 23:56:32 GMT -5
Taylor Swift should be on that list. Remember that surprise launch of WANEGBT? Considering how many units Taylor moves, she could do it easily. As a fan of Taylor,I would love for her to do something like that but the problem people would say she is copying Beyonce if it was released the same way.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2014 0:14:35 GMT -5
Rihanna would be a interesting candidate considering she has 1 album out of 8 land at #1 on bb200 she doesnt really have much to lose since if it doesnt work out perfectly she would be in normal secondary range but if it does work out she could hit a HOME RUN.
|
|
|
Post by Adonis the DemiGod! on Mar 30, 2014 2:09:42 GMT -5
^Yes, and Adele won't do it either. When you are following a 26 million selling album, there will be a well executed roll out. Hopefully it comes with a well executed record. Skyfall was a snore.
|
|
|
Post by ListenToItTwice on Mar 30, 2014 9:49:10 GMT -5
Rihanna would be a interesting candidate considering she has 1 album out of 8 land at #1 on bb200 she doesnt really have much to lose since if it doesnt work out perfectly she would be in normal secondary range but if it does work out she could hit a HOME RUN. This is an interesting thought.. She has very little credibility as an "album artist" and this would be an opportunity to change that.
|
|
ss8
Gold Member
Dupe
Joined: August 2013
Posts: 851
|
Post by ss8 on Mar 30, 2014 10:30:39 GMT -5
Truly depends on the artist, name brand, their stature and longevity within the industry etc..'If' it didn't meet up to expectations, the younger, hottest singers out now like Rihanna, Adele, Katy, JT, Pink, Taylor etc..would get more of a pass from the media. Out of all those names, I'd hope Adele wouldn't do that the most. She's in a very different league than those other singers and don't want her 'copying' anyone- just to continue doing her own thing. That's why people loved her and 21 so much. She's not a typical 'pop' artist. Yes, sales would be insane if out of nowhere a new Adele album randomly dropped but I'd still prefer some traditional pre hype for an artist like her.
If someone like Madonna or the like did it (which I have a feeling she may :/) would be very, very risky and w/ all the sh*t she gets anyway for 'anything' she does or puts out even if it's good! lol. If it wasn't successful the media would have a field day and say "she's so desperate, she had to copy Beyonce etc etc.." Would be a haters field day. Unless Madonna has a Hung Up, Music etc...esque *surefire* smash as the first single, she would absolutely still need to do traditional promo and pre hype. At least that way, if the music/album under-performed she wouldn't need the additional Beyonce comparisons forever mixed in with all the haterade lol.
|
|
ss8
Gold Member
Dupe
Joined: August 2013
Posts: 851
|
Post by ss8 on Mar 30, 2014 10:59:57 GMT -5
Oh, and regarding Beyonce herself- yes, the 'execution' of her album changed the game because it worked out for her lol. I look at it (in the long term) as more of a trendy experiment that is gonna be hit or miss. You'll always end up needing hot/quality singles and songs to carry the album re: of how it 'drops'. Yes, if you're a huge name, you're guaranteed massive album sales out the gate but due to the unknown. If the songs suck or are mediocre, isn't that equivalent to p*ssing away your money on simply another bad album? lol With Beyonce, I didn't think the first two official singles were anything special. XO didn't do much anywhere and DIL did okay. Out of the two, obviously DIL was more successful but still not a 'big' hit (and yes I'm aware it got to #2 from the streaming that one week) . Regardless, what Beyonce gained the most was all the positive publicity for being the *first*to do this, solid record sales that easily exceeding her last albums #s. Far as the songs, so far, not feeling any of them. For me, I'll always go the traditional way before I buy an album re: of how much I love the singer. I need at least sneak peaks, LQ leaks, previews, teasers, a *first single*! lol
|
|
halo19
4x Platinum Member
Joined: September 2003
Posts: 4,683
|
Post by halo19 on Mar 30, 2014 12:53:46 GMT -5
It's actually helpful publicity for an artist like B who sells a bunch of albums on arrival, even when radio hasn't just picked up on her singles.
Kanye West sort of did similar with Yeezus, only I think that already had songs performed live by then.
It depends on the artist's following.
Radiohead were knowingly not on the major they were once signed on and people knew In Rainbows was already mastered a couple weeks before release, but fans wondered how they'd get it released. The album was their most acclaimed since Kid A. The sales or downloads before the wide release weren't reported to Soundscan.
But those are likely seen as less radio fare acts than Beyonce.
|
|
|
Post by KeepDeanWeird on Mar 30, 2014 13:10:05 GMT -5
Taylor Swift should be on that list. Remember that surprise launch of WANEGBT? Considering how many units Taylor moves, she could do it easily. I think Taylor and Big Machine are attached to, enjoy, and have faith in a more calculated rollout. Countdown singles, expensive/creative lead video, early release date announcement, Q4 in even-numbered years, Target Deluxe Edition and ads, all of it. She's gotten two 1-million+ opening weeks out of it; I don't see them switching it up while she's still at the top of her sales game. I absolutely agree with that. I was merely noting that if any artist COULD be on that list and would be capable of an instant release that would move a ton of units, it's Taylor. However, considering her very, very important relationship to Target (and there reliance on her driving traffic during Q4), I believe it would be difficult to pull off because the physical units would have to be shipped and stocked. No way you could keep that a secret with the number of people who would have to touch the physical product.
|
|
Libra
Diamond Member
The One Who Knows Where All the Bodies Are Buried
:)
Joined: September 2003
Posts: 14,376
My Charts
|
Post by Libra on Mar 30, 2014 14:23:57 GMT -5
As a fan of Taylor,I would love for her to do something like that but the problem people would say she is copying Beyonce if it was released the same way. I think that's going to be true to varying extents no matter who would do it next, just because people will be so eager to make the "copying" accusation. But, it won't stick if the artist puts their rationale right out there along with the album when it drops. That said, I agree with those saying Taylor and Adele aren't likely candidates to do this.
|
|
onebuffalo
Diamond Member
#LiteralLegender
I am One Buffalo.
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 26,588
|
Post by onebuffalo on Mar 30, 2014 15:18:21 GMT -5
Anyone have sales figures of Beyoncé's current CD? Is she approaching double platinum? Thanks.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2014 17:56:07 GMT -5
^I don't know the exact number now, but she was at 1.848 million as of mid-March so she should probably be crossing 1.9 million with this week's projected sales.
|
|
onebuffalo
Diamond Member
#LiteralLegender
I am One Buffalo.
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 26,588
|
Post by onebuffalo on Mar 31, 2014 8:03:03 GMT -5
^I don't know the exact number now, but she was at 1.848 million as of mid-March so she should probably be crossing 1.9 million with this week's projected sales. Thanks. I said in another thread a few months ago that Beyoncé would go double platinum in February. I will be off by three months maybe.
|
|
|
Post by areyoureadytojump on Mar 31, 2014 8:42:33 GMT -5
Anyone have sales figures of Beyoncé's current CD? Is she approaching double platinum? Thanks. Each week, I along with ListenToItTwice put estimated album totals in these two threads: pulsemusic.proboards.com/thread/138281/2014-best-sellers-albumspulsemusic.proboards.com/thread/128355/selling-albums-year-release-2010?page=3No one ever comments in these 2 threads. Is it because people do not know about them or do not care that much about album sales since we can longer post SoundScan info? From my thread: Thanks to spiderpig for these estimates: Top 20 releases of 2012. As of 23/03/2014 : 01 TAYLOR SWIFT - Red 3,000 4,017,000 02 MUMFORD & SONS - Babel 3,000 2,614,000 03 BRUNO MARS - Unorthodox Jukebox 11,000 2,177,000 04 IMAGINE DRAGONS - Night Visions 12,000 2,092,000 05 ONE DIRECTION - Up All Night 2,000 1,963,000 06 PINK - The Truth About Love 5,000 1,959,000 07 ONE DIRECTION - Take Me Home 2,000 1,930,000 08 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE - Here's To The Good Times 14,000 1,718,000 09 CARRIE UNDERWOOD - Blown Away 2,000 1,656,000 10 JASON ALDEAN - Night Train 5,000 1,616,000 11 JUSTIN BIEBER - Believe 0,000 1,583,000 12 THE LUMINEERS - The Lumineers 3,000 1,582,000 13 MAROON 5 - Overexposed 2,000 1,568,000 14 FUN. - Some Nights 1,000 1,538,000 15 MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - The Heist 6,000 1,377,000 16 KENDRICK LAMAR - Good Kid M.A.A.D City 6,000 1,220,000 17 RIHANNA - Unapologetic 2,000 1,172,000 18 LIONEL RICHIE - Tuskegee 0,000 1,120,000 19 PHILLIP PHILLIPS - The World From The Side Of The Moon 2,000 1,088,000 20 LITTLE BIG TOWN - Tornado 2,000 1,072,000 Top 20 releases of 2013. As of 23/03/2014 : 01 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE - The 20/20 Experience 3,000 2,481,000 02 EMINEM - The Marshall Mathers LP 2 13,000 2,017,000 03 BEYONCÉ - Beyoncé 20,000 1,890,00004 LUKE BRYAN - Crash My Party 14,000 1,724,000 05 FROZEN (soundtrack) 202,000 1,633,000 06 DRAKE - Nothing Was The Same 8,000 1,516,000 07 ONE DIRECTION - Midnight Memories 7,000 1,289,000 08 KATY PERRY - Prism 15,000 1,275,000 09 BLAKE SHELTON - Based On A True Story 5,000 1,182,000 10 JAY-Z - Magna Carta... Holy Grail 2,000 1,142,000 11 LORDE - Pure Heroine 24,000 1,117,000 12 DAFT PUNK - Random Access Memories 4,000 968,000 13 MILEY CYRUS - Bangerz 11,000 966,000 14 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE - The 20/20 Experience (2 of 2) 8,000 922,000 15 GARTH BROOKS - Blame It All On My Roots 2,000 864,000 16 KELLY CLARKSON - Wrapped In Red 0,000 775,000 17 THE ROBERTSONS - Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas 0,000 768,000 18 MICHAEL BUBLE - To Be Loved 2,000 763,000 19 ROBIN THICKE - Blurred Lines 2,000 718,000 20 J. COLE - Born Sinner 2,000 682,000
|
|
onebuffalo
Diamond Member
#LiteralLegender
I am One Buffalo.
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 26,588
|
Post by onebuffalo on Mar 31, 2014 8:44:34 GMT -5
No one ever comments in these 2 threads. Is it because people do not know about them or do not care that much about album sales since we can longer post SoundScan info?
I promise to read those. Please don't beat me up!
|
|
|
Post by areyoureadytojump on Mar 31, 2014 8:49:54 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2014 21:52:12 GMT -5
Oh, man, I always forget about the album sales threads. And this used to be my section so I really should know better But yeah, I think most people simply do not know about them for some reason. ListenToItTwice is good about posting the relevant numbers in each week's HITS thread which is how I remembered the 1.848 million. Lately I've been too busy to even keep up with those threads regularly, sigh.
|
|