The music of Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber has once again been causing quite a stir when it comes to popular media. His latest album in four years (entitled SWAG) has created a strong reaction from his fanbase, and has led to plenty of analysis, including a track-by-track breakdown of the new LP and its overall worst-to-best quality.
California-hailing rapper Tyler, the Creator is also no stranger when it comes to stirring the pot with his creative output. In ranking his albums from over the years, it’s no surprise that Tyler’s done everything from pushing the envelope of expectation to breaking hearts with it throughout his musical catalog. So what else do these two artists have in common?
Justin Bieber & Tyler, The Creator Both Just Surprise-Dropped Albums
Catching The World Of Music Off-Guard
Bieber released SWAG on July 11th, teasing the upcoming drop the previous day with a series of billboards featuring the album’s title in locations like Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Cambridge, Ontario. Bieber reportedly recorded at least part of the record in Iceland, with sessions for SWAGallegedly coming to a close back in April.
SWAG features guest appearances from the likes of rappers Gunna, Lil B, and Cash Cobain, as well as singers Marvin Winans, Eddie Benjamin, and Dijon. Production for the LP was handled by Bieber himself, along with Benjamin, Dijon, and other talents like Daniel Caesar and Carter Lang.
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Meanwhile, Tyler, the Creator put out his new album (called DON’T TAP THE GLASS) at 6 AM on July 21st, choosing a Monday release date rather than the (more recently) traditional music industry Friday drop window. Mention of the title was first used during a stop in Brooklyn, New York, July 18th as part of Tyler’s Chromakopia: The World Tour.
DON’T TAP THE GLASS features guest cameos from singer/producer Pharrell Williams, as well as singer-songwriters Madison McFerrin and Yebba. An initially rumored tracklist for the LP consisting of features that included rappers Earl Sweatshirt and Kendrick Lamar was eventually debunked as being fake. Speculation of DON’T TAP THE GLASS being a concept piece was also shot down.
Surprise Drops Don’t Seem To Be Working That Much
Despite Initial Fan Excitement About The Reveal
While both Bieber and Tyler seemed to each draw their share of hype when it came to the surprise releases of SWAG and DON’T TAP THE GLASS, the ultimately broader, commercial results have been mixed. Bieber’s song “DAISIES” did debut at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but was his only SWAG song to appear in the top 10.
Tyler’s project is still a bit early to judge at this point, though as of this writing it’s projected that DON’T TAP THE GLASS will move over 205,000 units in just its first week tracking. That would be enough to debut the project at #1 on the Billboard 200, which would give Tyler his fourth straight release in that slot.
Overall, though, what is the better strategy to move albums and increase sales? Can interest from fans and whipped-up hype alone based on an artist’s standing, image and intent be enough to create a successful endeavor? Or will a strong promotional album rollout cycle always win out in the end?
A Good Rollout Always Counts
While it can be possible to build a successful album release based on the type of “shock” promotion brought on by a surprise release or an unexpected endeavor, an album rollout that’s well-thought-out and appealing will likely always be the most steady approach. Something that gives the audience consistent time and attention to support something they like.
It isn’t just all about what can be played the most on the radio anymore, either. In the age and era of social media with the power of digital routes, it’s important to have both airplay as well as outside means to catch both the eyes (and ears) of the listener. Especially when an artist’s name success alone isn’t enough.
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Take the release of another rapper’s project with Freddie Gibbs and famed producer the Alchemist, for instance. Their recent drop of Alfredo 2 is more of a niche endeavor, sure, but regardless, they didn’t rest on the value of their names and this being a sequel album to seal up casual/fan interest.
Their team put out word of Alfredo 2 in advance, viral marketing-related cryptic billboards/ads were strategically placed with a mysterious phone number to call, and even a tied-in short film was released. While a surprise album drop will always make waves, there’s still something to be said for a strong and interesting promotional cycle.
