Skip the album, drop singles instead!
Choosing to release a full-length album over singles is one of the biggest mistakes I've made in the last decade.
DON'T RELEASE AN ALBUM!
It might sound nuts, but choosing to release a full album over singles is one of the biggest mistakes I've made in the last decade. Let's explore why this shift is not just a trend but a smart move to maximize exposure.
1️⃣ Boost your Spotify game
According to Spotify, in 2019, around 40,000 songs were released per day on their platform. This figure is probably higher today. They have to prioritize, even if it’s cruel. But Spotify's "monthly listenings" is one of the most important metrics in the industry. So you might as well try to maximize it. First, let's understand how the Spotify algorithm works.
When you release a song, the algorithm will add it to the radar of listeners in your niche. It will then check if people skip the song, fully listen to it (maybe on repeat) or if they add it to their playlists. It will then assign a * score* that will determine the behavior of the algorithm for your next releases.
- 📈 If your score is good and you maintain it or try to improve it with each release, Spotify will naturally promote you 👍
- 📉 However, if your score is bad and never improves, you'll fall into the abyss of Spotify 👎
2️⃣ Adapt to the shift in music consumption
With the advent of streaming services and the changing dynamics of music consumption, listeners are increasingly
gravitating towards singles rather than full albums.
If you release an album, you are increasing the chances of having your songs skipped. Unless you're really big
and have a massive following, people will unfortunately not listen to your albums, mostly because they prefer to
listen to playlists.
3️⃣ Don’t waste your efforts
It is difficult to promote 8 songs (or more) just as well as you would a single. So don't throw away all the gems on
which you invested time, money, and love ❤️
Release several singles and maximize their potential, taking advantage of each releases to gain traction. Focus
your marketing efforts, maximize visibility on social media, playlists, and other channels. It's not just
about the music; it's about creating a narrative surrounding each release, aka “marketing”.
4️⃣ Play with anticipation and frustration
Releasing singles allows artists to build anticipation and generate buzz around each individual track. Explore the psychology of anticipation, how it keeps the audience engaged, and how the drip-feed of singles can create a prolonged presence in the minds of listeners. Play with the frustration by releasing song trailers, engaging them by posting bits of songs and saying “Hey, should I release this song?” or “Can you help me finish this song?”
5️⃣ Adapting to Shorter Attention Spans
Let's face it – attention spans are shorter than ever 😢
Singles caters to this reality by offering bite-sized content that's easier for listeners to consume. Discuss how a
consistent flow of singles keeps artists on the radar, preventing them from fading into the background.
6️⃣ Get feedback and experiment
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. So experiment with different styles, without the commitment of an entire album!
Releasing singles will allow you to get feedback from your fan base so you can discuss with the audience, adapt to changing circumstances, what you did well or wrong, how you can improve this or that. Whether it’s about the music, the lyrics, or the marketing, etc.. The more you release, the more you learn. Leverage that feedback loop and you’ll be 5% better after each release.
In a world where exposure and engagement are paramount, the strategic release of music is a powerful tool for emerging artists. By understanding the shifts in music consumption, culture and adapting to the demands of the industry, musicians can create a long-lasting impact on their audience 🎸🤘