Originally posted on GigRide and reproduced with kind permission of the author, Mike Five, from the heavy blues rock band 1inFive.
I saw a thread recently asking about a release strategy and posing the question 'are albums a waste of good songs in the age of streaming?' It’s a great question, here are my thoughts.
On average it takes about 60k album sales in 1 week to get to number 1 on the UK album chart, whereas for singles it's more like 100k to hit the top spot. Although there's obviously a gap, it's not huge. People listen to both. So maybe it’s not about the format, it’s about the marketing.
Liam Gallagher's latest album As You Were is a great example. Two singles were released first; Wall Of Glass peaked at number 21 thanks in part to his performance at One Love in Manchester (it only entered the chart at no. 60), and Chinatown only made it to number 56 despite it having a very popular video with over 2 million hits. Not great, but ok, and functional. But here’s where it wins, having a track out there gives you a fantastic opportunity to talk about the upcoming album.
Remember that Oasis were at one point the biggest band on the planet - Be Here Now sold over 424,000 copies on its first day alone and became the fastest-selling album in British chart history, a record that still stands 20 years later. Liam Gallagher’s fans are now in their 30s, 40s and 50s, they aren’t buying singles, but he needs a way to tell them there’s an album on the way.
As You Were included a truly massive PR effort, aided in no small part by the singles acting as a reference point for the upcoming album and giving Liam Gallagher an excuse to appear everywhere. Each single generated airplay and interviews that beamed Liam Gallaghers face, voice, and music into the homes of half the country, including Oasis fans. Announcements about Oasis tracks being played on the tour helped the hype, a few headline grabbing tweets gave him more of a boost, and just to make sure Gallagher even said he’d like to make up with his brother triggering “oh my god, are Oasis reforming?” posts everywhere.
Soon the narrative pedaled by the press was that real rock is back again, and that LG has saved the world with this truly incredible album. As You Were debuted at number 1 in its first week outselling the rest of the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart combined.
So what can we learn from all of this?
Firstly that marketing is everything. As You Were is well written and produced nicely, but it’s probably not the masterpiece the press have made it out to be. It sold well because it was marketed well and to the right people. We don’t all have the potential pulling power of Liam Gallagher, but you have to remember that Beady Eye (Oasis without Noel) sold less albums in their entire career than As You Were sold in its first week. The difference is the marketing.
Secondly, Singles, Eps and Albums all have their place, and most independent artists will need a combination to really get anywhere. Liam Gallagher’s team knew how to use singles to sell albums. You can only find that out what works for you by researching your audience, putting together a marketing campaign, measuring the results, and taking what you’ve learned into the next release.
Whatever format your next release takes, good luck with it!
Whats weird to me is how much cassettes are coming back right now. Tons of retro kiddies love cassette decks right now.
Indeed! It's that nostalgia and feeling of having something tangible I guess. As an artist the great thing is you can produce them at home!
I still have a real fondness for cassettes. I remember the firs cassette singles coming out!
I'm actually thinking about self producing cassettes for my albums to see if they would sell online and at gigs.
Cheetah was quick there!
I love albums, It's all about the journey, it's been that way since the 60's and why rock music evolved into something fantastic. I still enjoy a short, sharp, shock from a great single, but what you gonna do after that?
Horses for courses I guess. I'm not sure us "oldies" have the mindset but I know my daughter struggles to even get through a single before she clicks 'next"!
A year ago I would have said album and as a listener I still prefer albums. Now, I'd go with releasing more EPs as the music industry is evolving rapidly. That way you can promote your stuff more often and get more attention. Just my two cents of course :D
Yes I think people soon forget you nowadays as there is so much choice. It's not like it used to be where you would go to the record shop and buy an album and play it to death for the next month. There is so much choice that you have to consistently put music out to remind people you are still there!
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I mostly buy albums on CD or as downloads. I have been known to buy some expensive special editions. I think people are just buying less music these days. I don't subscribe to any of the streaming services as I just wouldn't use them much.
I have to say He has really done his share of promoting and I think it is a really top album. Its got slick US writers involved for sure, and I agree the marketing machine has really kicked in, but i think the guy's good at what he does.
Now a little older (not necessarily wiser with some of his comments) but he has the front need to do the job of selling his craft by gigging here there and everywhere.
Its one thing to have talent - quite another to have the temperament to match - just some thoughts.