I'll start.

 

 

Michael Jackson released in 1995 a mix of a collection of greatest hits and new songs in two discs.

- double disc doubled sales;

- the mix of old hits and new songs rounded off the critics' ratings, which put A for old hits and C for new ones,

which, in the end, turned out to be 4 stars.

 

What was stupid about this strategy:

- the album has the prefix "Book 1", and despite many greatest hits collections since,

none of them was a conceptual continuation of this album.

What could be smart: old great hits and unreleased songs = tons of sales.

Beyonce's surprise release in 2013 was a genius move because it totally breathed new life into the traditional album rollout which by that point had gotten stale and hadn't took advantage of the internet and social media yet. The hype it created was huge and even people who may not have been interested in a Beyonce album if it had been rolled out traditionally were interested to hear it. That plus the fact it was an entire visual album which people weren't used to at that time.

Midnight's release strategy is actually genius.

 

She announced it at the VMAs after winning the biggest award in the show

She teased the tracks via TikTok, which matches the midnight/clock theme of the album, but not previewing any tracks, just the titles.

She did not pre-release any tracks, thus people do not really know what will be the album's genre - is she going to do more alternative like Folklore/Evermore, synths like her 1989/reputation/Lover, go back to country like her debut/Fearless, more pop-rock like Speak Now/Red, or try a new genre?

 

She teased the album but not much to avoid overexposure, then BOOM! 1.6 million copies in its first week and occupied the whole top 10 on the Hot 100.

What a moment in music

 

42 minutes ago, Miichael said:

Beyonce's surprise release in 2013 was a genius move because it totally breathed new life into the traditional album rollout which by that point had gotten stale and hadn't took advantage of the internet and social media yet. The hype it created was huge and even people who may not have been interested in a Beyonce album if it had been rolled out traditionally were interested to hear it. That plus the fact it was an entire visual album which people weren't used to at that time.

 

15 minutes ago, BtDecember said:

Midnight's release strategy is actually genius.

 

She announced it at the VMAs after winning the biggest award in the show

She teased the tracks via TikTok, which matches the midnight/clock theme of the album, but not previewing any tracks, just the titles.

She did not pre-release any tracks, thus people do not really know what will be the album's genre - is she going to do more alternative like Folklore/Evermore, synths like her 1989/reputation/Lover, go back to country like her debut/Fearless, more pop-rock like Speak Now/Red, or try a new genre?

 

She teased the album but not much to avoid overexposure, then BOOM! 1.6 million copies in its first week and occupied the whole top 10 on the Hot 100.

What a moment in music

 

46 minutes ago, Miichael said:

Beyonce's surprise release in 2013 was a genius move because it totally breathed new life into the traditional album rollout which by that point had gotten stale and hadn't took advantage of the internet and social media yet. The hype it created was huge and even people who may not have been interested in a Beyonce album if it had been rolled out traditionally were interested to hear it. That plus the fact it was an entire visual album which people weren't used to at that time.

 

18 minutes ago, BtDecember said:

Midnight's release strategy is actually genius.

 

She announced it at the VMAs after winning the biggest award in the show

She teased the tracks via TikTok, which matches the midnight/clock theme of the album, but not previewing any tracks, just the titles.

She did not pre-release any tracks, thus people do not really know what will be the album's genre - is she going to do more alternative like Folklore/Evermore, synths like her 1989/reputation/Lover, go back to country like her debut/Fearless, more pop-rock like Speak Now/Red, or try a new genre?

 

She teased the album but not much to avoid overexposure, then BOOM! 1.6 million copies in its first week and occupied the whole top 10 on the Hot 100.

What a moment in music

 

While I totally agree with these posts, it worked because they are household names. The same kind of strategy wouldn't work with an up and coming artist. But it's true that these release strategies were absolutely perfect and genius from Beyoncé and Taylor. 

Not an album, but Janet with “That’s The Way Love Goes”.

 

Her record label kept pushing her to release “If” as the lead single with a ton of marketing and promotion because it ultimately felt like a big record that said “Janet is back”.
 

But Janet recognized that big personas, explosive records, over the top releases were a thing of the 80s. It was 1993. The music climate was very different. Names weren’t carrying songs anymore like they used to. Songs were speaking for themselves. So, she just decided to release it to the radio under the radar and non-chalanty came back on the scene. The way the song sounded was how it was released.

 

As we know, it became a gigantic WW hit. She studied and understood the music climate and acted accordingly. Genius.

keeping your music videos hostage for a year or two while doing absolutely nothing for a year in order to drive your fans to the brink of insanity 

Mariah marrying her record label boss before music box 

I loved the Summer Walker thing where the flash drive that contains the album was in the middle of the street

First that comes to mind is BEYONCE in 2013. 

4 hours ago, BtDecember said:

Midnight's release strategy is actually genius.

 

She announced it at the VMAs after winning the biggest award in the show

She teased the tracks via TikTok, which matches the midnight/clock theme of the album, but not previewing any tracks, just the titles.

She did not pre-release any tracks, thus people do not really know what will be the album's genre - is she going to do more alternative like Folklore/Evermore, synths like her 1989/reputation/Lover, go back to country like her debut/Fearless, more pop-rock like Speak Now/Red, or try a new genre?

 

She teased the album but not much to avoid overexposure, then BOOM! 1.6 million copies in its first week and occupied the whole top 10 on the Hot 100.

What a moment in music

 

I also think it was genius to surprise release the 3am tracks.  She found a way to get the promo of a full rollout with the surprise of a surprise release.  I remember waking up the next day with so multiple text messages from my west coast friends about the 3am tracks.  

BEYONCÉ's digital drop

 

Taylor coming up with folklore, evermore and Midnights when people were expecting a new single from Lover, folklore and a Taylor's Version respectively.

 

 

"Changed the game with that digital drop....."

MJ's Off the wall and Thriller releases

Whitney Houston's 80s releases, 3 90s sdtk releases and My love is your love release

Janet's Rhythm nation and Velvet rope releases

Madonna's Ray of light, True blue releases

Mariah Carey's Mariah Carey and Emancipation of Mimi releases

Shania Twain's Come on Over release

garth brooks Double Live release

Salt n pepa's Very necessary release

Lauryn Hill's Miseducation release

Lil Kim's Hard core release

Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy release

Britney Spears's Oops, Britney, In the zone releases

Pink's Missundastood release

Drake's Take care, Scorpion and mixtape era releases

Justin Bieber's Purpose release

Justin Timberlake's 1st album (forget the name) release

Ashlee Simpson's 1st album release

Snoop Dogg's Dog6ystyle album release

Mary J Blige's what's the 411 and my life releases

Aaliyah's One in a million release

Brandy's Never say never release

TLC's Crazy Sexy Cool release

Eminem's 2000 and 8 mile release

Hole's Live through this release

Shakira's Laundry service release

Alanis Morrissette's Jagged little pill release

Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway release

Avril's first album release

Nelly's Nellyville release

Hootie and the blowfish's only successful album release

Katy Perry's Teenage dream release

Taylor's Red, 1989, Folklore and Mignight releases

Beyonce's BEYONCE and Lemonade releases

Rihanna's Good girl gone bad & Anti releases

Gaga's The fame monster release

Adele's 21 release

George Michael's Faith release

Bobby Brown's Don't be cruel release

Doja Cat's Planet Her release

Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday release

R. Kelly's album with Ignition release

Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. release

Billie Eillish's when we all fall asleep release

 

 

Top 10 (in no particular order) from my list above are:

MJ's Thriller release. Many of us do not release that the album was going downhill before the Thriller video. It was genius to give it a 2nd wind. Justice for baby be mine. that should have been released. Game change. THE ONE.

 

Janet's Rhythm nation release After taking on crossover r&b she branched out into pop, dance, rock, soul etc and still maintained cohesion. THIS is a singles era like no other. Blueprint for female and MALE entertainers who followed.

 

Madonna's True blue release. Madonna was masterful in reinventing herself and this era is the one that proved she did not need to depend on teeny boppers. She adulted quickly. Her best singles era minus the cheesy True blue. She gave an introspective vibe , a controversial political vibe, crossover into. the latin market, and mixed with dance pop fun (Where's the party. Solidified herself as a pop mammoth who started with fun dance music but had SOMETHING TO SAY and PROVE.

 

Britney Spears's Britney. the first female teen pop transition coming of age album stemming from a successful teen pop career moving into an adult pop career. It covered precocious sexuality, shredding the tease image of Oops, it covered the growing pains and teen angst and is important when proving how a successful teen female can transition into her adult popstardom successfully shedding the old image of yesteryear (i.e. Miley, rihanna, selena, taylor and others). It does not get the recognition it deserves but it couldn't have been released at a better time since she was in her last year as a teen. Solidified her place in the blueprint for a successful multiplatinum teen female artist transitioning successfully into adult pop stardom with multiplatinum success.

 

Pink's Missundastood release. One of the perfect reinvention moves in pop history. R&b flavored pop to a lead single that was very dance pop rock and then subsequent singles were less on the dance side and more on the pop rock side/adult contemporary side. Incredible longevity due to the versatility. The song with Steven Tyler and 18 wheeler and RESPECT are hidden gems. No one else could have pulled it off but Pink with her grit and rawness mixed with still wanting to be popular but pretend otherwise teehee

 

Justin Bieber's Purpose release. A comeback which took on a sound that was about to go out of style (tropical dance) but it redefined him in the pop/r&b route. I still think What do you mean was a waste of a lead but it was smart for the generation that wanted to hear that sound. I kind of wish Where are you now was his lead and what do you mean was the skrillex feature. Solidified his place in pop.

 

TLC's Crazy Sexy Cool release. Evolution of hip hop r&b girls into r&b sultry women. The blending of hip hop, r&b and a/c rock with a grown image is what female groups should study.

 

Taylor's 1989 release. I still don't see it for Shake it off and it's cheesiness but it's a classic. This era release rollout proved she is here to dominate pop. It's not easy shifting from one genre (country pop) to full out pop. Red was a wonderful transition but 1989 DID THAT in terms of showing she was. a true threat to the throne.

 

Beyonce's BEYONCE release. Game changer. Smart technique to hit on critiques she was given from prior releases. She was no longer an beauty pageant princess and became a WOMAN who was ready to show why she's the baddest thing walking.

 

Gaga's The fame monster release. It's almost indescribable how she turned dance pop music with artistic visuals to then push it artistic level of the music and visual to the next level was just perfection personified. It's one of the sickest transitions from one era to the next

 

* Honorable mention: Drake's Take care. Drake was made fun of for being "soft" I remember a joke about him being. asoft baby thighed rapper. Kiki. But what he did was study the r&b and hip hop market. In the 2000s and early 2010s many of the male r&b singers tried to be too hip hop. In the past 50s-early 00s, female audiences wanted to believe the male r&b singers who sang to them actually meant what they said when it really was game. LOL. They were living hip hop culture lives more than the content of their music. Still, females who enjoy the genre wanted to be fooled to that image. But then r&b artists (males) began trying to be hip hop and it turned off a core audience and sales went down.

So Drake masterfully understood that there was a huge demand for that energy, image and appeal and infused more r&b into his music even at the risk of appearing soft. It really brought a female audience craving and missing that sensitive approachable wine and dine type to hip hop in the 2010s. They might not like being called a B or being treated like a piece of meat and could look to Drake and THIS album to feel safe and they get the best of both worlds (r&b and hip hop). Genius move on his part to see the opening in that market.

 

 

 

the migraine commercial to tease Chromatica Ball Film/Live Album 

Edited July 2, 20233 yr by kimberly