But first, what is an “album drop”?
In an ancient world, but not so distant, during a traditional album release, the record company prepared the ground and sensitized a whole chain of actors of the imminent release of a novelty. The record company offered a visual, a press kit, a video, a copy of the disc well in advance, in order to raise awareness among traders, radio stations, journalists, some to place orders, others to write their chronicles and broadcast the title.
Now, with the revolution and globalization of the internet (and the marked disappearance of the physical disk), as well as the impact of social networks, nothing requires this period of preparatory time. Some artists can afford to drop the album with a simple announcement: “At midnight, our album is available! “. We call it a drop album, and this one is supposed to cause surprise, excitement, shock and buzz.
When Jay Z/Beyoncé mischievously posted a video for their single “Apeshit” (under the name The Carters), the banner at the end of the video read “ALBUM OUT NOW! to everyone’s surprise. Nobody expected a joint and common project. The announcement created a shock wave and a rush.
When Vianney announces an unexpected single with Ed Sheeran, he does so just hours before the YouTube broadcast.
The announcement and freshness effect creates real excitement.
We knew precursors, like Radiohead with the album “In Rainbows” (2007). Ahead of their time, they then put a new album for download on their site. A complete change in the method of distribution and in the way of designing a release.
Perhaps the most significant drop album was by David Bowie.
On his 66th birthday, when he had been absent and reclusive for several years, the Thin White Duke dropped a new single, a video and a message on social networks: a new album would be available soon! The impact of such news multiplied the enthusiasm: David Bowie was therefore preparing a new album in secret and he was still able to arouse frenzy and admiration even among the most jaded.
There is a counter-example: in 2014, the “automatic” (or even “forced”) release of the new U2 album on millions of iTunes accounts remains a huge album drop marketing action, brilliant according to some or brutal according to others.
Impossible to escape, impossible to delete from your account, this album was taxed “generously”. The reviews soared higher than the fans’ delight, but the action and buzz had this effect: everyone knew a new U2 album was out.
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