So what Came First? The Album or the Buzz?

[UNORTHODOX]

Or should I say... which would come first in this day and time, A Buzz: to fuel more buzz and Album sales leading to performances and leverage to monetize. Or the Album: to give you a "Purpose" when promoting and performing. Sort of consolidating your efforts into one real project and monetizing at the same time?

Any thoughts or opinions are overly welcome!! We all live in different parts of the world so all observations would help paint a bigger picture! so please share!

 

[thedreampolice]

Why not get a little bit of buzz and put out an album, build a mailing list, then put out another album with an even bigger buzz etc.

Rinse and repeat.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Right I feel you. I have a little buzz, no where near where I'd want to REALLY release an album. I guess my thing is How does a rapper today build a buzz, or even whats a good baseline buzz to start from? opinions? You cant just come from nowhere and say listen to my stuff you know?

 

[Sucio]

Yeah....while getting the album put together....start building a buzz so when the buzz is buzzing, you can be ready to release that album so the buzz can carry your sales...If the album is dope and you don't disappoint, do the same thing again, but now expanding to more people....

It's tough...but it can be done..

Leak some tracks...do some open mics with a CD of a few tracks ready to give out...let the CD advertise your upcoming album.....Also there may be some local acts putting out mixtapes n shit....Try to jump on them and get some free promo....and if you're nice enough, you could snatch up some of their fans...

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Right I agree. I guess your gonna be a nobody till somebody decides to make you a somebody. I hate that. lol Dont even get me started about the local scene. Its sooo cliqued up, I'd have to kiss ass for months just to get a chance to kiss the right persons ass. Theres so much politics its crazy. lol but I wont go there!

 

[Sucio]

That's how it is out here...but all it takes is ONE person out here to say it....But it's pretty bad out here too....Lots of dickriders out here...just gotta persevere...

 

[LouBez]

Dox what do you mean by ass kiss? I think you got that confused with networking brova.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Dox what do you mean by ass kiss? I think you got that confused with networking brova.

not really lol. Where's the line you draw between the two? Cause you cant just "work" with people, you either gotta be on someones nuts, or be someone they look up to, in order to get where you need. I'm talkin about DC tho. The scene/city is all politics, ironically.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Put out an EP to generate the buzz, then release an album to profitise from the buzz generated.

 

[shadeed]

Or should I say... which would come first in this day and time, A Buzz: to fuel more buzz and Album sales leading to performances and leverage to monetize. Or the Album: to give you a "Purpose" when promoting and performing. Sort of consolidating your efforts into one real project and monetizing at the same time?

Any thoughts or opinions are overly welcome!! We all live in different parts of the world so all observations would help paint a bigger picture! so please share!

It all starts with the buzz or as I like to call it "The Marketplace of Interest". You can do such much to branch off and monetize with a solid buzz these days. Great thing is: there are numerous solid methods of how to build that interest.
Second thing is, you don't need to physically release an album. If your interest level is high, you could release rare collections, b-side material, a DVD of studio sessions direct-to-consumer. There are so many things you can do...
This is especially the case if you were previously signed to a label or have a solid following.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

It all starts with the buzz or as I like to call it "The Marketplace of Interest". You can do such much to branch off and monetize with a solid buzz these days. Great thing is: there are numerous solid methods of how to build that interest.
Second thing is, you don't need to physically release an album. If your interest level is high, you could release rare collections, b-side material, a DVD of studio sessions direct-to-consumer. There are so many things you can do...
This is especially the case if you were previously signed to a label or have a solid following.

Ok the "Market Place of Interest" really turns a criptic word like buzz into something tangible. But what about from an indie starting out stand point? Do I release the material, and have future fans discover it while promoting. Or do I get the fans then give them the material?

 

[shadeed]

Ok the "Market Place of Interest" really turns a criptic word like buzz into something tangible. But what about from an indie starting out stand point? Do I release the material, and have future fans discover it while promoting. Or do I get the fans then give them the material?

Think about it: If you go to a Flea Market, you can buy everything from DVDs to tube socks. This is what you are establishing as an artist in today's climate.

what about from an indie starting out stand point? Do I release the material, and have future fans discover it while promoting. Or do I get the fans then give them the material??

In simple terms: You have to first make the noise in order for people to hear you. Once they hear you, they make the decision if they like you. Your mission is to continue to make noise and give them convenient ways to hear, see, and collect recorded evidence of the noise.
It all starts with the noise -but- keep in mind that you don't control how they enjoy it, you're only in control of how and when you release it.

As an unsigned artist, I would abandon the concept of "Promotion". Promo is normally linked to an actual budget and for a fixed period of time. You should look at it as the process of "Inviting Music Consumers into Your World". In order to do this successfully, you have to define what about you and your music is so interesting that I would want to watch it on YouTube.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Great analogy! I understand what you're saying a bit more now. The spark has been lit!

Think about it: If you go to a Flea Market, you can buy everything from DVDs to tube socks. This is what you are establishing as an artist in today's climate.

what about from an indie starting out stand point? Do I release the material, and have future fans discover it while promoting. Or do I get the fans then give them the material??

In simple terms: You have to first make the noise in order for people to hear you. Once they hear you, they make the decision if they like you. Your mission is to continue to make noise and give them convenient ways to hear, see, and collect recorded evidence of the noise.
It all starts with the noise -but- keep in mind that you don't control how they enjoy it, you're only in control of how and when you release it.

As an unsigned artist, I would abandon the concept of "Promotion". Promo is normally linked to an actual budget and for a fixed period of time. You should look at it as the process of "Inviting Music Consumers into Your World". In order to do this successfully, you have to define what about you and your music is so interesting that I would want to watch it on YouTube.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Haha "The Marketplace Of Interest"
I like that phrase.
You need to build interest in your product, otherwise people will see it, disregard it and not buy it. If the person has built an interest in your product, they will see it and buy it, having knowledge to look out for it.
When spending out on a physical cd run, you really want to turn that expense back into a profit as soon as possible, so theres no point having the expense, and then working to make the profit. Why not build up the interest, then get the cd's pressed and have a good turnover due to making the market place aware of your product and getting them interested so that when they see it, they know what they are getting.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Why not build up the interest, then get the cd's pressed and have a good turnover ...

After further thinking, Its a question of I think, How much interest is enough? How many fans is enough? When are you able to justify that?

Is it really benificial to wait possibly years before you release or can it help? just some thoughts.

 

[thedreampolice]

"Is it really benificial to wait possibly years before you release or can it help?"

Nope, put the damn thing out and move on to the next album.

 

[LouBez]

Dox how many people come out to local events in your city? Are you a visible part in these events? Do you know the promoters in your scene? Is the crowd at hip hop events in your city mostly rappers or people who came to have a good time? Is your scene unified? If not what are the divisions backpacker/dopeboy/skinny jean new school pussy music etc....

These are questions you need to have a good lock on before you can start strategizing because this is where your "BUZZ" is going to come from. The only people who give a fuck about a rapper being nice on the mic nowadays are emcees, emcees friends who want to be emcees, and producers who sample...thats it. I'm not familiar with your tunes but if thats the angle you are going for I wouldn't bother because its such a long and personal process, to then turn around and have go double rust locally, gets pretty annoying. The very idea of an album is archaic nowadays anyway.

The biggest local act in Miami is MAYDAY! hands down. Their last ep, thats right E P, sold 50,000...on ITUNES bro. The group is a 2 emcees Bern and Wrekonize, a drummer, bass player, percussionist, and keys/ lead guitar guy. They have been the back up band for Lil Wayne in his last three videos featuring a band and they got personally invited by him to perform at his Superbowl party at LIV. The emcees are some backpacking "real hip hop" advocates from the 90's and they have been able to transcend the genre and become really heavy on south beach, I think they even got mentioned in rolling stone this month.

Point is the way they got their visibility was a constant networking GRIND...they would be at EVERY show, every networking party, every concert, Wrek and Bern would show up on everybody's records, they also have great music that bends the genre so they can do a latin club, or a scene club, not just hip hop venues...This lead to them getting multiple weakly gigs on the beach and downtown, that got them a driven manager, their manager got them to SWSX and much, much, more...Outta all the acts down here, they are the sure thing to go national.

It all started with the networking.

There are three types of artists in almost every scene

The guy who gets paid when he performs

The guy who opens for major acts for free

The guy who pays to perform

its a ladder that most have to start at the bottom rung, it sucks but its how the game is played..If you got great music and you can bring a crowd you can make it to the top of the ladder...then and only then does it make sense to release and album.

If you wanna put music out get you a word press blog, find an design student or some shit to do your lay out...throw down some money and get a photo shoot and some graphics and release single tracks and videos. Perform, meet people, compliment rappers who you don't respect on their "energy" or "hustle", produce EVERYONE for FREE until something winds up on local radio mix shows....whatever you gotta do! this is your DREAM right?

here is a decent example of the type of blog im talking about its some guys I used to work with

www.psykosouth.com


you aint gonna get nothing sitting in the house making tracks though...you gotta circulate in the scene.

 

[2GooD Productions]

"Is it really benificial to wait possibly years before you release or can it help?"

Nope, put the damn thing out and move on to the next album.

Yeah I agree, there has to be a limit as to how long you take to release the album.
You have to work to build the hype, which means going out and performing, using the net, going to networking events and push the sweetener, a taster of the dopeness to come. It has to be impressive.
I heard MJ say he would write 250 songs for every album he ever put out.
I would say dont sit on it forever but also dont put out something you might regret in the future. And work hard to build the buzz. Thats the hard part.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

@Lou Man I was trying to avoid a discussion about my scene cause I could rant forever honestly. I'd say about 2000 people/individuals. I was heavy in 06-08 in what little scene we do have (was mostly poetry, and neo soul vibes dope stuff). I havent been consistently active since 08. We're just NOW gettin consistent shows, events etc. My homie puts most of'em on. It's mostly rapper and producers or people from their hood. about 15-20% are there as hiphopers without an affiliation through business or hood. Its mostly Gucci/lil wayne or Kanye bitters.

The biggest problem is... all the pure, un affiliated hiphop fans are in-doors, left the city, or are not accepting to new stuff because its all regurgitated water down versions of whats "pop" atm. Mix that with, theres a rapper on every block and the mindstate is "if you aint from my hood, one of my boys, or a close friend of one, F*ck you".

If I had to imagine what being in a crab bucket is like, it'd have to be this.

On a lighter note, I am trying to at least make way more appearances now. Performing is a monster I cant tackle yet, I gotta find a good balance between what people want and what I'm comfortable with. I never get the info for meet ups, net working events etc. so I its kinda hard to be at those.

Thanks everybody, though this info benefits me, I think it benefits all invoved to a degree.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Yeah I agree, there has to be a limit as to how long you take to release the album.
You have to work to build the hype, which means going out and performing, using the net, going to networking events and push the sweetener, a taster of the dopeness to come. It has to be impressive.
I heard MJ say he would write 250 songs for every album he ever put out.
I would say dont sit on it forever but also dont put out something you might regret in the future. And work hard to build the buzz. Thats the hard part.

"Is it really benificial to wait possibly years before you release or can it help?"

Nope, put the damn thing out and move on to the next album.

I think I'ma go with that. I like putting alot of energy and attention to detail in my projects. but I think having a steady or consistent stream of work coming out is a pretty big factor. The plan was to just tour the coast with the project, but I'm thinking of turning that into promo in and of it self.