Music marketing turning to unconventional means

Source: Tulsa World, Okla.自存倉Oct. 29--It's not enough to just release an album these days. It has to be a production.The Internet has helped create a guerrilla marketing machine, making the old method -- release an EP, then full album, tour, repeat -- seem outdated. This year has seen several bands take an unconventional approach to building hype and dominating social media and music coverage while tightly controlling the message.Most recently is the indie rock group Arcade Fire, which has used its odd nature to create intrigue around its fantastic new sound.In August, strange graffiti with the word "reflektor" began to appear in cities around the world.Soon, the Grammy Award-winning Arcade Fire released a photo of the same symbol, stating that it was the name of its new album and the name of the first single off that album.The first single, created using a computer and a cell phone camera, was released in an interactive music video on Sept. 9. Another "conventional" video with the band in giant plastic heads was released at the same time.I saw the music video and was totally hooked. Arcade Fire's first three albums were fantastic indie rock, with a Grammy for Album of the Year for "The Suburbs," a big step for an indie rock band. The single "Reflektor" is a dark and pulsing song with backing vocals from David Bowie and make for seven minutes of exciting music.When the album started to leak on the Internet in low-quality form, the band jumped ahead of it and put the whole album on YouTube last week.Already, hype for the album has reached a fever pitch even before its release Tuesday. Music magazines and websites are fawning over the album, with Rolling Stone releasing a track-by-track review and comparing it to music legends and calling the album a turning point.All that work was done before you could even buy it.The release of "Reflektor" isn't just an event. It became an experience.Arcade Fire is part of a trend in promoting albums and even movies with guerrilla marketing tactics. Rapper Kanye West released a new album in June, with no singles released and a few public performances, relying on music and mass media to spread the word. Electronic dance group Daft Punk played a two-minute teaser trailer at the Coachella Music Festival for "Random Access Memories," released earlier this year, followed by teases on "Saturday Night Live." The single "Get Lucky" dominated music charts and was stuck in everyone's head well before the full album was released. It has more than 132 million plays on the music-streaming service Spotify as of Monday.Garth Brooks sent a cryptic and confusing email to fans earlier this month that said "it has begun." What has begun? A new album? A new tour? 迷你倉id Brooks just embark on a quest to throw the ring into Mordor?Brooks did announce Monday on his website that a television special is set to air Nov. 29, a live performance of his Las Vegas show. But is that the announcement, or is that just the beginning? No word from official sources, which is just what they want.The trend seems to be to release snippets at a time, giving fans a little taste and hooking them, but leaving them wanting so much more. Just like a drug dealer.And it has worked. Daft Punk's "Random Access Memories" debuted at No. 1 in their native France, the United Kingdom and the United States, making it the duo's first No. 1 album in each of the countries after two decades of making music.I have probably listened to the single "Reflektor" dozens of times and listened to the full streaming album at least twice. Because I know more about what I'm getting into, I could see myself buying the album when it comes out.Several websites have been offering a streaming version of certain albums before the official released. It feels like cheating a bit, getting to hear it before it's on sale. But, as a marketing tactic, it can be a cheap way for the band to connect with fans and build more hype for the release.After all, the goal musicians have is to get people to actually purchase music, not seek out illegally downloaded copies. By controlling the information, hyping the product to an extreme degree and giving fans a free preview, artists may be able to boost those sales.Of course, it also helps if the new music is good.Make mine a doubleBuilding hype for a band to a fever pitch is one thing. Keeping that going after the album has released is another.But for hardcore fans, there will always be more to want.Enter the deluxe edition. These days, they are frequently not offered in boxes, but the deluxe edition still increases the satisfaction for the super fan but at a healthy cost.Fans of Toby Keith who wanted more than just "Drinks After Work" can get so with his new album bundle. Released earlier this month with his latest album, fans can get not only the deluxe album version, but a T-shirt, hip flask, pint glass, coasters and a beer bucket. I see a theme here.Of course, these items can't be purchased and delivered digitally, which is usually enough to satisfy the casual listener. The more devoted Keith fan can make that affiliation known in this special way.These promotions have never been intended for just anyone, but there is a market for them no matter the price.Jerry Wofford 918-581-8346jerry.wofford@tulsaworld.comCopyright: ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesmini storage