Are Multi-Purpose Vinyl Records The Next Big Thing?

Vinyl records have been a hot topic at The Habit Weekly office as of late. Over the course of the last few years, we've seen music lovers worldwide continue to invest in their collections, as the vinyl resurgence has charged on. Two particularly inventive releases have piqued our interest this week, and they've provided a glimpse into the potential future of vinyl records and their purpose.

Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' Clock

During the MTV VMAs last month, Taylor Swift shared that she’d be releasing her next album ‘Midnights’ on October 21. Since then, Swift has also shared some details about the physical release of the album, which will come in four editions, each with their own artwork. Last week, she posted a TikTok that revealed another detail about the release - when positioned correctly, the four physical copies form a clock.

Alongside the album variants, a clock accessory pack is available to purchase on Swift's website. It comes complete with a clock hand and a set of engraved shelves for mounting the vinyl, transforming a multi-record purchase into a fully-functional appliance.

With this tactic, Swift's superfans will provide a boost to the 'Midnights' album sales. It could be exactly what she needs to dethrone Harry Styles, who currently holds the record for one-week vinyl sales in the US with 'Harry's House'.

Brother O Brother

Taylor Swift isn’t the only one sharing a multi-purpose physical release with her fans this month. Over the weekend, a special edition of Brother O Brother’s latest album ‘SKIN WALKER’ was made available to pre-order. This vinyl doesn’t just earn ‘special’ status because of a special edition colourway or limited run, it’s also a guitar pedal. The world-first comes as the result of a partnership collaboration between Romanus Records & A.D.D. Pedals, and offers Brother O Brother’s fans a chance to own an overdrive boost, delay pedal and physical copy of the new release, all in one, neat vinyl package.

With these inventive new multi-purpose physical releases, it looks like we could be glimpsing into the future of vinyl. Last year in the US, 1 out of 3 albums sold were vinyl LPS and in the UK, 5.3 million vinyl LPs were sold. With stats like these, it's no surprise that vinyl releases are becoming more intricate and inventive.

The Habit Weekly

Social Media, TikTok, Apps, Artist Tools, Reports, streaming

Key Takeaways From IFPI's Engaging With Music Report

Social Media, TikTok, Apps, Artist Tools, Reports, streaming

Last week, IFPI shared the Engaging with Music Report 2022, which features a collection of data sourced from 44,000 respondents, aged 16-64.

Social Media, TikTok, Apps, Artist Tools, Reports, streaming

Social Media, Campaigns, TikTok, Instagram, Apps, Artist Tools, Par

Zebr: The App Creating Viral Hits

Social Media, Campaigns, TikTok, Instagram, Apps, Artist Tools, Par

Beyoncé, Sam Smith, Doja Cat, Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa all have a few things in common. Most of those things are outside the scope of this newsletter, so today, we’ll focus on just two of the commonalities. All of these artists have seen viral success on TikTok, and they’ve all gone viral with the help of Zebr.

Social Media, Campaigns, TikTok, Instagram, Apps, Artist Tools, Par

Campaigns, Platforms, Content, Partnerships, Apps, AR, Augmented Reality, Social Media

How Snap and Live Nation Are Bringing AR to Live Music

Campaigns, Platforms, Content, Partnerships, Apps, AR, Augmented Reality, Social Media

Back in May, we shared the news that Live Nation and Snap were joinig forces to deliver a series of augmented reality (AR) filters for a range of live music events, as part of a multi-year deal.

Campaigns, Platforms, Content, Partnerships, Apps, AR, Augmented Reality, Social Media

Campaigns, Platforms, Content, Partnerships, Apps, YouTube, DSPs, YouTube Shorts

Artists Utilising YouTube Shorts

Campaigns, Platforms, Content, Partnerships, Apps, YouTube, DSPs, YouTube Shorts

It's been just over a year since YouTube Shorts launched globally. So this week, we're reflecting on YouTube Shorts' artist partnerships, and their popularity with music fans.

Campaigns, Platforms, Content, Partnerships, Apps, YouTube, DSPs, YouTube Shorts

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs, streaming, Trends

Key Takeaways From Spotify's Culture Next Report

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs, streaming, Trends

This year’s report focuses on Generation Z, exploring how they’re “shaping audio streaming and culture” at large.

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs, streaming, Trends

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs

Extending Artists' Reach

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs

Since there's nothing quite as powerful as getting music in front of more eyes and ears, we're diving in to some of the most creative and controversial ways we’ve seen artists extend their reach.

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs

How DSPs are backing BTS' new album

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs

Whether they’re live streaming to millions of fans, breaking chart records or rolling out a new campaign, there’s often something fascinating going on in the world of K-Pop supergroup BTS. This week, they’ve piqued our interest as they’ve built the hype for their anthology album ‘Proof’, out today via Big Hit Music.

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns, DSPs

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns

Promoting 'Harry's House'

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns

In late March, Harry Styles delighted his fans when he announced that his third album, ‘Harry’s House’ would be released on May 20th.
The official announcement was made alongside the release of a short teaser clip, and the album’s art, arriving as part of a themed pre-release campaign. Here’s some of our favourite tactics from the rollout.

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns

Artists Who’ve Embraced The Power Of Apps

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns

]Each day, we open our phones and access a multitude of apps. Some for fun, some for convenience and some out of necessity. The past decade has seen a boom in the world of apps, with design capabilities improving and our overall time spent on apps increasing. This week, we’re taking a look at some of the best executed mobile phone apps from musicians.

Platforms, Apps, Campaigns