Stunning Album Stunts
The lead up to any release is a crucial time. With artists eager to share new music, and their audiences excited to hear it, there’s often plenty of opportunities to think outside of the box and make the most of that period of anticipation. This week, we’re taking a look at some of the weird and wonderful ways artists have promoted their upcoming releases.
Daft Punk Went Rural
Ahead of the release of the ‘Random Access Memories’ album, Daft Punk took their record to Wee Waa, New South Wales - a town of just 2,000 people. Confirming their plans to launch the release at the 79th Wee Waa Agricultural Show, during an interview with triple j, Daft Punk described ‘Random Access Memories’ as an album for “anywhere and everywhere”. The event sold out and saw fans from overseas travel to enjoy the album on a light up dancefloor under a giant disco ball. Locals embraced the event, with stores selling “punk pies”, “random access rissoles” and “daft pork sausages”.
Arcade Fire Embraced Art
As part of the promotions for their Reflektor album, Arcade Fire took to streets across the world with graffiti of the ‘Reflektor’ logo. The band had announced their next album was on the way, and fans put two and two together - realising the logos had something to do with the rollout. This was later confirmed by a mural in downtown Manhattan. Alongside the mysterious artwork, Arcade Fire performed in disguise as The Reflektors at a secret show in their hometown of Montreal.
Katy Perry Got Truckin’
To spread the word about the release of Katy Perry’s ‘Prism’ album, a massive gold truck was parked in Hollywood to announce the release of her ‘Prism’ album in 2013. The truck made its way around various locations across the US. Sadly, some of the truck’s biggest moments in the media were prompted by a drunk driver who hit it while it was parked in Pennsylvania - luckily no injuries were reported.
Nine Inch Nails’ Surprise USB
When Nine Inch Nails performed in Lisbon, Spain, the band left a USB in the venue’s bathroom, which held a new track and a clue that unlocked the band’s online universe that revolved around their next album ‘Year Zero’. Alongside 42 Entertainment, the band shared a dystopian online world through the alternative reality game - spreading the word of the album’s arrival.
From agriculture shows, to video games, there’s plenty of innovative ways that artists can build hype during their release rollouts. We're sure the list of stunning stunts will continue to grow as artists and their teams find new ways to get creative with their campaigns.
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