Posted March 22, 201213 yr I've encountered some confusion as to what should be called the lead single from an album, so I thought I'd test the waters here.
March 22, 201213 yr I'd say that it's a bit of a grey area. Long Hot Summer featured on Girls Aloud's Chemistry but I definitely wouldn't call it the lead single, wasn't it a summer reminder that they still existed that was plopped onto the album in the end anyway. And then I definitely wouldn't call When We Collide the lead single from Matt Cardle's album, even though it featured on it - Run For Your Life was the lead single, despite being the second single released that features on the album. I can see where the confusion arises though as there are strong arguments for both. California Gurls was definitely the lead single to Teenage Dream but Teenage Dream was released immediately before the album. So to sum up I'm a bit confused and either could be seen as right depending on the circumstances of the release and preceding singles. A standalone charity song bundled on to a studio album is not a lead single.
March 22, 201213 yr Officially it is the first single from an album even if it is months between the releases of the single & album Sometimes you get 2 singles released before an album - but it is the first that is the lead
March 22, 201213 yr I think of the lead single as simply the first release - the release that follows probably wouldn't be a lead single more 'second single from upcoming album', the X Factor singles to complicate this exceedingly though, is it right to call a winners song the lead single considering the album hasn't even been made yet? as when something is marketed as a 'lead single' then left off the album Jessie J sort of complicates this as well, was Do It Like a Dude a lead single or a buzz track that was still included on the album? as she did mention herself it was more of parody, and if you asked people, they'd probably say Price Tag was the lead single Edited March 22, 201213 yr by C.W
March 22, 201213 yr It's the first 'official' single taken from an album - I can't think of any cases when it hasn't been, but I don't think it necessarily has to precede the album's release. By 'official', I mean not a promotional single (e.g. 'Starships' is the lead single from PF:RR, not 'Roman in Moscow').
March 22, 201213 yr I picked the first one. Though it's not always true, because some the first releases from their albums are considered/labelled as promotional singles/tracks (by their artists and/or labels) and not lead singles. Edited March 22, 201213 yr by FM11
March 22, 201213 yr Jessie J sort of complicates this as well, was Do It Like a Dude a lead single or a buzz track that was still included on the album? as she did mention herself it was more of parody, and if you asked people, they'd probably say Price Tag was the lead single I would say that it is the lead single of the album. I know it was released as a buzz single at first, but since it became such a big hit in it's own right I would call it the lead single. It also got the full single treatment (video, airplay on both television and radio, EP release). And I voted for option 1 in the poll, the only exception is for me the X Factor when I wouldn't call Hallelujah or Run For Your Life the lead single off Alexandra's and Matt's albums. Edited March 22, 201213 yr by Poker Face
March 22, 201213 yr So would anyone class Bounce as the lead single of Calvin Harris' album? I remember last year when he released Feel So Close her said that he will just keep releasing singles until he is ready to release an album, and the label is fine with it.
March 22, 201213 yr Easy - it is the first single released from the album. I really cannot see where any confusion arises!
March 22, 201213 yr Ah, I'd always used it to mean the first single taken from an album but wondered if it was wrong to do so as others used it the other way but the poll seems rather conclusive.
March 22, 201213 yr The single released immediatly before the album. This isn't right, a lead single is the first single from an album campaign. The lead single from Oasis' What's the Story was not Roll With It, it was Some Might Say. There are many more examples I could use.
March 22, 201213 yr This isn't right, a lead single is the first single from an album campaign. The lead single from Oasis' What's the Story was not Roll With It, it was Some Might Say. There are many more examples I could use. Just don't use the Matt Cardle example like in that Sales thread that time! :lol:
March 22, 201213 yr Just don't use the Matt Cardle example like in that Sales thread that time! :lol: :D I remember that debate!
March 22, 201213 yr This isn't right, a lead single is the first single from an album campaign. The lead single from Oasis' What's the Story was not Roll With It, it was Some Might Say. There are many more examples I could use. True, but in the era of buzz singles and multiple preceding promotional singles it sometimes becomes very hard to distinguish. Was What The Water Gave Me the lead single from Florence + The Machine's Ceremonials or was it Shake It Out? Florence has always called the latter the album's lead single but the former had an iTunes release, airplay and a music video and it charted :lol:
March 22, 201213 yr True, but in the era of buzz singles and multiple preceding promotional singles it sometimes becomes very hard to distinguish. Was What The Water Gave Me the lead single from Florence + The Machine's Ceremonials or was it Shake It Out? Florence has always called the latter the album's lead single but the former had an iTunes release, airplay and a music video and it charted :lol: Now, this is a valid grey area! Guess things are changing without physical releases. How about we call those 'pre album buzz singles'?!
March 22, 201213 yr This isn't right, a lead single is the first single from an album campaign. The lead single from Oasis' What's the Story was not Roll With It, it was Some Might Say. There are many more examples I could use. That's just what you think is true though. I don't think there's a concrete "THIS IS WHAT IS TRUE AND THAT'S THAT" definition of a lead single and I've always gone with the lead single being the single that lead into the album rather than one released a few months in advance.
March 22, 201213 yr That's just what you think is true though. I don't think there's a concrete "THIS IS WHAT IS TRUE AND THAT'S THAT" definition of a lead single and I've always gone with the lead single being the single that lead into the album rather than one released a few months in advance. Much confusion. I guess I do only believe what I think is right :lol:
March 22, 201213 yr Generally if it flops or doesn't do as well as expected it is a buzz single. For me a lead single is the first single from the album campaign. It is leading the campaign. It leads awareness of new material from the artist.
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