Just wondered everyone's opinions on Buzz singles. Lately loads of acts have been releasing album tracks in the weeks coming up to their album release.

 

For example, Little Mix released Grown and Hair. Fleur has released More and More as well as Breakfast.

 

Do you think doing this helps sell the album or because they are little promoted is it just the fan base that would have bought the album anyway?

 

Additionally do you not think people will become cynical as all the good songs from an album are released early and you end up just buying the albums filler trackers on album release day? Does having the half the album in advance take away the need to buy it on its release week?

 

One last point - if you release all your best tracks before the album comes out. How do you successfully continue to promote it next year?

Releasing the 'best tracks', as you mention, is subjective. If only the best tracks (in the artist/record company's opinion) were put out as instant grats, then all subsequent post album singles would be songs that were previously instant grats. Currently, this is not the case as a lot of post album singles were not originally instant grats.

 

As to whether they boost album sales, they must be at least increasing pre-orders of albums otherwise record companies probably wouldn't bother with a strategy that involves instant grats. Having the tracks out there prior to the full album's release can help to gain momentum in time for the release of the album. More songs reaching out to more people = more potential buyers (as long as they like what they hear).

Yeh its a good idea. Look how well The Weeknd has sold so far with his album when The Hills/Earned It/CFMF have been nearly constantly in the chart - the more singles you have out the more people will take the risk on the album.