We live in an age where music, and pretty much everything else, is consumed right at our fingertips, digitally.
Release dates became arbitrary when chart-topping artists like Beyoncé (who “changed the game with that digital drop”), Miley Cyrus, Drake — and yes, even our lord and savior Yeezus — released surprise albums on the Internet. Fans immediately took over Twitter, ranting and raving, and millions of songs were downloaded or streamed within the first hours they were available.
But this accessibility, as glorious as it can be, is spoiling music fans. The music industry and the technology involved is evolving in a way that’s creating an impatient wave of fandom.
Perhaps the most ridiculous example of this is a petition for President Obama to issue an order for Kanye West to drop “SWISH.”
Yes, thousands of people signed a petition for West to release a new album, despite his single “All Day” debuting in February, the new Yeezy Boost 350s dropping last month and rumors surfacing about his second collection with Adidas being unveiled during the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.
“Yeezus” was released only two years ago, but that’s two years too long for many fans. A lot of people in this digitally driven generation want frequent album releases, which is unfair to the artist and the teams behind them.
While recording and distributing technology is now fairly advanced, making it possible for musicians to produce an album in less time than before, the music industry’s current economy makes it impossible to simply make albums and be successful, according to Gary Bongiovanni, president and editor-in-chief of the concert-industry trade publication Pollstar, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.
The festival scene has blown up in the past few years, and it’s not just because of hipster trends.
With music becoming cheaper to buy or stream, musicians must tour more often to make real money. This means less time in the studio and more time on the road.
Plus, musicians must dedicate time to the press so their tours and albums will be notable and successful.
But this topic can’t be discussed without bringing up someone who has kept his fans on a string the past year: Frank Ocean.
He announced a new album would premiere in July alongside his own magazine. Two months later, all his fans got was a canceled festival performance.
No press. No album. Not even a new song.
Psychology sophomore Myrika Mills said she is losing hope.
“I think he’s going to drop it, but no time soon,” she said. “You never know with Frank, because he said it was going to drop in [July], but then people on Twitter were talking saying, ‘He never said what year though.’”
She said she understands the artistic process, but like many of his other fans, she feels betrayed.
But can art be confined by a deadline?
“channel ORANGE” was such a success because it was intimate. It was emotionally inspired.
It can be difficult to control and demand that inspiration from anyone, and if fans want a quality album from Ocean, they’re going to have to wait for him to decide when it’s ready.
That’s how it should be. While many fans are anticipating new music in 2015 from Ocean, West, Adele, Mac Miller and more, it’s unfair to musicians and the industry itself to expect surprise albums and new music to be released so frequently.
And when deadlines are missed, remember that musicians are people, too. Maybe they’re just waiting for good timing or adequate creativity and inspiration to fully reach their potential.
Sarah LeBoeuf is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Alexandria, Louisiana. You can reach her on Twitter @sleboeuf23.