The combination of social and earned PR gave something for the fans to share, getting them pumped for the surprise. Kendrick’s album let him get even closer to his audience and also set the stage for 2016 to be the year of Top Dawg Entertainment. He sold over 178,000 album units in the first week. Untitled unmastered gave Kendrick two number 1 albums on the Billboard 200 in less than a year. Using this strategy, he was able to capitalize and drive more media buzz to project himself further.

March 3, 2016: Kendrick Lamar releases untitled unmastered on iTunes and streaming platforms like Spotify, debuting at the #1 spot on Billboard 200.February 29, 2016: Another teaser is posted on Instagram.March 1, 2016: Kendrick’s label, Top Dawg Entertainment, posted an image on Instagram with an album release schedule.February 16, 2016: Kendrick delivered the unforgettable and controversial Grammy performance after winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album.Leading up to the 2016 Grammy’s: Kendrick performed 2 new, untitled tracks on Colbert and Fallon.Let’s break down the timeline leading up to Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered:

While a surprise release may seem sudden and unexpected, it is all part of great strategy and planning. So what happens when one of the biggest artists in the world drops a surprise album? The faster the artists can get their album out to their hungry listeners the more they can minimize the threat of a leak and maximize their profits. The answer to the challenges presented by an ever-changing market? Surprise album releases. When mp3s hit the market, artists battled with “leakers” who found ways to rip their albums and upload them to the World Wide Web.

Despite all the additional hype, when it comes to ensuring your music sells, nothing quite seems to beat a great album, especially when it is unexpected.īefore, artists had to wait until the physical copy of their album was released to begin making money and placing on the Billboard charts. From Twitter tirades to TV appearances, artists are constantly pushing their brand and product. As the music industry shifts and changes, artists have to find more innovative ways to capture the attention of their audience among all the noise, literally.

Kendrick lamar untitled unmastered leak