If you read any music blog, magazine, newspaper or flyer you've probably heard about Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. A collection of rappers, beat makers, producer and even a RnB singer. They've taken the indie world by storm with Pitchfork loving them and appearing on the covers of several big magazines. They've appeared on Jimmy Fallon, got a record deal and there's talk of a TV show. It's another story of a small group getting very big, very fast. We've seen it countless times in the music business. The thing that makes Odd Future different though is that they have attained this level of fame without selling a single album.
The group looks more like a group of skaters hanging out in a parking lot then superstars, mostly because that's what they are. The majority under drinking age their youngest, Earl, being 15 at the time he made his first and only album, they bring a mix of over the top excitement and awkward shyness.
Odd Future has released several mixtapes all for free on their Tumblr. The mixtapes quality range from Hodgy Beats' so-so Dena Tape to Tyler the Creator's amazing Bastard. Over all twelve mixtapes were made available for free over a two year period. Even groups like Wu-Tang have trouble getting that many albums out. It's a stroke of marketing genius though, anyone who hears about Odd Future can become a fan in a few easy clicks.
The music industry isn't all about the music though, from day one each member has updated their fans on Twitter, Tumblr and a multitude of silly youtube videos that not only keep them connected, but help them keep their fans attentions. Odd Future fans will stay up all night checking tweets and posts just for a new photo, new song or even a new album that gets dropped without any warning.
Tyler the Creator's new album Goblin comes out May 10th and as his first pay album and among a leak of the full album the odds are stacked against him. It still seems to see if the fanbase they've created, mostly made of internet savvy teens, will back him up now that it's pay to play.
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1 comment:
I think that it is great that they are going indie. So we can get valuable and original work from them.
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