Lead single

Last updated

A lead single (or first single) [1] [2] is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.

Contents

A similar term, "debut single", is the first single released by a new artist. [3]

Release strategies

Artists often choose songs that are more up-tempo, yet representative of the album's sound, as lead singles. Such songs are often catchier and attract the attention of listeners. The subsequent single might then be slower in tempo, in order to demonstrate the range of the album. Female vocalists like Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera often maintain a formula of an up-tempo first lead single with a slow ballad follow-up. For example, two singles were released by Miley Cyrus before her album Bangerz – an up-tempo track, "We Can't Stop", was released as the first, and a slow-ballad song, "Wrecking Ball", as the second. This was a successful practice of 1980s heavy metal bands. Girls Aloud chose to use "The Show", a dance-pop and electropop song, as their lead single for their second album, What Will the Neighbours Say? , following the fact that their previous singles from their debut album Sound of the Underground were "quite down and moody"[ citation needed ] according to band member Cheryl. However, not all artists decide to choose their lead single with the up-tempo criteria. Artists may release a lead single that has a message they want to convey to listeners instead of a song with more commercial potential, such as Fall Out Boy who chose to release "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" over the radio-friendly "Thnks fr th Mmrs". [4]

Japanese artists such as Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro and B'z may release four to eight singles before their albums to achieve record-breaking debut-week sales. The lead singles in Japan are very heavily advertised and promoted, in some cases even more than the album itself. With album sales continuously declining in the United States, record labels often release singles before the album's release date to online music retailers including iTunes, ranging in price from $0.99 to $1.29. This trend has become increasingly popular in many markets.[ citation needed ]

In the late 2010s, artists began a trend of releasing multiple singles before eventually releasing a studio album. An unnamed A&R representative confirmed to Rolling Stone in 2018 that "an artist has to build a foundation to sustain" and adding that "When artists have one big record and go run with that, it doesn't work because they never had a foundation to begin with." The same article cited examples such as Cardi B, Camila Cabello and Jason Derulo releasing four or more singles before their album releases. [5]

Albums with more than one pre-release single

In the 2000s, a common trend developed to release a lead single months in advance of the album release date. It has equally become common for further singles to be released before the release of the album. For example, Usher issued the lead single "Love in This Club" four months before the May 29, 2008, release of Here I Stand . The second single "Love in This Club Part II" was released one month before the album release date. Another example is Justin Timberlake's 2013 album, The 20/20 Experience , which was released on March 19, 2013. The first single off it is "Suit & Tie", released two months before the album hit stores. One month before the release of the album, another single called "Mirrors" was released. [6] Katy Perry released "California Gurls" as a single on May 7, 2010, and "Teenage Dream" on July 23, 2010, leading to the release of the album Teenage Dream on August 24, 2010. Ed Sheeran did something similar, releasing both "Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill" as double lead singles from his album ÷ , although these songs were both released on the same day, 6 January 2017. [7] The 1995 Oasis single "Some Might Say" would go on to appear on the group's second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? , though at the time it was a standalone release, with "Roll with It" acting more as a lead single.

Usage in South Korea

In South Korean music, the term "title track" is sometimes used interchangeably with "lead single". The term is used to describe an album's main promoted song, usually released on the same day as the album and promoted on South Korean music programs. [8] [9] This term is used regardless of the song's title or whether or not it was the first single from an album to be released. [8] For example, "Boom Boom Bass" is considered the title track from Riize's 2024 extended play Riizing [10] despite not sharing a title with the EP, nor being the first single released from the album.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Timberlake</span> American singer, songwriter, and actor (born 1981)

Justin Randall Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and dancer. Dubbed the "Prince of Pop", Billboard honored him as the best performing solo act on Pop Airplay and one of the greatest pop stars of the 21st century. Timberlake remains among the best-selling recording artists of all time, with sales of over 117 million records worldwide. His awards include ten Grammy Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, three Brit Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, the Contemporary Icon Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and MTV's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single (music)</span> Release with one to three tracks

In music, a single is a type of release of a song recording of fewer tracks than an album or LP record, typically one or two tracks. A single can be released for sale to the public in a variety of physical or digital formats. Singles may be standalone tracks or connected to an artist's album, and in the latter case would often have at least one single release before the album itself, called lead singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timbaland</span> American record producer (born 1972)

Timothy Zachery Mosley, known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, and singer. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinctive "stuttering" rhythmic style. In 2007, Entertainment Weekly stated that "just about every current pop trend can be traced back to him—from sultry, urban-edged R&B songstresses [...] to the art of incorporating avant-garde sounds into No. 1 hits."

Dance-pop is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a combination of dance and pop with influences of disco, post-disco and synth-pop, it is generally characterised by strong beats with easy, uncomplicated song structures which are generally more similar to pop music than the more free-form dance genre, with an emphasis on melody as well as catchy tunes. The genre, on the whole, tends to be producer-driven, despite some notable exceptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Martin</span> Swedish record producer and songwriter (born 1971)

Karl Martin Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish record producer and songwriter. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s with songwriting credits on a string of hit singles, such as Britney Spears's "...Baby One More Time" (1998), the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" (1999), Celine Dion's "That's the Way It Is" (1999) and NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me" (2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Not Fade Away (song)</span> 1957 single by The Crickets

"Not Fade Away" is a song credited to Buddy Holly and Norman Petty and first recorded by Holly and his band, the Crickets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cry Me a River (Justin Timberlake song)</span> 2002 single by Justin Timberlake

"Cry Me a River" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his debut solo album, Justified (2002). It was thought to be inspired by Timberlake's former relationship with singer Britney Spears. Jive Records released the song to contemporary hit and rhythmic radio in the United States on November 25, 2002, as the album's second single. Accompanied by an electric piano, beatbox, guitars, synthesizers, Arabian-inspired riffs and Gregorian chants, "Cry Me a River" is a pop and R&B song about a brokenhearted man who moves on from his past.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tell Me (Rolling Stones song)</span> 1964 single by the Rolling Stones

"Tell Me (You're Coming Back)" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, featured on their 1964 self-titled album (subtitled and often called England's Newest Hit Makers in the US). It became the first A-side single written by Jagger/Richards to be released, although not in the United Kingdom. The single reached number 24 in the United States (becoming their first top 40 hit there) and the top 40 in several other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dead and Gone</span> 2009 song by T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake

"Dead and Gone" is a song by American rapper T.I. featuring singer Justin Timberlake. It became available for digital download in September 2008 and was released on January 12, 2009 as the eighth single from T.I.'s sixth studio album, Paper Trail (2008). Due to the high number of digital downloads upon the album's release, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 before its official single release. The song marked the second collaboration between T.I. and Justin Timberlake, the first being the hit single "My Love", from Timberlake's second album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Sheeran</span> English singer-songwriter (born 1991)

Edward Christopher Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently released the extended play No. 5 Collaborations Project. He signed with Asylum Records the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suit & Tie</span> 2013 single by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z

"Suit & Tie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his third studio album The 20/20 Experience (2013). It features a verse from American rapper Jay-Z. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. It features compositional samples from the 1972 song "Sho' Nuff" by Sly, Slick and Wicked, which members are credited as co-writers to "Suit & Tie". The song was premiered on YouTube on January 13, 2013, and was released on the following day by RCA Records as the lead single from the album. It serves as Timberlake's highly anticipated musical comeback following a six-year hiatus, during which time he pursued an acting career and developed his skills as a record producer and songwriter for other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirrors (Justin Timberlake song)</span> 2013 single by Justin Timberlake

"Mirrors" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his third studio album, The 20/20 Experience (2013). First conceived in 2009, the track was inspired by his relationship with Jessica Biel and the marriage of his grandparents. It is an eight-minute-long mid-tempo progressive soul and R&B ballad. Timberlake wrote and produced the song with Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, with additional writing from James Fauntleroy. The accompanying music video, directed by Floria Sigismondi, was released in March 2013 and depicts a tale of two lovers through several decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sing (Ed Sheeran song)</span> 2014 single by Ed Sheeran

"Sing" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran. It was produced by Pharrell Williams, who also provided backing vocals. The song was released by Asylum Records UK on 7 April 2014 as the lead single from Sheeran's second studio album, × (2014). "Sing" became Sheeran's first UK number-one single and also topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. It peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't (Ed Sheeran song)</span> 2014 single by Ed Sheeran

"Don't" is a song by English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran, for his second studio album, × (2014). Written by Sheeran and Benny Blanco and produced by Blanco and Rick Rubin, the song samples "Don't Mess with My Man" by Lucy Pearl. It was initially planned as the album's lead single, but was passed over in favour of "Sing". It was instead released to iTunes on 13 June 2014 as the second "instant grat" promotional single from ×. "Don't" officially impacted US contemporary hit radio on 15 July 2014 as the album's second single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Stop the Feeling!</span> 2016 single by Justin Timberlake

"Can't Stop the Feeling!" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on May 6, 2016, as the lead single of the soundtrack to the film Trolls (2016), in which Timberlake voiced the character "Branch" and served as the executive music producer. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Max Martin, and Shellback. Musically, "Can't Stop the Feeling!" is an uptempo disco-pop and soul-pop number with funk influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sign of the Times (Harry Styles song)</span> 2017 single by Harry Styles

"Sign of the Times" is the debut solo single by English singer-songwriter Harry Styles from his self-titled debut studio album. Released on 7 April 2017 by Columbia Records, it was first written by Jeff Bhasker, Mitch Rowland, Ryan Nasci, Alex Salibian, while Styles gets writing credits for contributing. It was produced by Bhasker and co produced by Salibian and Johnson. Musically, it was described by critics as a pop rock and soft rock ballad. Its accompanying music video was released on 8 May 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauv</span> American musician (born 1994)

Ari Staprans Leff, known professionally as Lauv, is an American musician best known for his breakout hit "I Like Me Better"; included on his compilation album I Met You When I Was 18 , which was released in 2018. His debut album, How I'm Feeling, was released on March 6, 2020, and debuted at number 16 on the US Billboard 200. Lauv has also written songs for other artists such as "Boys" by Charli XCX and "No Promises" by Cheat Codes and Demi Lovato.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filthy (song)</span> 2018 single by Justin Timberlake

"Filthy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on January 5, 2018, as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Man of the Woods (2018). The electro-funk song was written and produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and Danja, with additional songwriting from James Fauntleroy and Larrance Dopson. Its music video was released on same day, which is set at a futuristic technology conference and shows Timberlake staging a proof-of-concept demo for a robot. It was serviced to contemporary hit radio on January 9, 2018. "Filthy" debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Timberlake's 18th top 10 on the chart as a soloist, and reached the top 5 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blow (Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars song)</span> 2019 single by Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars

"Blow" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and American singer-songwriters Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars. It was released on 5 July 2019 through Asylum and Atlantic Records, along with "Best Part of Me", as the fourth and fifth singles respectively from his compilation album No.6 Collaborations Project (2019). "Blow" was co-written by Sheeran, Stapleton, Mars, Brody Brown, Frank Rogers, J.T. Cure, Bard McNamee and Gregory McKee. Mars produced the song and played all the instruments except the bass. "Blow" is a rock, blues rock and hard rock song. Lyrically it is about a lover who leaving someone spurned crazy; it is mixed with gun references and sexual innuendo.

<i>Riizing</i> 2024 EP by Riize

Riizing is the first extended play by South Korean boy band Riize. Released on June 17, 2024 by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment, the EP consists of eight tracks, including the lead single "Boom Boom Bass" and pre-released singles "Talk Saxy", "Love 119", "Siren" and "Impossible". On September 4, 2024, the special repackage version of their EP titled Riizing: Epilogue was released with the addition of the single "Combo" to commemorate the group's first anniversary.

References

  1. ↑ "Which Beyoncé Lead Single is Your All-Time Favorite? Vote!". Billboard .
  2. ↑ "!!! Announce new album 'Let It be Blue' with first single 'Storm Around the World'". NME . February 26, 2022.
  3. ↑ "The 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time". Rolling Stone . May 19, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Exclusive: Fall Out Boy Album Deets". Rolling Stone . November 16, 2006. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  5. ↑ Leight, Elias (May 6, 2018). "Why Your Favorite Artist Is Releasing More Singles Than Ever". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  6. ↑ Dombal, Ryan (October 1, 2013). "Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  7. ↑ Espinoza, Joshua (January 6, 2017). "Ed Sheeran returns with two new tracks "Castle on the Hill" and "Shape of You"". Complex. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  8. 1 2 "Sounding Out K-Pop". The Cambridge Companion to K-Pop. Cambridge University Press. March 9, 2023. p. 49–94. doi:10.1017/9781108938075.005. ISBN   978-1-108-93807-5.
  9. ↑ "Glossary". K-Pop 101. January 1, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  10. ↑ Kyung-min, Pyo (June 18, 2024). "RIIZE aims higher with new mini-album 'RIIZING'". Korea Times . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.