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What makes a group of songs an album? Does it even matter? 💁🏾

  • May 27, 2023
  • 4 min read

This post loosely accompanies Gab & Jam, 291. What makes a group of songs an album?


This is a question that fascinated us. What makes a group of songs an album? And does it even matter? This episode is inspired by Art Juice podcast 🧃episode, “Is it a Series? A Collection? Or just One Painting at a Time? [202]” https://play.stitcher.com/episode/301505018




Check out the full discussion and here’s the accompanying video.


——


Like MANY things this is a designation that people may define it differently, but here’s how we tend to look at it.


Definition:

We define an album as a group of songs held together by some kind of thread, including theme, instrumentation, sound, emotion, frame of mind, an exploration, inspiration—SOME element that reigns it in.


Here are some things to consider when deciding what makes a complete album for you:


1. Only the artist KNOWS

You’ve been working on a group of songs and you “feel” like your statement is finished. That’s when you call it an album, right? –At first, we used to put all songs done during a period of time together as an album. However, more recently, we have been considering if there are genre-buckets that could help contain our newest works. –Hence, the “Sugar Fit” moment. –The thinking is that we have recorded 30 songs in the particular span of time, ten of them seem to be funk songs, ten of them seem to be reggae songs, and we’re STILL trying to figure out where the rest go… The bottom line is that you get this “feeling” that a certain group of songs belong together. We go more with that vibe…. –Even with our latest album, “Obtanium Flow,” there are songs that fall outside of the genres that we began earmarking.



How did we get on 18 playlists in one week? https://bit.ly/286playlistsblog


2. Intentional

Writing songs for what you think will be an album CAN be a conscious effort, but then again, it may not. –You may find that songs that you THOUGHT had no relationship to each other can be grouped together. Therefore, it ends up that this IS a collection, even when you hadn’t planned for it to be.



What is artist mentoring and what was OUR experience? https://bit.ly/217artistmentorrevealblog


3. Time-bound?

Though a group of songs that will end up being an album CAN be time-bound—meaning that they were all created within a certain time frame—but it does not have to be bound by time. Instead an album could inspired by a period of time—like a flashback to a favorite childhood summer—or may end up being grouped later (as we discussed earlier).



‘Want to know how to take better band photos (even if you’re taking them yourself)? https://bit.ly/betterbandphotos


4. Inevitable

Eventually, you will decide the cut off; otherwise, you will NEVER finish an album. Therefore, it is inevitable that an album has a form, so that you can, logistically, be able to share and promote it. So, no matter how it takes you to decide, an artist will NEED to do so in order to sustain any type of exposure and/or have the possibility of a music-based “career.”



81+ Social Media Post Ideas for D.I.Y. Rock Stars: https://bit.ly/277socialmediapostsblog


5. What of the leftovers, then?

Sometimes, the songs that did NOT make the album end up being the beginnings of the next. Also, sometimes one completed album will lead to the ideas for the next album. –For instance, “Anything”—from the Sugar Fit album—LIKELY gave us the world music slant for our latest album, “Obtanium Flow.”


How do you know if you're ready to "call it an album"?

Ask yourself what questions you’re asking of yourself during the writing? –And look back to the considerations above to guide you. This will lead you to firms that might connect (length, instrumentation, etc.)



So, will we do it again? HELL, YEAH! 🙌🏾 In fact, our NEXT livestream is scheduled for Friday, June 30, where we will debut for Bourgeoisie Paper Jam’s next single “One Love.” We will also premiere the music video live and on-air—unless you are a member of our Patreon community. (If you’re in our Patreon, you will see the video one week earlier. Join here.)



What about you?

How do YOU decide when an album you are writing is done?




Did you know that along with putting together our next album, we are working on our first book?

Here’s the link, if you want to pre-order: https://bit.ly/prejippiebklanding


Here’s what we’re into now:

· We’re featured in Variety Magazine! https://bit.ly/featuresxsw2023

· The video for “Every Heartbeat” is doing well in Indonesia! https://bit.ly/everyheartbeatvid

¡ The Tony Webb "Funkalicious" video is going crazy in Honduras, y'all! https://bit.ly/twebbfunkaliciousvid

· One of our videos for our song, “Tell Me What You Want,” is going gangbusters in Vietnam! https://bit.ly/tellmewhatyouwantvid




If you like this, you might enjoy:

¡ Basic Recording Studio Setup: https://bit.ly/246basicstudiopost

¡ What to do when real life interrupts your artistic process? https://bit.ly/241reallifeblog

¡ 7 Strategies for rebounding from creative burnout: https://bit.ly/239digoutofburnoutblog

¡ How to give better interviews (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/236betterinterviewsblog

¡ How to give better live performances: https://bit.ly/219betterliveblog

¡ How to collaborate better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/Ep163collaborateblog

¡ How to write quicker, but better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/228writebetterblogpost

¡ Should you ever play for free? https://bit.ly/214playfreeblog

· 17 Tips for taking better band photos—ESPECIALLY if you taking them yourself: http://bit.ly/betterbandphotos





NOW:

New single, “Every Heartbeat,” by Bourgeoisie Paper Jam http://bit.ly/BandCampPMG and follow on Spotify at https://bit.ly/bpjspotfollow




More Ways to experience B L O O M I N G P R E J I P P I E :

· All things “Obtanium Flow”: https://bit.ly/bpjobtflwlinks

¡ Gab & Jam podcast: https://bit.ly/gabandjamhq

¡ Soundcloud (music): https://soundcloud.com/prejippie

¡ Join the Bourgeoisie Paper Jam Street Team! https://bit.ly/BPJstreetteam

¡ Be the NEXT D.I.Y. Rock Star Handbook Pre-order: https://bit.ly/prejippiebklanding

¡ Funky Happy People (Who Listen to a Variety of Genres of Music) Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/funkyhappyjoin

¡ Be the Next D.I.Y. Rock Star Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/diyrockstarjoin


Please subscribe. Thanks. http://bit.ly/youtubesubprejippie

Until next Monday, here’s wishing love, peace, and chicken grease!



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