How the Foo Fighters Didn’t Let a Little Thing Like a Leaked Album Disrupt Their Loyalty to Fans
September 20, 2007
The Foo Fighters new album, which is released next Tuesday, was leaked on the web. This happens a lot these days and it just fuels the fire of the RIAA.
Thankfully, the Foo Fighters have never been the poster child for the RIAA.
On a previous album, the record company locked the cd so you couldn’t rip it onto your computer. The Foo Fighters published instructions on how to get around it on their web site.
This time around, fans were encouraged to pre-order the album on iTunes with the added benefit of access to a pre-sale password for concert tickets. Purchasers also immediately get a download of the new single, The Pretender.
In Los Angeles, there is a special show that requires the purchase of an album in order to get access to an otherwise free album release party/concert.
Still, the Foo Fighters don’t seem particularly interested in “fighting piracy.” And that view may actually be helping them. Let’s take the issue of the leaked album. Are you ready for this? Leaked albums are a great marketing strategy. I’m not saying this was done on purpose. Maybe it was and maybe it wasn’t. But for the people who get their hands on the leaked songs, they get a great feeling of inclusion via exclusivity. They have something that most other people don’t have.
Ok, so they’ll share it - but that’s the point. They’re spreading the buzz, which helps increase sales, develop new listeners, and strengthen the artist’s bond with its established fan base.
Also, some people who get their hands on the leak have already pre-ordered the album in order to gain access to the pre-sale password.
But even that incentive is being diminished by the artist.
The pre-sale password is not released until after the album release date. However, there are concert tickets going on sale prior to that day. The Foo Fighters emailed the password to the fans signed up to their e-newsletter. I’m not sure if the password will remain the same after next Tuesday.
The ultimate point here is that the Foo Fighters have always remained loyal to their fans. And leaked/shared songs plus giving away the password has not hurt them. If I had to guess, I would say it’s probably helped them. Of course, you don’t have loyal fans or buzz marketing without a successful product, something the Foo Fighters have achieved for a decade.
Posted in Buzz Marketing by Nathania Johnson
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September 20th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Indeed, it could have been a ploy just to get more loyal listeners and a way to create buzz by not fighting piracy and endorse it in a subtle way. They are going with the flow as technology advance. There is no absolute way to fight piracy so they embraced it and made it their advantage instead.
September 20th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
I was watching something about this topic the other day…can’t remember what or where. But they were talking about the whole Prince lawsuit against Youtube, etc. versus bands like Dave Matthews Band and REM who have embraced the “bootleggers” and downloading crowd. I was really interested in what REM’s doing by actually playing unfinished songs in live shows that are also available online. They say they are going to use feedback from fans in finishing and tweaking the final tracks that will be put on their album.
I thought it was a brilliant idea. As David said, there is no way to fight piracy absolutely…so the real key is to build loyalty. Really loyal fans will always buy music, and more importantly will buy tickets to live shows, etc. What better way to build that relationship than to actually let the fans in on the rough drafts and taking their ideas…nothing builds warm fuzzy feelings faster than a feeling of ownership!
September 20th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
David and Dana - you’re both right. Fighting piracy is like herding cats. But people like me don’t know how to say, hack stuff and get things on iPods without iTunes. (Though I know people who do). So there will be people buying songs.
Still, tours are where the real moolah is made.
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:20 pm
[…] appear on the net well ahead of their scheduled release date. Now, there’s the argument that leaked albums aren’t exactly a bad thing, but that’s not the point […]