Choosing the lead single for your upcoming album release is a decision that holds a lot of weight. This song sets the precedent for the rest of the album; it gets listeners excited for, or nervous for, your upcoming project. It’s a decision that many of the biggest artists have mastered and some seem to miss the mark often.

Artists rise and fall in popularity, many contributing their sound to the music landscape for an album or two and then falling back under the radar. In an era of social media lingo like “flop eras,” here are some keys to longevity in the industry to avoid letting tumultuous obstacles get in the way of your success as an artist.

In the past year, the music industry has been flipped upside down. It seems as though there is very little about the industry that has remained stagnant since 2019, and release timelines were not excluded from the shift in the industry. Through the streaming era, the rise of TikTok, and social media setting the standard for instant gratification, the album release timeline that fans and professionals have grown accustomed to has completely shifted.

Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton, and Brothers Osborne were the faces of Billboard’s latest issue. What do they all have in common? Each of them, in their own way, represent the increasingly inclusive environment in country music. The genre has previously been dominated by a lack of diversity, and those who didn’t fit the stereotypical country mold have had a hard time finding support in the country scene.

By now, the once intimidating concept of NFTs is most likely a more manageable one as they become increasingly mainstream in the music industry every day. Now, there is a new trend making waves in the industry for industry professionals to unravel– 8D Audio. 8D audio is a technique, rather than any new technology, that allows listeners to feel immersed in sound.

If you keep up to date with the latest industry trends, you have almost certainly heard the buzz around “Clubhouse.” The recently developed app allows users to listen-in on and participate in topic based discussions on their audio-only platform.

May 18-21 is Canadian Music Week, and our very own Jazmine Valencia will be moderating the “Meet The Brands: The Mutual Benefits of Music Partnerships” panel, where viewers will have the opportunity to learn about how to leverage brand partnerships in order to benefit both the brand and the music.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for– live music is FINALLY returning. Festivals are ready to run and world tours are being announced, meaning the concert void that has been in our hearts for the past two years is finally being filled again. Rolling Loud, coming around in July, and Justin Bieber’s Justice World Tour are just a few of the announcements that have come forth recently. Fans, brace your wallets.