The Influence of Audience Expectations On An Album's Success

written by Melanie Naumann

How a great album can still fail and why it matters to meet audience expectations.

Think about it: Have you ever picked up an album or streamed a new track only to find it’s not what you expected?

Maybe you were expecting to listen to a heart-wrenching love song as the song started playing, but all you got was stuff about aliens and rainbows.

Yeah, not quite what you signed up for, right?

Well, that’s the deal.

Audience expectations matter.

And it matters how you set them up!

And not just to your die-hard fans but to every listener—whether they know you and your music or are hearing one of your songs for the first time.

So, let’s dive into it, uncover why meeting those expectations is key, and how it can make or break your connection with your listeners. Because in the world of music, hitting the right note isn’t just about melody—it’s about keeping your audience happy and coming back for more. 🎵✨

For example, when reading a book's back cover or watching a movie's trailer, as soon as we see the first glimpse of the story (even if we dive right into the first chapter/scene), we have expectations.

And it’s the responsibility of a writer to satisfy or even exceed those expectations.

People turn away if the artist doesn’t deliver what they’ve promised.

Just think of the last book you’ve read or the last movie you’ve seen that you didn’t enjoy.

Could it have been that you didn’t like it because you had higher or different expectations? (Just think of an action movie that doesn't start with a high-stakes life-and-death scene... instead it's dialogue for an hour before something happens.)

The same is true when it comes to writing songs or writing an entire album.

If you’re a music artist who is known for singing love songs, then singing love songs is what your audience expects of you.

Now you have a new album that comes out. And they are mostly love songs, too.

So your listeners will get what they expect from you: deliver them compelling songs about love that touch their hearts.

What we have to consider, though (when it comes to audience expectations regarding an album) is that single releases make a promise to your audience.

Now, in that scenario, you have this one song on that album that’s not about love.

What if buried amidst those love anthems, there's one track that's a total curveball? It's not about love; it's about the gritty realities of growing up or staying true to yourself in a world gone mad.

And you decide to slap that bad boy on as your lead single. You choose that song as your first single to promote your album.

Now guess what happens?

Two things actually happen:

Your die-hard fans, the ones who live for your lovey-dovey tunes and the ones who already like your songs, might scratch their heads and go, "Wait, what's this?" They signed up for a love fest, not a philosophical journey!
And then there are those folks who've never really vibed with your sound before. They see this new single, think you're all about deep introspection, and eagerly dive in. But alas, they're met with a sea of lovey-dovey serenades instead. Cue the disappointment.

In both scenarios, unmet expectations leave a sour taste.

Your audience feels let down, maybe even a tad betrayed.

And that is a recipe for unhappy listeners.

So, knowing and satisfying the expectations you’ve set up is important not only for writers of novels or screenplays but also for music artists when it comes to releasing an album (also regarding writing the song itself and setting expectations, but that's a topic for another time).

So, before you unleash your latest masterpiece upon the world, take a moment to consider what you've promised your audience.

Are you serving up what they signed up for, or are you veering off course?

Remember, meeting expectations isn't just a nicety; it's a must-do.

Whether you're penning novels, crafting screenplays, or belting out tunes, keeping your audience satisfied is the name of the game.

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