By: ALEXANDER TAYLOR
Staff Writer
The excitement of waiting for your favorite artist to release a new album can be one of the most overwhelming feelings of all time. Finally being able to press play on a long-awaited album can be one of the most euphoric feelings of all time. However, for many artists nowadays, their music can be released illegally online early or “leaked”.
Music leaks are songs or albums that have been released without authorization from the label. Most leaks are spread through social media platforms like Instagram or through forums dedicated to leaking music. Many songs that get leaked are purchased in ways such as group buys in which multiple people collectively donate to have a song leaked. Most songs put up for group buying are highly wanted songs or “grails” of their respective artists.
Leaked music doesn’t come without consequences though. Many artists have had to delay the release of their projects because of leaks. This is the case with rapper Lil Uzi Vert and their album Eternal Atake. After the album was announced in 2018, for the next two years songs meant for the album were leaked without permission, causing the album to be delayed until March 2020.
Leaked music can also lead to a decrease in anticipation and excitement surrounding an album release. If fans can access the music early through leaks, they may not feel the need to purchase the official release when it becomes available. This can impact the overall sales and revenue generated by an album release, which can have a significant effect on the financial success of an artist and a music label.