The K-pop music industry stands out as the performance capital of all global industries. This industry highlights live vocals, all-out dance performances, and curated performer personality (also known as “idol image”) so that performers will uphold the K-pop industry’s standard of excellence.
After looking into the practices of the K-pop industry, I have identified four major music promotion practices that the Western music industry should borrow to better promote artists and their individual projects. Utilizing these music promotion practices would put greater emphasis on the art and would give artists a way to broaden and intensify their creative expression, all while setting their personal lives as secondary.
MINI (BUT FREQUENT) ALBUMS
In the K-pop music industry, there is a strict routine for album releases. Artists will release two or three “mini albums” every year, each consisting of approximately six songs. These releases are strategically placed several months apart so fans know exactly when to expect them.
On these mini albums, there is one title track that is promoted by the artist(s) alongside several other B-side tracks, one of which may or may not be promoted as well. With this approach, fans are not waiting over a year for a new album from their favorite artist. Additionally, artists can frequently experiment with different album concepts and music styles.
album promotions
In preparation for the release of their “comeback” albums, artists will often have structured weeks of album-adjacent releases of concept photos, title track teasers, and music video teasers. Admittedly, a schedule of the release of free, digital photos sounds like a silly way to promote an album, but this pre-release procedure creates hype around the album and reveals the concept of the anticipated album.
In the Western music industry, artists will typically release a date for the album and a photo, or a small collection of photos, which fans can use to assume the theme of the album, if there is one. In my experience, it is much easier to get excited about an album if it is constantly being promoted before its release, like those in the K-pop industry.
music shows
In an industry that highlights both vocals and dance, performance is a key aspect of an artist’s success. After the release of a new mini album, artists will often promote the album’s title track for two weeks on music shows. These music broadcasting programs are hosted by fellow artists and feature more than 10 artists every week (who are promoting on their two-week cycle). Every day that artists perform on music shows, the songs stay the same, but their outfits and stage sets vary, displaying the diverse yet clear concept of the album they are promoting.
These daily performances are likely a strenuous commitment for the artist. Still, they offer a fun way for fans to see their favorite artist perform their newest song(s) outside of award shows and concerts, though these broadcasts often seem like mini concerts. Fans are often able to purchase tickets to these music shows, although it is typical for only one song to be performed every day from any given artist. Music shows are a physical manifestation of the album promotions and act as a designated era to associate with an album.
variety shows
Variety shows allow fans to see their favorite K-pop artists in a non-music setting, where they can focus on showing their personality over their musical talent. These variety shows are similar to late-night television programs where a host asks celebrities questions regarding their projects, usually followed by several mini-games.
Unlike the ten-minute interview structure popular in America, variety shows are long-form content and try to fill every minute of the program with entertaining bits and games. Variety shows are aired during the album release, so the artists are promoting their new music on every possible platform.
implementing these practices
With recent news defending the privacy of artists, the focus on music and art (like that in the K-pop industry) benefits the artists by highlighting their talent and expanding their success and popularity. An emphasis on promoting music through music shows and specific album concepts defines the relationship between fans and artists and makes it clear what is expected during album promotional periods.
Music shows give artists an opportunity to display live versions of the album’s tracks with stage accompaniments that add to the general theme of the project. Outside of concerts, artists in the Western industry have limited opportunities for large-scale performances. With adding music shows to the Western music experience, along with the other album promotions, artists would see an increase in interest in their projects because of the expanded outlet for creativity and performance.
The K-pop music industry has curated a routine for success with a focus on performance, and the Western music industry would only benefit from borrowing and implementing the promotion practices of overseas industries.