Artists are increasingly exploring alternative album release strategies beyond traditional streaming platforms, driven by the reality that streaming generates meaningful income for only about 1% of musicians.

Ghetts and Rude Kid are pioneering a unique approach with their album "Forbidden Frequencies," releasing it via a specialized hardware player available at exclusive London shows. Fans can access the music by tapping a card on their smartphones, emphasizing the artists' vision of music as valuable art.

"We firmly believe that music is art and should be respected and valued in the way art in a gallery is," explains Ghetts. "This is our attempt to fearlessly push towards that goal."

Another notable example is Cindy Lee's "Diamond Jubilee," Pitchfork's Album of the Year for 2024. Lee bypassed streaming services entirely, releasing the 32-track opus through YouTube and a GeoCities website, where fans could purchase it for $30 CAD. The album later became available on platforms like Rough Trade and Bandcamp.

Some artists opt for drip-release strategies, publishing singles gradually to maximize audience engagement. This approach, used by artists like Russ and The Chainsmokers, allows fans to fully appreciate each track rather than potentially overlooking songs in a full album release.

As streaming platforms face criticism over low payouts and limited artist-fan interaction capabilities, more musicians may choose to bypass traditional streaming services in 2025. This direct-to-fan approach could become increasingly common as artists seek more control over their music distribution and fair compensation.

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