As we reported earlier, Kanye West and Jay-Z are celebrating a new record, thanks to huge sale number of their newly-released joint album "Watch the Throne". The rap duo [pictured below] sold the album exclusively on iTunes and pulled in around 290,000 downloads, scoring best first-week digital sales on the retailer, breaking the previous record held by Coldplay three years ago with 282,000 iTunes downloads of their fourth album 'Viva La Vida'.
Well it turns out Jigga & Co. went the extra mile to make it happen. While 'Watch the Throne' was made available for exclusive purchase on iTunes from August 8th, they fought a music leak by blocking hackers from getting a hold of the album. The secret of the latter strategy was recently revealed by their producer who asked to remain anonymous in an interview with Billboard...
The source dished on that fingerprint-protected hard drives were used to keep 'Watch the Throne' music. The hard drives were kept in locked suitcases, and email was never used for the project. They must come in person for the recording sessions which were held in pop-up studios in hotel rooms around the world. Wi-fi on their computers was required to be turned off when they were on work. "That was the driving force of it--to create that moment of unwrapping the CD and listening to it for the first time," said the source. "It was a very old-school way for things to happen. People really were anticipating an album on a certain day and everyone got to experience it simultaneously."
Confirming the source, the album's art director Virgil Abloh wrote on Twitter, jokingly suggesting that one of 'Watch the Throne' producers Noah Goldstein had been "sleeping with the hard drives for like 10 months straight."
So will Coldplay's new album leak, and if so, when? Here are some of your thoughts from the messageboard over the last few days... [thanks bearcat1229]
It will not leak ANY earlier than September 9, I'd put big money on it--we know they work to the wire and that's hand-in, so don't believe anything that says it leaks before mid to late September at the earliest; Most albums leak via CD plants, with people nicking CDs off conveyor belts and during shipment; Most people that get to hear digital versions of the album before release, like journalists and audio workers, have no incentive whatsoever to leak the album and could ruin their careers by doing so (some still have though); Kanye and Jay-Z took INSANE precautions during the recording of their album, and also had a graduated release scheme with special deals with special retailers that discouraged leaks; Most albums leak 2-4 weeks before release, when CDs are actually being manufactured; It WILL leak unless they're taking pages out of Kanye and Jay-Z's book, which they might; Leaks can actually help artists these days, and many have claimed to leak their own albums; The only reason we're seeing "links" now is because after the announcement, people now know to look for it and don't understand the schedule of how these things usually work. [thanks ApproximatelyInfinite]
The album will leak but in October when they start shipping it to retailers. The only album that did not leak in the past 5 years is the new Kanye West and Jay-Z because they started selling in online BEFORE actually sending it to retailers. But I think Coldplay will stream the whole album on their website once MX leaks. I think if the whole album leaks, I will listen to it. Just because I'm impatient and that the end of October will be the busiest time of the year. I will need Coldplay to keep me going. However, I will still go out on October 24th and buy 2 copies of MX. My money for a potential concert has already been saved up. Now all I need to do is to find someone willing to go with me (my friends dont like Coldplay; I need new ones). [thanks macky]
I don't think it will leak. As far as I can remember none of the Coldplay albums have leaked so far. A few demos were leaked from Viva but only one of the them was actually on the album in the end anyway and they're doing everything possible to prevent a leak. I remember R42 saying that even the band itself doesn't have access to the master tracks. [thanks Cleggy]
How can you ask yourselves even slightly seriously if the album's leaked yet or not? They're still toying around with the tracklist for god's sake, if we're going to see a leak it'll be in early October or if were lucky, possibly late September. And if I can add, I love how self-righteous you all are. I'm going to be a filthy criminal and download the leak when it does leak, yes, I'm going to steal their album early. Put me in jail for it. I just think that if I pre-order the album or even their fancy-ass 12x12 gimmick book then I can listen to the music a little bit early. It's not like they won't profit from it, or the greedy pigs at EMI. God only knows how much money I've given them with Radiohead's special collector's editions. [thanks admnistramation]
Look at Kings Of Leon's album Come Around Sundown last year it leaked about 3 weeks before it's release. Yes I downloaded it but then on the day of release I went out and bought the CD. If Mylo Xyloto leaks I won't download it. We've waited too long and the band have put too much effort into this for us as they keep saying. I'll pre-order the pop up version and patiently wait till October 24th. [thanks squibby92]
Of course it will leak. Every album leaks at a certain moment in time. The reason ETIAW didn't leak, is because it was sent to radio DJs only minutes before the first on-air play. But the album will definitely leak, due to promos and advance copies being sent out. There's always someone who can't keep it to him/herself. Heck, last year I got Keane's Night Train EP a good two months before release, yet it leaked only about a week before release. [thanks RWLover]
Recommended Comments