July certainly kept us on the edge of our seats in terms of what might happen on Spotify. We experienced our first ever track takedown, which fortunately lasted only a few days while the matter was reviewed.
A takedown generally occurs when Spotify detects irregular streaming activity. Given that we’ve tested a number of promotional services during our marketing research, it wasn’t entirely surprising that one of them failed to meet the standards expected by Spotify and our distributor. It quickly became clear that this particular service wouldn’t be used again as its methods crossed into territory we simply don’t want to be associated with. Building an audience is important, but it has to be done the right way.
As a result, a number of streams were removed from our statistics, meaning they won’t contribute towards future royalties. I’m not naming the service involved because distributor and Spotify agreements contain a number of conditions, and the focus here isn’t on pointing fingers. The lesson we’ve taken away is simple: quality promotion and legitimate playlist placements remain the best long-term strategy.
Thankfully, there was plenty of good news this month. Skullen has continued to gain momentum and has slightly outperformed some of our earlier releases. Meanwhile, Demolition Man and Fucked Up My Life are still attracting new daily listeners, which is encouraging to see. While the numbers aren’t yet large enough to generate significant income, they’re helping us steadily build an international audience.
Touring isn’t really an option at this stage, as our listeners are spread across many different countries rather than concentrated in one location. Even so, seeing people around the world discovering Lipcrack is a reward in itself and something we’re genuinely grateful for.
As promised, we’d also like to give a few shout-outs to some of the people and playlists that have helped support our music this month. A big thank you to **Alternative Indie/Rock Jams**, **Music Promotion USA**, and the **Hype Gym Rock** playlists for featuring our tracks. Many other playlists have supported us throughout the year, and while it’s impossible to mention everyone individually, every bit of support is sincerely appreciated.
Since launching on Spotify we’ve now reached more than 4,000 listeners, which is a milestone we’re very pleased with. Of course, that growth has come with a considerable marketing investment, so we’re certainly not releasing new tracks every few weeks. Instead, we’ll continue using carefully selected promotional services whenever a new release arrives, as Spotify remains one of the best places to connect with genuine music fans.
Meanwhile, the Lipcrack website continues to attract visitors from around the world, providing another great way for listeners to discover our music.
That’s really the latest news from the Spotify front. There are still plenty of services promising thousands of playlist listeners overnight, but based on what we’ve seen behind the scenes, we’re approaching those claims with a healthy dose of skepticism. Real, sustainable growth takes time, and we’re happy to keep building the audience one step at a time.
One of the highlights this month has been receiving some fantastic emails through our marketing campaigns. Hearing directly from listeners is always rewarding, and we’re hopeful that our next release will also bring a few more album sales. We would publish a few of them but it does come down to a privacy issue so it’s useful to post in the comments section.
As mentioned previously, there will be one more new track released this year. After that, we’ll begin sharing previews of other material from Off The Edge while continuing to promote the album across new markets. It’s been a huge learning experience, and every month teaches us something new about the music industry.
Looking ahead, I’ve already been spending time with the material planned for next year. The songs are beginning to take shape, and I’m working through decisions surrounding the release schedule, album artwork, and the overall direction of the next project. I’m also considering sending a short survey to our VIP members so they can have some input into the final decisions.
Speaking of the VIP list, there are definitely some advantages to being part of it. Whether you purchase the album or subscribe to the blog, you’ll receive early access to new material and future updates before they’re released via distributors.
So that’s it for another month. Lipcrack remains focused on testing legitimate marketing strategies, growing its listener base, preparing new material for next year’s album, and making sure we stay on the right side of Spotify’s guidelines as we continue building the project one release at a time.
Have a great month and see you all next time,
Lipcrack