Album
Rollouts.

As a music nerd, I'm obsessed with album rollouts, especially the timing of campaign singles and how everything unfolds. Here are release timelines for a selection of albums I love.

Album № 01
Thriller album cover by Michael Jackson

Thriller

Michael Jackson
Produced by Quincy Jones · Label Epic Records · Year 1982
7 singles 3 videos 13-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Oct 1982 → Dec 1983
Oct 18, 1982
The Girl Is Mine
Lead single
Nov 29, 1982
Thriller
★ Album released
Jan 3, 1983
Billie Jean
Single
Feb 14, 1983
Beat It
Single
Mar 2, 1983
Billie Jean
▶ Video premiere
Mar 31, 1983
Beat It
▶ Video premiere
May 8, 1983
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Single
Jul 4, 1983
Human Nature
Single
Sep 19, 1983
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
Single
Nov 11, 1983
Thriller
Single
Dec 2, 1983
Thriller
▶ Video premiere
Lead single → Album
42days
"The Girl Is Mine" arrived 6 weeks before the album
Album → Final single
347days
"Thriller" closed the campaign nearly a year later
First release → last
410days
From "The Girl Is Mine" to the Thriller video
Album № 02
Boy in da Corner album cover by Dizzee Rascal

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal
Produced by Dizzee Rascal · Label XL Recordings · Year 2003
3 singles 3 videos 6-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
May 2003 → Nov 2003
May 26, 2003
I Luv U
Lead single
Jul 21, 2003
Boy In Da Corner
★ Album released
Aug 18, 2003
Fix Up, Look Sharp
Single
Nov 24, 2003
Jus' a Rascal
Single
Lead single → Album
56days
"I Luv U" landed nearly 2 months before the LP
Album → Final single
126days
"Jus' a Rascal" closed out the campaign
First release → last
182days
From "I Luv U" to "Jus' a Rascal"
Album № 03
Songs in the Key of Life album cover by Stevie Wonder

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder
Produced by Stevie Wonder · Label Tamla / Motown · Year 1976
4 singles 13-month rollout
Single release
Album release
Sep 1976 → Oct 1977
Sep 28, 1976
Songs In The Key Of Life
★ Album released
Nov 1976
I Wish
Lead single
Mar 22, 1977
Sir Duke
Single
Aug 1977
Another Star
Single
Oct 1977
As
Single
Album → Lead single
~6weeks
"I Wish" came out a month after the album
Album → Final single
~13months
"As" closed the campaign over a year later
First release → last
~13months
From the album drop to "As" closing it out
Album № 04
Baduizm album cover by Erykah Badu

Baduizm

Erykah Badu
Executive producer Kedar Massenburg · Label Kedar / Universal · Year 1997
4 singles 3 videos 15-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Dec 1996 → Mar 1998
Dec 1996
On & On
Lead single
Feb 11, 1997
Baduizm
★ Album released
May 1997
Next Lifetime
Single
Jul 1997
Otherside Of The Game
Single
Mar 1998
Appletree
Single
Lead single → Album
~9weeks
"On & On" arrived 2 months ahead of the LP
Album → Final single
~13months
"Appletree" stretched the campaign into '98
First release → last
~15months
From "On & On" to "Appletree"
Album № 05
Tasty
Kelis

Tasty

Kelis
Executive producer Kelis · Label Star Trak / Arista · Year 2003
4 singles 3 videos 20-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Aug 2003 → Apr 2005
Aug 25, 2003
Milkshake
Lead single
Dec 5, 2003
Tasty
★ Album released
Feb 17, 2004
Trick Me
Single
Oct 18, 2004
Millionaire
Single · w/ André 3000
Apr 2005
In Public
Single · w/ Nas
Lead single → Album
102days
"Milkshake" hit 3 months before the LP
Album → Final single
~16months
"In Public" closed it out in spring 2005
First release → last
~20months
From "Milkshake" to "In Public" — a marathon
Album № 06
The Diary
Of Alicia
Keys
Alicia Keys

The Diary Of Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys
Produced by Alicia Keys & Kerry "Krucial" Brothers · Label J Records · Year 2003
4 singles 4 videos 12-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Nov 2003 → Nov 2004
Nov 10, 2003
You Don't Know My Name
Lead single
Dec 2, 2003
The Diary Of Alicia Keys
★ Album released
Feb 17, 2004
If I Ain't Got You
Single
May 24, 2004
Diary
Single · w/ Tony! Toni! Toné!
Nov 1, 2004
Karma
Single
Lead single → Album
22days
A short tease — album dropped 3 weeks later
Album → Final single
~11months
"Karma" closed nearly a year after release
First release → last
~12months
From "You Don't Know My Name" to "Karma"
Album № 07
Born To
Do It
Craig David

Born To Do It

Craig David
Produced by Mark Hill & Craig David · Label Wildstar Records · Year 2000
4 singles 4 videos 12-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Apr 2000 → Mar 2001
Apr 3, 2000
Fill Me In
Lead single
Jul 24, 2000
7 Days
Single
Aug 14, 2000
Born To Do It
★ Album released
Nov 20, 2000
Walking Away
Single
Mar 19, 2001
Rendezvous
Single
Lead single → Album
133days
Two singles before the album even arrived
Album → Final single
~7months
"Rendezvous" closed it out in spring '01
First release → last
~12months
From "Fill Me In" to "Rendezvous"
Album № 08
Jay-Z
Black Album

The Black Album

Jay-Z
Executive producer Jay-Z · Label Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam · Year 2003
3 singles 3 videos 6-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Nov 2003 → Apr 2004
Nov 4, 2003
Change Clothes
Lead single · w/ Pharrell
Nov 14, 2003
The Black Album
★ Album released
Mar 23, 2004
Dirt Off Your Shoulder
Single
Apr 2004
99 Problems
Single
Lead single → Album
10days
Tightest rollout in this archive
Album → Final single
~5months
"99 Problems" was the farewell punctuation
First release → last
~5months
From "Change Clothes" to "99 Problems"
Album № 09
Voodoo
D'Angelo

Voodoo

D'Angelo
Produced by D'Angelo · Label Cheeba Sound / Virgin · Year 2000
4 singles 3 videos 15-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Oct 1998 → Mid 2000
Oct 31, 1998
Devil's Pie
Promo single
Oct 1999
Left & Right
Single · w/ Method Man & Redman
Jan 1, 2000
Untitled (How Does It Feel)
Single
Jan 25, 2000
Voodoo
★ Album released
Mid 2000
Send It On
Single
First single → Album
~15months
"Devil's Pie" set the table over a year early
Untitled → Album
24days
The video changed everything in those 3 weeks
First release → last
~20months
From "Devil's Pie" promo all the way to "Send It On"
Album № 10
Get Rich
Or Die
Tryin'
50 Cent

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent
Executive producers Dr. Dre & Eminem · Label Shady / Aftermath / Interscope · Year 2003
4 singles 4 videos 11-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Jan 2003 → Late 2003
Jan 7, 2003
In Da Club
Lead single
Feb 6, 2003
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
★ Album released
Mar 2003
21 Questions
Single · w/ Nate Dogg
Jun 24, 2003
P.I.M.P.
Single
Late 2003
If I Can't
Single
Lead single → Album
30days
"In Da Club" hit one month before the LP
No. 1 singles
2songs
"In Da Club" & "21 Questions" both topped Hot 100
First release → last
~11months
From "In Da Club" to "If I Can't"
Album № 11
Brown
Sugar
D'Angelo

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo
Produced by D'Angelo · Label EMI · Year 1995
4 singles 3 videos ~14-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Jun 1995 → Mid 1996
Jun 1995
Brown Sugar
Lead single
Jul 3, 1995
Brown Sugar
★ Album released
Nov 1995
Cruisin'
Single · Smokey Robinson cover
Mar 5, 1996
Lady
Single
Mid 1996
Me & Those Dreamin' Eyes
Single
Lead single → Album
~4weeks
Title track teased the album by one month
Genre coined
Neosoul
The album that gave the movement its name
First release → last
~12months
From "Brown Sugar" single to "Dreamin' Eyes"
Album № 12
My
Beautiful
Dark
Twisted
Fantasy
Kanye West

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West
Executive producer Kanye West · Label Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam · Year 2010
4 singles 3 videos ~7-month rollout
Single release
Music video premiere
Album release
Jul 2010 → Jan 2011
Jul 1, 2010
Power
Lead single
Oct 4, 2010
Runaway
Single · w/ Pusha T
Oct 23, 2010
Monster
Single · w/ Jay-Z, Nicki, Bon Iver
Nov 22, 2010
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
★ Album released
Jan 18, 2011
All Of The Lights
Single · all-star roll call
Lead single → Album
144days
"Power" arrived nearly 5 months early
Album → Final single
57days
"All of the Lights" closed it out in January
First release → last
201days
From "Power" to "All of the Lights"

More albums incoming...