FEATURE

Glass Animals Leverage Discord and Listening Parties for Latest Single Launch

On April 3, Glass Animals shared their latest single “Creatures in Heaven” alongside the news that their next album “I Love You So F***ing Much” will be released on July 19, and would be followed by the “Human Musical Group Sensations Glass Animals Tour Of Earth”.

The album will arrive four years after the release of their record “Dreamland”, which saw the band top worldwide charts with the single “Heat Waves”.

Marking the new single and an exciting year ahead, Glass Animals have employed a variety of channels to spread the word and build excitement. Here’s how they did it:

Connecting with fans via Discord

Glass Animals’ Discord server has been a key platform driving the band’s campaign, offering plenty of engagement opportunities to fans over the past few weeks.

Ahead of their latest single drop, Glass Animals used the server to share links to SoundCloud, where they shared stems from “Creatures in Heaven”. The Discord community was also proactive in sharing other teasers that appeared on YouTube, Instagram and on billboards.

On April 2, a day before its release, frontman Dave Bayley co-hosted a Discord call to preview the single, and answered members’ questions submitted via the server’s chat function.

The server was also used to share a pre-sale code for the band’s tour, which was announced alongside the single release.

The server has been the place to be for their most dedicated fans, particularly over the past few weeks.

Offering in-person previews

Ahead of the “Creatures in Heaven” drop, cryptic posters mimicking a personal ad were found in London - featuring a number of references to Glass Animals and their music. A digital version was also shared on Discord.

Those who took the leap and attended the event were met by the band and Woody - Bayley’s dog and a fan favourite, for an intimate, in-person preview of their upcoming single.

Similar posters also began appearing in various locations across the US, where Glass Animals have continued to meet with fans.

glassanimals

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Socials

On their more public social media channels, Glass Animals have been sharing content like behind-the-scenes footage of their recording sessions, content from their in-person preview sessions, updates on their DSP playlisting, a giveaway of “Creatures in Heaven” on cassette, and more.

The Takeaway

For their pre-release campaign, Glass Animals have significantly invested in their existing fanbase - crafting intimate, rewa​​rding experiences for those who are supporting them most actively. Fans who were willing to attend in-person events with limited explanation and piece together stems and teasers were treated to the earliest glimpses of new music.

That’s not to say that new fans won’t be drawn to the band’s new music. With placements across high profile DSP playlists including Spotify’s The Indie List, New Music Friday UK and The New Alt, and Apple Music’s Heaps Indie and Pop Deluxe , plus interviews with likes of Rolling Stone - the campaign has offered plenty of discovery opportunities.

It seems a new era of Glass Animals is upon us - one that’s already producing some enviable marketing moves.

^{Written by Olivia Gliku}

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