Mixtape and Album are both very familiar terms in the music industry. Both have different meanings but with technology and variations in the industry, the line of difference between them has been blurred.
So can we say that, despite all the changes, they are the same things after all? To be truthful, they still have some differences in modern times as well.
How can it help you?
If you’re in the music industry, understanding the difference between both would help you create a better music collection for your audience. Being a producer, you can offer better suggestions to the artists.
So let’s dive deep and understand both of them.
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What is a Mixtape?
A mixtape is a collection of songs that are not structured, are not based on a specific theme or a special artist. Mixtapes are mostly free or don’t cost much.
They offer a collection of music that’s random or time-bound. For example, the first ever mixtapes were made with the best music in a specific month in the 1960s.
Notably, these mixtapes are generally not a part of an artist’s collection but a fandom. Primarily, Hip hip-Hop artists and rap artists use them to create fandom, demonstrate their skills, or do fan service.
History of Mixtape:
The first mixtape was released in the 1960s. They became an instant hit and were even sold in black. The first mixtapes were a collection of hit songs within a specific month, year, or a period.
Notably, that time was of cassettes, so all the first mixtapes were sold as cassettes until the era of CDs. Currently, they are mostly in mp3.
Listeners used to create a playlist of their favourite songs as a party banger in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. ( Choosing The Best DAW for Mixing )
Features of a Mixtape:
- Includes only one track with multiple songs with no transitions.
- They were created to promote commercial songs, but soon they became a tool for hip-hop artists to showcase their talents, create a fan base, and express art without any intervention of commercial houses.
- Contains original as well as remixed songs.
What is an Album?
An album is also a collection of songs, but it is professionally curated and follows a theme or a story. They are typically available in all formats of audio, like vinyl, CD, or digital format.
Notably, they are polished work and need experts on the creation team and not just the artists. The team creates the songs from scratch and their motive is to entertain audiences with new collections and use them to make money, mostly.
There are mostly two types of albums – Live and Studio.
As the name suggests, studio albums are original songs that were created in the studios only under all supervision. Live albums are the live recording of the songs that were played during a concert show.
Here is the note – Albums are original songs with a structure consciously created for the market. Many people contribute to the creation, such as musicians, record labels, producers, arrangers, managers, engineers, etc.
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History of Albums:
The album history goes back to the 1950s when they were released in vinyl format. Time flies and, in the 1980s, they started to emerge as CDs. Notably, the first CD album released in the 1980s was ‘52nd Street’ by Billy Joel. Now, the CD format has been erased due to the digitalization of the era.
Features of an Album:
- Albums are originals by artists. It’s the most common method of releasing a collection of original songs.
- An album typically has 7–15 songs that follow a story or a theme. Music and emotions can vary, but a fine structure will be there. A common genre is a widely common example.
- Each song is separated by 2 seconds of silence.
- These are available in Vinyl, CD, and Digital formats all along.
- These are to make money through originals.
- Albums need a whole team working together.
Difference Between Mixtape and an Album:
- An album is a collection of songs, deliberately created with a theme or a story. On the other hand, mixtapes are a random collection of songs.
- Album songs are original tracks. They are created in a studio or live by an artist or a group of artists. Mixtapes have no such originality as they have covers, songs, or instrumentals. Note that today’s young new artists use them to showcase their talent.
- A mixtape is fun random work. They are spontaneous creations by the makers. For example, the first mixtapes used to feature the best songs in a specific year or month. On the other hand, albums are polished works which demand attention to detail.
- Mixtapes don’t intend to make money from the songs. They are a casual format just to create a fanbase and entertain the audience. Albums, on the other hand, are purposefully created to make money through radio, digital platforms, and official sales.
- Albums are professional and give you official records of releasing music as an artist. Mixtapes are like a precursor to an album.
- Mixtapes are free (nearly free in most cases) whereas albums are released through record labels and are expensive.
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Conclusion:
Mixtapes and Albums seem interchangeable words. But they hold different meanings in the industry. While albums are professional and are created for making money from the production houses, mixtapes are nearly free and totally focused on entertaining the audience.
Albums are professionally created with a theme or a story. Mixtapes are casual and collect several songs without any strict conditions in general.
In this article, we discussed the difference and the history of both Albums and Mixtapes. If you’re an emerging artist, you now know about what would suit you the best.
All the best and Keep rocking the stage!