The doctor is in: late Thursday night, Dr. Dre finally released the third solo album of his quarter-century-plus career. And, as he first announced earlier this month on his Beats 1 radio show, the work in question was not his long-rumored Detox ("It just wasn't good," said Dre), but rather a new album inspired by upcoming film Straight Outta Compton.
Dubbed Compton: A Soundtrack, the release includes 16 brand-new tracks and an all-world list of featured artists including Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. The guests do more of the talking than Dre himself, who resurfaces intermittently to deliver one-liners that underscore his musical longevity and financial success: "I was getting money before the internet," for example.
The remarkable parts of Compton, however, have less to do with lyrical content and more to do with the means of delivery: the album will initially be available only through
After a two-week window of exclusivity, it will become available on other platforms, according to a source involved with the release. A physical release is likely down the line via Dre's longtime label home, Aftermath/Interscope, which is credited in the digital release as well, though the source wouldn't reveal any plans for a physical launch.
Though Aftermath/Interscope is technically the label behind Compton, and though Dre remains signed there, the album's release reveals a blueprint that would allow Apple to become a one-stop music shop capable of providing development, distribution and retail for any album by any artist--and potentially remove the need for a label altogether.
Apple could easily sign an act, provide the capital needed to record and market a record, and then release it straight to Apple Music and iTunes. Aside from Aftermath/Interscope's involvement, which appears to center on marketing, that's essentially what happened with Compton.
That hypothetical scenario could become a reality with the release of Drake's new album. The rapper has already announced a partnership with Apple, and with his most recent release, If You're Reading This It's Too Late, apparently the last on his contract with Young Money / Cash Money, it seems he's now a free agent.
Streaming may not yet make financial sense for artists, but if Apple gets into the business of providing old school record company-style advances--where earning out is unlikely anyway--it may not matter.
As for Dre, his latest release had little to do with personal financial gain: he has pledged to put his artist royalties from the record toward building a performing arts and entertainment center in Compton.
He's doing fine, though. In 2013 and 2014 he earned an estimated $660 million, double the total of Jay Z, Diddy, Kanye West, Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton--combined.
Changing the music business along the way? Just what the doctor ordered.
For more about the business of entertainment, check out my Jay Z biography and my latest one, Michael Jackson, Inc. You can also follow me on Twitter and Facebook.
