TL;DR: Today, the best artists are world-builders, taking full creative control, co-creating with fans, and leveraging lore to engineer cultural phenomena. But success isn’t guaranteed; universes explode when strong musicianship, distinct brand identity, and the right cultural conditions align—a process that requires patience and continuous improvement. This article explores the core themes of creative control, co-creation, immersive experiences and lore, offering valuable lessons not just for fashion brands, but for any industry looking to generate cultural impact for a product.
Featuring: Tyler the Creator, FKA Twigs, MK.Gee, Fontaines DC and more.
When Tyler, the Creator released his album Chromakopia last month, fans got new music and a new concept to chew on. For his latest phase, Tyler takes the form of a mask-wearing character in military uniform that anxiously flicks between arms bases and civilian life. Five clips released before the album launch feature the same recurring motifs: video in sepia tone, green cargo containers, army planes and text with devil horns. What could it all mean? Online, fans got to work.
This is typical of Tyler, the Creator, a creative mastermind who is known for retaining full creative control over his projects. From producing the music to directing videos, by acting as the sole conductor Tyler creates universes around his projects, transcending the traditional expectations of an album.
He’s not the only one; Charli XCX (Brat), FKA Twigs (Eusexua) and Mk.Gee (Two Star & the Dream Police) have all built Album Universes of their own. In this article, we’ll break down what that means, investigate how artists are building them, and what it takes to construct a successful one.
What is an Album Universe?
We’ve written extensively about ‘Brand Universes’—harmonious and interlinked systems of internal (image, attitude, and codes) and external (narrative, entertainment, and product) touchpoints that make a brand distinctive, sought-after, and influential among its target audience. Prada coffee shops, Corteiz drone shows, and H&M concerts are all examples of brands putting their universe on display through immersive experiences that go beyond revenue generation. Each focuses on inspiration, delight and building an all important emotional connection with the audience.
‘Album Universes’ follow a similar approach, leveraging the core celebrity or intellectual property (IP) of an artist as the nucleus. From this central point, artists are able to orchestrate their own ‘big bang’ moments, time and time again. And, unlike brands that should always stay rooted in their own distinct brand DNA to mitigate the risk of losing the custom of their most loyal following, the best artists are able to shapeshift and evolve with every release - creating unique worlds that brands can only dream of building.
To explain further, this article explores how artists create successful Album Universes by innovating in four core areas that the brand world could really benefit from studying: creative control, co-creation, immersive experiences, and lore.
Creative Control
Album Universes stand apart from regular albums by granting the artist complete creative control over every aspect of the project. More than creators of the music, they become directors of the whole operation, taking over responsibilities traditionally expected of record labels, such as roll out strategy. This results in artists treating a project as a holistic entity where the creative direction and distribution around the album become essential amplifiers of the record itself.
Consider Tyler, the Creator’s role in his recent album Chromakopia. Tyler wrote, produced, and arranged the music, as well as directed the music videos for singles like ‘NOID’. In an interview with Billboard magazine, Silent House Studios president Alex Reardon—a creative director who has collaborated with Tyler since his album Igor—explained his holistic approach:
“Sometimes, he’ll [Tyler] actually storyboard loose ideas. ‘I feel it should do this, then this, and like this [...] Then we—the production team, creative team, video content crew, everyone working behind the curtain—shuffle off and spin up some different concepts. He’ll review them and say, ‘I like that. I don’t like that. Let’s do a bit more of this, and this looks cool.”
By positioning himself as the central orchestrator of his own creative machine, Tyler is able to make whatever he thinks of a reality, with each album cycle bringing its own “unique aesthetic.”
In Album Universes, the artist's role can also extend even further, influencing ideas around the record’s release. For Chromakopia, Tyler dictated the roll out strategy, with the album going against industry norms by landing on streaming sites on a Monday morning rather than midnight on a Friday.
As Tyler explained to the Canadian comedian music interview Nardwuar, “people on the weekends, they want to chill and just hang out, so they’re not really listening. And to work on an album for so long, and put so much energy into it—and for it to be released at midnight? I think it coming out in the morning would just make more sense.”
More than a gimmick, Tyler’s decision reinforced his reputation as a creative maverick and signalled to fans that the music he was about to release would be personal—worthy of pausing their daily routines to listen to. Importantly, this decision is then absorbed into the reception project, forming a crucial element of its narrative arc, inextricably linked to the music itself.
When artists act with conviction like this, the risks often pay off—Chromakopia quickly rose to Number 1 in the UK and USA, making it one of Tyler’s most successful records. The lesson for record labels and brands is to get comfortable releasing creative control when it makes sense to, accepting the fact that those closest to the idea (fans, artists, collectors) are often best placed to contribute to its success.
Co-Creation
In an Album Universe, the artist sees fans as more than a listener—they are a vital tool that dictates the project’s cultural speed. When fan Kelley Heyer’s viral dance for "Apple" on Brat took off, Charli XCX embraced the moment, recreating it on TikTok with friends and challenging fans to dance battles on her SWEAT Tour with Troye Sivan.
By creating moments that encouraged her superfans to become vocal, CharliXCX effectively outsourced the creation of ideas and subcultural behaviours that quickly crystallised to become part of the project itself. Speaking with Beats 1’s Zane Lowe, Charli explained:
“The labels got on board, they left me alone, and it worked. And I think what’s really interesting is that at this time where niche is so rewarded, after serving the niche, a monoculture moment happened.”
Brat proves that speaking directly to a small group of fans can have big ripple effects in larger culture. The challenge for artists then, is to get comfortable releasing enough control for that to happen. From fans preparing friendship bracelets to share with each other at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to raving at FKA Twigs’ EUSEXUA club night at The Cause, successful artists facilitate moments rather than over-engineering them. It's here that fashion brands should really take note. At some point in time, brands forgot to invite the customer into the experience, exclusively inviting press and paid influencers to their brand events when actually it's the audience themselves that are the real opportunity to create energy around a product or collection.
New media has made this easier than ever. Highly personalised algorithms on platforms like TikTok to Instagram encourage fan participation, allowing ideas to enter cultural discourse at break neck speed. When done effectively, artists like CharliXCX prove that you can rely almost entirely on your top 20% of fans to market the project for you. This differs greatly from traditional album releases, where record labels fail to grant the time and space for audience reception to influence the end-product.
Immersive Experience
While Album Universes often start online, physical touchpoints play a vital role in crystallising the world the artist has created. For these artists, live shows are more than just performances—they’re opportunities for fans to experience a concept.
For Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short and Sweet” tour, the artist skips around a life-sized Barbie house complete with two sets of spiral staircases and three rooms. Meanwhile, The Weeknd's São Paulo show drew 75,000 fans and featured a citadel-like structure, massive screen, elongated stage, and veiled performers; with Anyma, led by Alessio De Vecchi of SuperRare, contributing to the cyborg-inspired screen effects. For major artists like these, tours provide the chance to make their Album Universes a reality, and their financial power makes the opportunities near limitless.
But experiences are equally vital for smaller artists who are otherwise siloed to online spaces. Mk.Gee, the rising guitar sensation, has designed his sold-out Dream Police tour as a visual extension of his acclaimed third album. With lights positioned to leave him silhouetted for much of the show, he creates a mysterious atmosphere that mirrors his music. Behind him, piles of speakers and audio equipment represent the album’s analog process, translating it visually for the audience. Fans contribute to this experience: fueled by Mk.Gee fandoms on TikTok, the song “DNM” has become a mosh pit anthem, played up to eight times per show. By embracing fan behavior and the mystique surrounding him, Mk.Gee transforms his performance into an experience that reinforces his Artist Universe.
Lore
Lastly, in an Album Universes, lore and backstory becomes a vital tool for encouraging fan discourse and cultural momentum. Take Daft Punk, whose name came from a review of their earlier band ‘Darlin', which was dismissed as "a daft punky thrash" in a review by Dave Jennings, published in the May 1, 1993 issue of Melody Maker. Finding it amusing, the band adopted the name, absorbing the narrative around the group into the project itself. For fans, these nuggets of information act as easter eggs that enrich the project’s history while doubling as a form of cultural capital that authenticates their devotion to others.
Rather than dismissing their history, in an Album Universe, artists lean into their stories, making them subtly visible without giving everything away. As Joe Coscarelli wrote in his New York Times article titled "Mk.gee, an Unlikely Guitar God, Chases the Promise of Pop":
“Mk.gee’s genre-smearing, plus his tendency to submerge the sweetness of his sound and his enigmatic personal presentation, are coveted by a generation of music fans that has been over-served everything they have ever wanted, often in too-obvious packages.”
By keeping their process, influences and collaborators just beneath the surface, Album Universes give fans the satisfaction of unearthing new information found down the rabbit hole, strengthening their emotional connection.
Without space for lore, an Album Universe falters. Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter—the second in a trilogy after Renaissance—was launched with press releases from Beyoncé and her company, Parkwood Entertainment, detailing inspirations drawn from Southern and Western culture, including rodeos, the original cowboys, and Western films.
By explaining the project on release, Beyoncé left less space for nuance, affecting the project’s ability to gather cultural momentum through discourse. As Chris Richard of The Washington Post puts it in his review:
"Beyoncé’s exactitude demands exact feelings, which might explain the zero-sum mania that continues to surround her."
This is often the case with the biggest artists in the world; while polished production can help bring ideas to life, it’s often the liberty taken to leave things unsaid or unfinished that act as a fire starter in a project’s universe.
So how does one construct a successful Album Universe?
Successful Album Universes hinge on a visionary artist with an exceptional record at their core. With a strong identity, the right cultural conditions, and a substantial investment of time, these elements can align to propel the record into cultural hyperspace.
So far, we’ve outlined the core components of an Album Universe. But even if artists tick all these boxes, a hit is far from guaranteed.
Like strong Brand Universes that rely on best in class products and iconic brand IP as a foundation, successful Album Universes are built on the bedrock of quality music. FKA Twigs might be known for her distinct brand identity, visuals and Eusexua clubnights, but before all else, her albums have an average score of 8.5 on Pitchfork, making her arguably one of the most musically gifted artists of a generation.
#1. Time:
This takes time; world-class musicianship isn’t something that happens overnight. Brat was Charli’s sixth album. Chromakopia, Tyler, the Creator’s eighth. Eusexua, the upcoming project from FKA Twigs, will be her third full length. Successful Album Universes are often the product of artists that have simply persevered, constantly improving their skillset over time.
#2. Distinctiveness:
Successful Artist Universes also have to be distinctive. Away from the music, Tyler, the Creator is a one of a kind genius. Bon Iver has a voice unlike anyone on the planet, and nobody addressed the nuances of young, city dwelling art school student queer communities in the way Charli’s ‘Brat’ did. Like a strong brand that dials down on what sets it apart from its competitors, the Album Universes that take off come from artists confident enough to lean into what makes them unique, differentiating themselves in a crowded music industry.
#3. Luck:
Then there’s luck. However talented they are or strong their brand is, artists have no control over the external factors and cultural conditions that have to culminate in a perfect storm to make an album a smash hit. While critics might theorise about Fontaine D.C’s rise as being symptomatic of frustrations with the decline in bands and rock music, it might just be because they’re just really good at making music.
In summary, Album Universes have become the gold standard for commercial success, combining an artist’s full creative control with fan co-creation to create a rich ecosystem of touchpoints that incubate fan love and add contextual weight to an artist’s music. But for artists, the key is patience. Album Universes are often a ten year ‘overnight success’—the result of constant improvement when it comes to brand identity and musicianship. By staying consistent, artists maximise their chances of aligning with the opportune cultural conditions required to start a big bang of their own.