The Astroworld disaster could have permanently hindered his ability to perform in large venues.
And though hisCircus Maximustour seems to be surging along, hisUtopiaalbum (andits rollout) was polarizing.
Some felt like the album was well produced but wasnt a great showcase of him as a solo artist.
Travis Scott performs onstage during the Utopia – Circus Maximus World Tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on July 11, 2024 in London, England.Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
The hype around a re-release can reshape listeners perception of an album, and ultimately an artist.
That nudge is needed when art is coming and going faster than ever.
Consider theReasonable Doubteffect: in 2001, Jay-Z re-released his debut album to celebrate its fifth anniversary.
That means theres a world of artists and projects siloed away from receiving their just due.
As Spotifyserrant banning of artistsfor streaming fraud showed, the whims of streaming services are unpredictable.
The song one played 20 times today may be greyed tomorrow.
That dynamic works in part with the relentless marketing, playlisting, and algorithm juking thats prevalent on DSPs.
And Travis just showed how the barrier of streaming intensifies that dynamic.
But that day doesnt seem as close as some would hope.
