A music video premiere strategy every artist can use to capture first-party data and revenue
When it comes to music video drops, most artists hit “upload” and blast it everywhere at once. Kane Brown took a different path—and it paid off. Instead of the usual upload-everywhere approach, Kane gave his fans first dibs on the video through his Shopify store.
The only catch? They needed to drop their email to watch it.
Using Single, he premiered the video right next to his merch.
Smart move - fans who came to watch could easily check out his latest drops too. The whole setup was pretty seamless - fans got their exclusive content, and Kane made it super easy for them to browse merch while they were there.
The Results
No surprises here - the strategy worked exactly as planned:
- Picked up hundreds of new email addresses from real fans (perfect for cart recovery and reaching out about new drops)
- Saw a nice bump in merch sales from fans who were already on the site
- Built up a solid list of contacts his team can actually use
- Got some great buzz going from fans sharing their early access
Why Early Access Works Like Magic
Here's the thing about superfans - they love being first. They love being in on something before everyone else. Kane totally got this, and that's why the early access angle worked like a charm. But it wasn't just about being first.
By hosting the video on his own site, Kane took control of the entire experience. Every interaction, every email signup, every merch purchase stayed in his hands. It wasn’t just a moment of excitement for fans—it was a win-win. Fans got their exclusive content, and Kane turned that excitement into meaningful connections and direct revenue.
Want to Try This With Your Next Release?
It's not as complicated as it might sound. Here's the basic game plan:
- Use Single to host your video on your store. Make it exclusive to your site to bring fans directly to you. Even 24 hours could work.
- Gate the video with an email signup. Fans share their email to watch, giving you first-party data you own.
- Feature merch alongside the content. Create a natural pairing where fans can easily grab something while they’re watching.
The bottom line here? Don't overthink it. The magic lies in creating connections with your fans—and making sure those connections stay yours. If you’re ready to take control of your fan interactions and try this for your next release, tools like Single can help you get started.
Feeling Inspired?
- Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly tips for going direct to fan.
- Install Single in your Shopify store to get started on your own.
- Get in touch and let’s talk for help brainstorming ideas, website builds, and more.
