The Weeknd's meteoric rise to fame is without a doubt thanks largely in part to his haunting and soulful mixtapes House of Balloons and Thursday, and it seems fans can't wait for his third release, Echoes of Silence, as images of a fake Echoes of Silence cover have already begun saturating Tumblr.
Though highly convincing, with The Weeknd's trademark use of Helvetica, colored swatches and scantily clad women as album adornments, this Echoes of Silence cover has a few telltale signs that it's a counterfeit. Aside from its general lower grade image quality, many of the track titles featured on the mixtape are actually from The Weeknd's previous work under the stage name The Noise. It's truly a shame though because I'm sure many fans would like his third mixtape released as soon as possible.
Faux Mixtape Albums
Echoes of Silence Cover Shows Anticipation for 'The Weeknd' Release
Trend Themes
1. Counterfeit Album Art - There is a rising trend of counterfeit album art, like the fake Echoes of Silence cover, circulating on platforms like Tumblr.
2. Anticipatory Fan Art - Fans expressing their anticipation for upcoming album releases through fan-made album covers is becoming a popular trend, as seen with The Weeknd's Echoes of Silence.
3. The Weeknd Fandom - The Weeknd's dedicated fan base, demonstrated by the enthusiastic reception of fan-created album art, is a trend that speaks to the artist's cultural influence.
Industry Implications
1. Music Merchandise - Companies in the music merchandise industry can capitalize on the demand for fan-created album artwork by offering custom merchandise featuring fan designs.
2. Counterfeit Detection - In the wake of rising counterfeit album art, industries specializing in counterfeit detection technologies and services have a valuable opportunity to assist artists and protect their intellectual property.
3. Fan Community Platforms - Platforms catering to fan communities, such as Tumblr, can leverage the trend of anticipatory fan art by creating special features or collaborations with artists to showcase fan-created album covers.