When listening to an album, people often go straight for the hit singles or standout tracks instead of the interludes.
However, interludes aid in shaping the album’s overall atmosphere, deepen the narrative and give listeners a moment to reflect before immersing back into the music. The tracks play a crucial role in making an album feel complete. From spoken word segments to instrumental breaks, every interlude can contribute to an immersive experience for listeners.
Interludes date back to the mid-20th century, particularly in classical music, and provide a bridge between moments in an artist’s work. An interlude can push an album in a certain direction, add meaning or simply connect two songs together.
In Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly,” interludes are used to deepen the emotional connection to the story he is telling. Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” uses spoken word interludes to frame the album’s exploration of identity and forgiveness.
However, with streaming platforms in the mix, the idea of interludes seem to elude the younger generations making them continuously obsolete.
Velma Chavez, a freshman studying media arts production, said streaming culture has shifted the way the music industry views interludes.
“Streaming has made music become a game of which artist has the highest stream count, instead of focusing on the artistry of the music,” Chavez wrote in an email. “Interludes aren’t going to gain those numbers or gain the viewer’s attention, due to this culture change.”
Short form content including instant gratification has taken over, which not only affects viewer’s experiences, but also changes how musicians are crafting their art. Artists such as The Weeknd have adapted their releases in response.
The launch of “Hurry Up Tomorrow” used a tactic of not listing the featured artist on the album to create an uninfluenced listening experience. The Weeknd also did not list what tracks are considered interludes, aiding in a seamless listening experience.
“I think the creative use of interludes adds to what story the artist is trying to tell and how we as listeners follow it,” Chavez wrote. “It also slows the pacing and does not give the listeners a rushed experience of the story, which in itself adds to it.”
Interludes are to albums as conjunctions are to writing, aiding in the portrayal of a message. For a track to be considered an interlude, it does not have to have the word “interlude” in the title, though it is a common practice.
According to Billboard, the track “has to have a sense of being not quite a full song…That said, it still has to be a song, to at least some extent.”
Interludes might seem like minor details added to boost track list numbers. Lots of artists utilize this unique addition to further their connection with not only their fans, but also the music. The Weeknd adds depth to his album “Hurry Up Tomorrow with the interlude "I Can’t F*****g Sing, bringing a real world happenstance.
During a Los Angeles show in 2022, as The Weekend performed his setlist, he blew out his vocal cord. According to an article by Jordan Hoffman for Vanity Fair, “The Weeknd reappeared, he told his audience, ‘it’s killing me,’ adding, ‘I can’t give you the concert I want to give you.’”
Many people saw this happen live and are now hearing it in the form of music. The addition of the moment gave listeners insight into the raw emotions he experienced.
The Weeknd’s choice shows how interludes can tell a story.
