After four years in which it was unavailable to stream on the biggest streaming platform around, Dr. Dre‘s album Compton was finally re-released on Spotify this week. Compton was originally an Apple exclusive as a result of Dr. Dre’s partnership with the tech behemoth (with whom he produces his Beats By Dre headphone line), eventually coming to Tidal, but had been excluded from Spotify, likely limiting its impact in the years since its release. Released in 2015, the album introduced much of the world to Anderson .Paak and put an end to rumors of Dre’s mythic Detox album.
2019 has been a big year for Spotify re-releasing albums and songs that were previously unavailable for streaming. Earlier in the year, Drake re-released his breakout mixtape So Far Gone, then followed up with Care Package, a compilation of former SoundCloud freebies that managed to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 despite every song being at least a little bit “old.”
Meanwhile, Chance The Rapper also released his self-declared best album Acid Rap to streaming in August, making it his highest-charting album at the time — it was later replaced by his debut The Big Day — despite missing its centerpiece single “Juice” on the re-release due to clearance issues. Future joined in the fun on the fifth anniversary of his mixtape Monster, dropping it to Spotify despite his mixed feelings about retracing his own steps, while Jay-Z one-upped everybody, putting his whole catalog back on Spotify in celebration of his 50th birthday.
Stream Dr. Dre’s Compton here.
