Who is our target audience? If it’s not a group we know, can we still connect with them?
How would we like a listener to feel after hearing it? What is the essential message we want to communicate? What’s our vision? Should the user feel challenged? Encouraged? Curious? What will bring the listener back to hear the album again?
Does the album have a concept? Does it tell a story? Is it centred around an idea? One of the most important distinctions between releasing successive singles and a full album is that complete projects can be more conceptual. Tracks are more likely to have a connected storyline or at the very least, a common sonic thread that ties them together.
What sound palette will we use? The first album used a very broad sound palette, very complex at times. It’s often useful to set boundaries on the types of instrumentation that might be used, or the number of concurrent instruments. Even ruling out certain instruments or combinations can be useful to provide a consistent definition across all the songs.
If we have a concept or a story, what are the components or chapters or contributing elements? Listing these effectively defines the songs we need to complete the album.
What should the first song achieve? This is the point of entry. While every song should stand alone, the first song plants a flag on the map and claims the territory the rest of the album will flesh out or explore.
What should the last song leave in the listener’s mind? Arguably the last song should be the strongest. Even if it’s not, it should summarise the album’s vision or provide a postscript that reflects the rest of the album in relief.
Do we already have songs that can fit into this project?
Can we come up with a working title for the album?