Artists spend up to years creating a single project to give to their supporters, but it seems as if fans have stopped investing their time in listening to full albums.

Listening to a project from front to back is an underrated experience, and it gives listeners a greater appreciation for both the music and the artist.

Here are three reasons why audiences should listen to albums in their entirety:

There is importance in the album sequencing

Artists sequence their projects with intention — that’s the way they wanted fans to hear it.

Shuffling or randomly skipping songs may cause listeners to miss some clever transitions, thus missing out on the entire experience. 

For example, Bryson Tiller’s transition from “Intro (Difference)” to “Let Em’ Know” on his debut album “T R A P S O U L” wouldn’t feel the same if listened to in any other order.

Try listening to an album in its proper sequence to find any smooth transitions or cool gems.

Listeners can gain a greater understanding of the project

Some albums tell a story. Some albums don’t. But the structure and pace may give fans a greater understanding of the artist’s vision and what they wanted listeners to take from it.

If audiences only listened to “Supermodel” and “Love Galore” on SZA’s “CTRL,” they may think the project is solely about relationships.

But when listening to the project in its entirety, fans discover that “CTRL” is that and much more. It’s about growing up and being honest with oneself.

The project is beautifully paced and sequenced, which makes it even more impactful — but fans can only get that experience by listening to the entire project.

The unpopular tracks may be underrated

Streaming platforms and radio stations push the most popular songs to the forefront and people tend to forget about the album.

Not all songs on projects are “heavy hitters” or are fit for the radio stations, but just because they don’t receive as much attention as the popular ones doesn’t mean they’re not just as good.

This is not to say all projects are amazing in their entirety, but listening to them all the way through will give supporters a greater understanding and appreciation for the art.