The Creative Process

Discover practical insights on creativity, music, and entrepreneurship from writer and musicologist Mark Samples. These short, story-driven essays help artists and creators level up their careers with timeless lessons, smart frameworks, and real-world examples. Perfect for musicians, educators, and creative pros seeking growth.

Posts in Popular Music
I Transcribed Every Pop-Up Bubble from Arcade Fire's "Creature Comfort" Music Video

For their 2017 album, Everything Now, Arcade Fire created an extensive faux-promotional campaign. I’m writing about the album and its promotional campaign in my book project, Sway: How Promotion Has Shaped American Music. One of the features of the campaign was the creation of a fictional, evil corporation that plugged AF’s release with all the vigor and crassness of a profit-mongering company.

The ploy led to a number of funny and caustic creations from the band, one of which was their music video for “Creature Comfort.” Here’s how it went down:

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