An Ice Spice metro card can be yours for no extra cost than a Subway ride in New York City — if you hurry, that is. The limited edition variety is available at four stations across Manhattan and the Bronx, with 50,000 copies printed for fans to get their hands on ahead of her debut album release. If you’re as obsessed with this marketing tactic as we are, we’ve rounded up some other times that artists went an untraditional route to promote a new project.

.@Eminem’s alter ego “Slim Shady” has its own obituary in the latest issue of The Detroit Free Press.

Pre-save Eminem’s 12th studio album “#TheDeathOfSlimShady (Coup De Grâce)” which is coming this Summer 2024 using the link below.

:https://t.co/W1LwlJLsV0 pic.twitter.com/GiLpK1a8HZ

— EminemData (@EminemData) May 14, 2024

Also unveiled this week, Eminem has run an “obituary” for his alter ego Slim Shady in the Detroit Free Press newspaper. Leading up to the release of his new album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), this is certainly a peculiar and fascinating way to get people talking.

Beyoncé's ‘Cowboy Carter’ Promo outside of the Guggenheim Museum in NYC! pic.twitter.com/zV3CyKya8Q

— Sweet★Honey★BeyHiveNY (@BeyhiveNY) March 21, 2024

Earlier this year, Beyoncé projected Cowboy Carter promo outside the Guggenheim in New York. The star led fans to the Guggenheim with an Instagram story highlighting the museum, and when they got there, they were greeted with the words “THIS AIN’T A COUNTRY ALBUM. THIS IS A ‘BEYONCÉ’ ALBUM.” Though this appeared to be a collaboration with the Guggenheim, the museum quickly revealed that they were unaware of the projection takeover (although didn’t seem to mind too much).

Justin Bieber graffiti is all over San Francisco and the city is pissed https://t.co/qxpm5bfHED pic.twitter.com/DjobjtqHcj

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) December 28, 2015

Taking things back a decade, Justin Bieber got in trouble with the San Francisco police after “vandalising” the streets with promo for his album, Purpose. Marking the pavements with “Justin Bieber, Purpose #Nov13”, he certainly sparked some conversations across the city — and as the graffiti failed to fade over time, residents filed formal complains.

TAYLOR SWIFT 1989 Polaroids AT BARNES AND NOBLES!!! pic.twitter.com/Aj1Nr8MgWx

— ☆chloe 5/14/23!♡ (@SAPPHICSNOW) August 22, 2023

Taylor Swift’s 1989 album release in 2014 was full of innovative marketing tactics and fun ways to get fans involved and excited about the project. One of these was including mystery polaroid packs in CDs, encouraging fans to purchase physical copies to try to collect them all. Not only did this boost sales, it generated internet buzz and got Swifties trading polaroids like Pokémon cards. One fan took to Twitter in 2020 to announce they finally collected all 65 — six years later.

I know it's not important but I'm so happy right now because I finally completed my 1989 polaroid collection
65 out of 65 pic.twitter.com/UzOSEJgaKP

— Giselle | Mexican Swiftie (@GisiLovesTaylor) August 16, 2020

I went out to get a single tomato from the bodega during a blizzard and happened to see this taped to my local Subway station?!? I was like no way this is a LD promo that would be too coincidental.. BUT IT IS CALL (804) 409-4451 TO HEAR KISSING LESSONS RIGHT NOW!! pic.twitter.com/QvYLDu6JiJ

— has boygen released The Record? (@releasethumbs) January 29, 2022

Back in early 2022, a massive blizzard hit New York City and kept people locked inside — or struggling to push their way onto trains to get home and out of the snow. For most, this meant keeping their heads down and navigating icy streets and crowded platforms with caution — but for those who looked up at eye level, they were greeted by a lovely surprise. Flyers offering dating advice were hung throughout the city, reading “Nervous about making the first move? Call (804) 409-4451 for kissing lessons…” When you dialled the number, Lucy Dacus answered — or rather, a recording of her new single, “Kissing Lessons.”

Billie Eilish via Close Friends. pic.twitter.com/SC6hPFfQvO

— Info Billie Brasil (@InfoBillieBR) April 8, 2024

Of course, this list wouldn’t be completed without Billie Eilish’s recent Close Friends spectacle on Instagram. Somehow adding everyone who follows her to her private story, she broke the internet and had the whole world talking. This is just one of her marketing tactics for her forthcoming album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, but it’s certainly our favourite.

Billie Eilish gained over 6 million Instagram followers in a day after letting people into her Close Friends story. pic.twitter.com/nzkoTYjTjk

— Pop Base (@PopBase) April 5, 2024