10 Recording Artists Who Know How To Use Tumblr

A musician's guide to blowing up on Tumblr.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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A musician's guide to blowing up on Tumblr.

This feature is a part of Complex's "Tumblr Generation" Week.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE TUMBLR GENERATION DIGITAL COVER.

A$AP YAMS TALKS Tumblr and hip-hop.

30 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TUMBLRAs told to David Drake (@SoManyShrimp)

Many artists have found that Tumblr is the perfect avenue to define themselves, both through and beyond of their work. Odd Future was among the first rap acts to build an online movement via Tumblr, and A$AP Yams' carefully curated "Real Nigga Tumblr" was key to building the buzz that led to the launch of A$AP Rocky and in turn the launch of A$AP Mob as a whole. The key—as Yamborghini explains in our interview—is knowing how to use Tumblr to create and nurture an Internet community and using that to propel them to the next level in the real world.

It can carry a stigma, as if the artists involved were unable to carry fanbases offline, or were overly concerned with surface-level aesthetics, or characterized by a severe retro-obsession. In other words: a musical reblog. There's no denying that some performers who've gained a little fame from Tumblr fit some part of that description all too well.

 Other, more established stars—like, say, Beyoncé—have used the platform to broadcast stunning images of her performances and appearances to which we might not otherwise have access. Meanwhile, some artists—like Kreayshawn—use Tumblr in a traditional way, by cultivating an aesthetic through a combination of her own content generation, and by reblogging others, becoming a conduit for her tastes and impulses.

No matter how it's used, Tumblr has become a key venue for artists to build their careers, or to maintain them. Here are 10 Artists Who Know How to Use Tumblr.

RELATED: ASAP Yams talks Tumblr and Hip-Hop 
RELATED: The 25 Best Tumblr Themes Available

Charli XCX

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Beyoncé

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Azealia Banks

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The Weeknd

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Wiz Khalifa

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Odd Future

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Frank Ocean

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Kreayshawn

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A$AP Mob

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Grimes

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