Are mixtapes hurting album quality?

[FreeSpeech]

I feel like some artists are losing out on great songs for albums because they put some of their best stuff on mixtapes. It's that whole "dropped a mixtape that sounded like an album" attitude. The great songs on mixtapes end up being lower quality than they would have been on an album. Here's some examples:

B.o.B. - I really liked his album, but some of my favorite tracks by him are on mixtapes. I'll Be In The Sky, Haterz Everywhere, and especially Put Me On.

Drake - He has so many hard hitting lyrical songs like King Leon, all left off his album. And I Get Paper is one of my favorite BS songs, it just sounds so good.

Wayne - Some of his best verses are on mixtapes, it's been that way for a while.

Asher Roth - Greenhouse verses > AITBI verses by far.

IDK, I know upcoming artists build hype with great mixtapes, but they need to leave some stuff in the vault if you know what I mean.

[Master Chief]

I'm glad Tech N9ne & J. Cole left all the classic material for their albums

[dead prez]

Yes definitely, I hate how mixtapes are pseudo albums that tend to be used to showcases the rapper's actual skills, rather than being a side onus.

[mdemaz]

I'm glad Tech N9ne & J. Cole left all the classic material for their albums

[mecuryball]

Well,it did for drake.

[xxTrigger1989xx]

Yes definitely, I hate how mixtapes are pseudo albums that tend to be used to showcases the rapper's actual skills, rather than being a side onus.

Its because casual listeners dont care about mixtapes. So they put more rap skill into to please the hardcore fans. Actual albums are to please mainsteam fans. (Most of the time)

[Tornado]

I Don't understand the need for a mainstream rapper to keep putting out mixtapes. Wayne is a prime example. Some of his best shit is on mixtapes and he releases a shitload every year and it makes me wonder why not put it on the album? It's an overload of new music, and if the album isn't on a higher level. why bother when you can collect your favourite mixtape tracks and listen to that. Too much of one thing makes you bored eventually

[TheGentlePlayer]

A mixtape should be songs that didn't made a album, not songs you work on day and night to be classics