Wednesday, October 17, 2007

In Rainbows
So for those not aware or just not reading the news, Radiohead has self-released their new album called "In Rainbows" digitally online before their formal CD release. That is not really the news since other bands have done this before. The news here is that they allow you to choose the price. So no matter if you pay $0 or $100 or whatever you have the freedom to do so. Part of this new innovative approach is due to a few things.. First off Radiohead have fullfilled their obligation with their label Capitol. This allows them to freely make and distribute on their own. Secondly, their huge popularity contributes to the ability to do this. This means that they don't need a huge label shelling out money for advertising them as a band since most know and would buy their CD. So this brings us to the cost. How much is a CD worth? I think the artist is entitled to some cost involved. I know a lot of the costs usually go to promotion and such by the labels, but in this case the money would be going right to the artist. So I am inclined to pay the artist. Although, I did download already. I decided to download for $0, test out the new CD, and then come back to pay in the future when I see what it sounds like. So far, I like it. So I will be back to pay Radiohead... Iam also happy to support the artist without the label too. Other more underground bands have tried this and used the online blogs to get the word out. They actually were successful. I love grass roots stuff... Any thoughts on the Radiohead selling their album or the music itself? If interested in downloading for yourself check out this link: http://www.inrainbows.com/

4 Comments:

At 6:16 PM, Blogger Edogg said...

I can't believe that I haven't gotten around to downloading the new album yet. I think it's a good idea what Radiohead is doing. For the most part, I'd like to believe people are honest enough to pay for a band they dig (or love). Believe it or not, it's actually more of a promotional tactic than some may think. Check out this link from WNYC's Soundcheck - www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes
/2007/10/10 They discus why Radiohead chose to do this and what lies in the future for these "Tip Jar" experiments.

 
At 1:22 AM, Blogger Kmo said...

Interesting point. I can see how it would be a promotional tactic too. I'll have to check out the WNYC show.

 
At 1:39 PM, Blogger neilometer said...

Hey, Kev. I am really enjoying the album. I haven't enjoyed RH this much since OK Computer. I noticed that their website only offers two forms of purchase. Digital Download or Disc Box. The problem with this is that people who only want a CD are left out. I appreciate the effort and artistry that is going into the Disc Box, but the price is way more than I'm willing to pay, especially for something that I can't fully enjoy since I have no phono equipment.

 
At 8:07 PM, Blogger Kmo said...

Neil-

I know as of now that only the download or disc box is available, but I think I remember that the standard CD would be available early next year. Either way one can still enjoy the latest music without the disc box..

 

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