Thu 11 Oct 2007
In Rainbows: Worthelss or Priceless?
Posted by Jason T. under Music
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Yesterday, in a move that is turning heads in the record industry, Radiohead released their latest full-length album to the masses.
In a characteristically surprising and short message from the band’s Jonny Greenwood on October 1, 2007:
Hello everyone.
Well, the new album is finished, and it’s coming out in 10 days;
We’ve called it In Rainbows.
Love from us all.
Jonny
The album was set to be released as a digital download on October 10th, 2007, and then a regular CD/vinyl release sometime in December. What Jonny didn’t mention is that the album would cost you…whatever you felt like paying. No, really…”It’s up to you” says the download site.
Some fans–about a third polled by the Times in the UK–aren’t paying anything at all. Others are paying about $82 US for the made-to-order boxed set. As of this writing, the site still seems to be getting hit pretty hard with traffic, so regardless of how much money is being generated, a ton of fans are flocking to get the album. CNN has collected some choice comments by readers as well on the name-your-price strategy.
It also is getting good reviews. I have only had a chance to listen to it once all the way through, but I was very impressed myself. I have also always been a fan of paying for music I enjoy. I often purchase CDs from bands at their shows. I rarely buy a whole album online however, as I still enjoy the physical CD (and vinyl as of late) and the liner notes. But I frequently download choice songs from iTunes–although in rare cases I have wanted an entire album, or enough songs to make it cost effective to purchase the album in it’s entirety, to buy online. I think Radiohead also has a large and ultra-dedicated fan base who would go out of their way to find the albums website and work their way through the rather cryptic site to obtain the album. I’m not so sure many Brittney Spears fans would do likewise. And I’m not sure most bands would be able to release all their albums for whatever the buyer wishes to pay. That being said, if people spend $5 on the Radiohead album, they’re probably seeing a significantly larger portion of that money than if the CD had been released through a major label. Will other bands follow suit? And will this change the music industry’s stance on digital downloads?