So with more and more artists seeing the benefit of releasing their music without the backing of a major label is it really that great a surprise that the enigmatic Radiohead have decided to release their new album, In Rainbows, by digital download only via their website? What’s REALLY interesting is that Radiohead is letting the consumer decide what they want to pay for the album rather than setting the price themselves. When you click on the pre-order button on their site (this if for the download only – the physical disc box inc. CD and two vinyls is £40) there appears an ominous question mark and then on the click through a message appears telling you “It’s up to you”
All very fun stuff for the punter but what does this mean for the traditional route to market as we know it? Maybe this kind of activity will herald the end of traditional A&R ? Mind you how many other things have threatened it over the past year or so?
I think it does signify that more and more bands will seek to become their own record label. You only have to check out sites like Sellaband.com, indiestore.com etc to see how powerful these sites are becoming. After gaining huge success on indiestore.com the band Koopa soared into the charts following the release of their track.
Is the tide finally turning on the bigwigs? Who knows - but it’s certainly going to be fun waiting to find out!
3 comments:
This is a bit of a cool one, so you can pick up the album for as little as one shiny penny? (although I guess there will be not actual pennies involved as it's all online).
This is interesting but think it's more likely to be a one off gimmick, like the Prince/cover mount promotion and the Charlatans giving away their stuff for free with XFM (which I also saw today).
Seems everyone is just having a crack at this and that in this digital era we're in. Maybe one of them will stick and become a ligit route to market, but giving away your music for free (or for 1p) doesn't seem like a good long term plan...
Mmmm I don't think it will be a one off.
The music industry reacted way too slowly to the big I for Internet and in order to come back from that is going to need to radically rethink its business model.
Plenty of money can be made from touring and merchandising.
I think Alan McGee is right...for once;)
Vic
This is actually a very clever marketing ploy IMHO - I pay them 1p (some idiots will feel guilty and pay more I suppose) and get part of the new album - bargain!? The clever bit is that they get 1p from me whereas otherwise they would have got nothing 'cos I think they're boring, and they get all my contact details in return to keep sending me marketing bumff. The real fans go out and pay the rip off £40 for the full LP. In the end, I didn't fill in the registration form or buy the album even if it is only a penny.
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