Get Radiohead’s new album, In Rainbows, Online
October 9, 2007
Not sure if you knew about this or not, but you can go and download Radiohead’s new album, “In Rainbows,” from their website. And you set your own price for buying it. You can even put in 0 as the price and get it for free (at least I think you can - I’ll find out within the next 24 hrs). Why are they offering it this way? This is from the Facebook group:
To buy the CD, go to their website. The website is the ONLY place to buy the album. Also, an awesome discbox, which includes an extra CD of bonus material, two vinyl records, and more artwork, is available.
Q: Why is the album being released this way? Why does Radiohead ask you to “name your own price” for the download?
A: Radiohead are realists — they know that, if they put a price-tag on their CD, it will just be downloaded illegally by those who aren’t willing to pay the price. As a result, they are essentially distributing it for free, with a small processing fee and an optional donation, without a record company. This will revolutionize the way that music is disseminated. They are brilliant.
Update: I’m listening to the album right now - bought for $0 online - and it’s great. You can read more about Radiohead’s decision to go this route here or here.
Tags: Free Music, Music, Radiohead
Posted in Tunes
Adam Walker Cleaveland: I am a 28 yr old 
October 10th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Ah man, a real music lover and fan would not have gone the free route on this…
October 10th, 2007 at 11:03 am
@Rich, I agree, but a real poor seminarian who is on a monthly allowance may have to take that route…
October 10th, 2007 at 11:27 am
I was a bit torn over paying or not paying…but I went ahead with it mostly because I am impatient and didn’t want to wait until December to get the cd (I think thats what the website said) I feel better knowing I got it for free from the source. It looks like the site is experiencing some overkill today. I am glad I got online last night and downloaded it in the wee hours of the morning!
October 10th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I’m experiencing the pain of waiting right now. Apparently, they weren’t prepared for quite the amount of interest that they got in this thing. Hopefully, it will calm down and the site will go back online.
October 11th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
It just bugs me that the band would put themselves in this vulnerable position and ask fans to pay what they think it’s worth only to have folks go the free route. It’s telling them that you don’t care about their art or what they are trying to do for the music industry (and ultimately us the customers)
October 11th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
@Rich - yes, poor Radiohead - they’re probably all going to be out on the streets if no ones actually pays for this album. They knew people were going to go the free route - and they obviously don’t need the money.
October 11th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
You know that’s not the point. You’ve basically told them their art is worthless by not paying for it.
October 14th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
I don’t think Radiohead feels they’ve been taken advantage of by people who’ve downloaded it for free. It’s a huge thing for publicity. It got them on CNN news. Their fans will pay for it. But it allows for many people who wouldn’t buy a Radiohead cd to try an album and become fans. Then maybe their sales will be way up on the next album. Derreck Webb did it with his last cd. He sold it first, and then gave it away. And who says the worth of art is tied to its monetary value?
November 2nd, 2007 at 11:52 am
rich,
i think you are taking a very narrow view of the communal form of this distribution. just because adam pays $0 for the download this time (which is obviously a choice radiohead is prepared and willing to allow fans to do) does not mean that when he can afford to pay something he won’t.
in a communal and collective society we are invited to pay as we can. i think its wonderful that radiohead is in a place where they can model this form of collective distribution where all can enjoy their music. don’t point fingers at adam as though he taking advantage of the situation- blame capitialism for giving us a poor model of community and how we view and consume art.
obviously radiohead is offering us a model of music distribution that is not modeled on capitalism but a more collective form.