When rockers cut ties from labels

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Musicane also enables performers to offer music at different bit rates. Williams and Reznor decided to offer a choice of bit rates depending on how much fans forked over for the music. NiggyTardust can be obtained for free, but at that price the songs are only available at 192Kbps. For a $5 donation, buyers get music at 320Kbps or the higher-end FLAC lossless format.

The technology is there to make bands their own music distributors, but there is still a learning curve. For some, the transition has not been without its bumps. Last month when Radiohead released a digital version of its latest album, In Rainbows, some fans were miffed when heavy traffic at Radiohead's site caused long delays in downloading music.

And then there's the question of whether Musicane and similar services make sense for unknown acts that are still trying to build followings.

"For established musicians, it's a different ballgame," said Susan Kevorkian, a digital music analyst with IDC. "For bands who have worked with labels over the years and who have developed followings, the technology is in place to reach their fans much more directly without needing labels' marketing expertise. But for emerging groups to leverage the same technology to attract a following is a long row to hoe."

 

Correction: The report incorrectly identified Trent Reznor's former music label. Reznor recently left Universal Music Group.