When the history of the early 21st century is written, I'm afraid Radiohead will be included for pioneering a new business model rather than their groundbreaking music. Last year's digital-first release of In Rainbows allowed users to pay whatever they wanted for the download. Now there's an entire Web site devoted to pay-what-you-like: Aralie.com. It's a no-risk way for listeners to discover new music from independent bands.
Aralie gives fans a low-cost way to discover new music, and musicians a great way to gain exposure.
(Credit: Aralie)It's also a no risk-way for independent musicians to get some exposure: it costs nothing to upload a song, there's no contract involved so you can sell your songs through other stores and remove them at any time, and the artist keeps 85% of all sales revenue. Aralie also offers an application that artists can embed on their Web site, where they probably get most of their traffic. The only risk is that users might freeload everything, but freebies can be a valuable promotional tool--that's how you build a fanbase who will come to shows and eventually buy CDs with more or better-sounding tracks.
To be truly legendary, a band needs a hidden message for fans to discover. The Beatles had the Paul is Dead rumor. Pink Floyd had the Dark Side of Oz.
Now, according to the indie-music blog Puddlegum, Radiohead has joined the list. Leading up to the 10/10 digital-only release date for the band's new In Rainbows album, Radiohead released cryptic messages to its fans involving the letter X (Roman numeral 10). Puddlegum believes the message goes beyond the release date, but instead suggests that In Rainbows is a sort of sequel to the band's breakthrough album, OK Computer, which was released a little more than 10 years ago, and was originally entitled Zeroes and Ones, and which (like the new album) has ten letters in its title, and...well, just read it for yourself.
I'm currently listening to the suggested playlist that combines both albums, and so far the connections seem tenuous at best--for instance, the four-beat "beep" count at the end of the first song on the playlist, "Airbag," is at a completely different tempo than the next song, "15 Step." But the songs do seem to fit well together, and overall it's a good playlist. Especially if, like me, you haven't listened to OK Computer in a long time after burning out on it.
Radiohead and its record label, EMI, parted ways in 2005 after the band fulfilled the terms of its contract. The assumption among fans and industry types was that the band was shopping for a new label, and a new album was supposedly slated for 2008.
Today, Radiohead posted a terse entry on its official Web site announcing that its next album, In Rainbows, would be available for sale on Oct. 10. Sort of.
That is, fans will be able to download digital versions of the 10 album tracks on that date. Not from iTunes or Amazon or any other music download service, but exclusively through a band-operated Web site devoted to the album. Fans will be able to decide how much they want to pay (although a minimum credit card transaction fee may apply), and while the band hasn't revealed anything about formats, DRM-free MP3 files would be in line with the iconoclastic, anti-industry approach they're taking. If you don't care how much your fans pay for the digital download, why should you care if they copy and share?
The band's also taking pre-orders for a special box set (they call it a discbox) that will cost 40 pounds (about $80). It'll include the album on both CD and double-LP format, and a bonus CD with eight additional tracks. That discbox won't be available until Dec. 3. In other words, free from the label dictates to sell product, Radiohead is smart enough to use the digital format as a teaser--fans will download it on the day it comes out, and if it's good enough, and they'll pony up for the full meal deal. And probably buy concert tickets as well.
It appears that all the mechanics--manufacturing, order-taking, shipping--have been contracted directly by the band and its management. This E! News story quotes the band's publicist, but it's not clear whether there will be any major marketing campaign--there's no real need when a couple of Web pages can generate hundreds of news articles and blog postings. (Guilty as charged.) Radiohead never got much radio play anyway, so they don't need a label for that. And their management company can handle the tour.
True, not every band's got 15+ years and five critically acclaimed studio albums and millions of fans to fall back on like Radiohead. And most artists can't afford a producer like Nigel Godrich or the time to tinker in the studio unless they have label backing. Still, if a musician knows how to write and perform, develops a solid live reputation by touring constantly, and can spare a few thousand dollars to record and press a quality-sounding recording, what's a label get them? Radio play--maybe a 1 in 1,000 chance. An expensive carpet-bombing publicity campaign? Only useful for wannabes with insufficient talent to attract attention on their own. Comfortable living for a couple years while you wait for your big break? Fine, as long as you're sure you can recoup your advance.
- prev
- 1
- next
