Radiohead “In Rainbows”
Radiohead is making news for snubbing the labels, and distributing their latest album, “In Rainbows” through a model of their own making. The model is this – when the album is released on October 10, fans will be able to download the album for an amount they deem appropriate – even if that means they pay nothing at all. At the same time they’re releasing a DiscBox that includes “In Rainbows” on CD and on two twelve-inch vinyl records. The set will also include a second CD containing additional songs, photos and artwork, all encased in a hardback book and slipcase. The set will be available for about $80 USD.
This is genius on a couple of levels. First, they’ve created tremendous buzz by having the guts to circumvent the labels by selling directly from their website. Second, they are opening themselves up to new audiences – risk free. Finally, they’re betting on their rabid base of existing fans to gobble up the boxed set. Radiohead is the first notable band to recognize that in the digital age, they can take control over when and how their music is distributed; and that ultimately, the consumer is in charge. By putting the cost of the download purely in the hands of the consumer, they are recognizing – confidently – that those who might otherwise have simply stolen the tracks are now given the option to pay as little as they’d like. They also have the confidence to recognize that their real fans will spend more than “retail value” for the download in addition to buying the boxed set. They’ve cut out the middle man, and they have nothing to lose. In fact, they actually stand to make more money on the deal than if they were distributing through a label. We applaud Radiohead for continuing to challenge the system that built them while still rewarding the fans who continue to drive their success.
