Radiohead Gives Recording Industry the Boot

[admin]

Once the purview of unknown artists trying to get noticed and secure a record deal, English experimental rock band Radiohead has gone the way of internet downloading for the release of their latest album. The move comes conceptually complete with no recording label backing and the price to download: name your own. In what could be the beginning cascade of an avalanche for the recording industry, various news agencies are reporting Radiohead’s Sunday announcement that ‘In Rainbows’ is ready for release via direct download from Radiohead’s web site as of October 10, 2007.

Discuss "Radiohead Gives Recording Industry the Boot" here. Read the article.

 

[bigbangtheory]

*steps onto soapbox* Having been an amateur musician for the better part of 20 years (ref: always kept a day job), the immortal words of Hunter S. Thompson come to mind:

The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.

Let the media dictate it's worth in the eye of the beholder!

Ok, there I said it *steps off soapbox*

 

[Maxsunset]

My only hesitations to downloading (and this goes for all downloadable music outlets) is this: what kind of quality am I getting here? I understand that a lot of people dont want to wait for a large (lossless) file to download, yet I know a bunch of people who would happily wait for a (true) CD-quality or better (why not?). Storage space is plentiful for most now, and the technology is certainly is here. LETS SEE IT HAPPEN FOLKS!! It is nice to see DRM getting dropped from some labels, however.

So while I certainly plan on buying this album because I love Radiohead, I would love to know what kind of bit rate and compression scheme (format) I will be getting, because $80 for the physical copy is way too much, especially if I dont even have a turntable to take advantage of the vinyl they send you... (I know... and I call myself an audiophile...)

 

[Joe Schmoe]

A very large percentage of Radiohead fans (myself included) do not have, or have access to, a CD burner. I also like having a physical CD with cover art and text. I hope that this experiment fails because I don't want it to become the norm. (I predict that it will fail because of greed. How many people are going to take advantage of the "choose your own price" deal by only offering $.01?)

 

[Seth=L]

A very large percentage of Radiohead fans (myself included) do not have, or have access to, a CD burner. I also like having a physical CD with cover art and text. I hope that this experiment fails because I don't want it to become the norm. (I predict that it will fail because of greed. How many people are going to take advantage of the "choose your own price" deal by only offering $.01?)

I do not want this to become the norm either, it makes things too complicated.

 

[avaserfi]

A very large percentage of Radiohead fans (myself included) do not have, or have access to, a CD burner. I also like having a physical CD with cover art and text. I hope that this experiment fails because I don't want it to become the norm. (I predict that it will fail because of greed. How many people are going to take advantage of the "choose your own price" deal by only offering $.01?)

I would like to point out that you can still buy a pressed CD set from them for this release. Also, I think it is a great thing. In the end most artists get raped by the record companies and are lucky to make a penny an album as they get paid flat fees until they are fairly famous and even then they get a disproportionately low amount of money from their albums. If more artists follow suit perhaps the record companies will realize in this day and age they aren't needed and we will once again get affordable, good music, that is of quality recordings instead of this compressed **** that the record companies spew. This is just the scare tactic that need to be used to combat the monopoly of the recording industry.

 

[Audioholics]

I think everyone (EVERYONE) should buy their album for $5, setting off a tidal wave of consumer support and making them 5x what they'd make in the industry (about $1 per album after the labels get done taking out theirs).

Imagine if all major acts got had their albums sold in a set of online stores and $5 became the going rate - and they made MORE money using this model.

If Radiohead averaged $5 per album they can literally sell 5x LESS albums and make the same money. So instead of 1,000,000 records (at $1 profit) they would need to only sell 200,000 (at $5 profit) to make the same money. If you want the physical album then you can pay a little more.

 

[Johnd]

I think everyone (EVERYONE) should buy their album for $5, setting off a tidal wave of consumer support and making them 5x what they'd make in the industry (about $1 per album after the labels get done taking out theirs).

Imagine if all major acts got had their albums sold in a set of online stores and $5 became the going rate - and they made MORE money using this model.

If Radiohead averaged $5 per album they can literally sell 5x LESS albums and make the same money. So instead of 1,000,000 records (at $1 profit) they would need to only sell 200,000 (at $5 profit) to make the same money. If you want the physical album then you can pay a little more.

I agree...feed the artist, not the greedy middleman.

I have only two concerns:
1) what is the sound quality?;
a) with all the variables of downloading and recording on the user end, this may further us into that deep foray of "Dumbing Down Audio"; and,
2) what is to become of my beloved sacd's if this is to become the norm? I know, I'm a dinosuar, but I do love quality recordings.

P.S. Clint, you're the biggest dinosaur of all. Despite my safely kept lot of 150 albums, I have not purchased an "album" in, oh, about 18 years.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

If more artists follow suit perhaps the record companies will realize in this day and age they aren't needed and we will once again get affordable, good music, that is of quality recordings instead of this compressed **** that the record companies spew. This is just the scare tactic that need to be used to combat the monopoly of the recording industry.

If things work out that way, good. It seems more likely that a lot of great albums will be released online-only and not available to buy on CD.

 

[Audioholics]

P.S. Clint, you're the biggest dinosaur of all. Despite my safely kept lot of 150 albums, I have not purchased an "album" in, oh, about 18 years.

I thought I was safe, since everyone was still calling it a "record" company... lol. Hey, I don't want to explain myself to the next generation so I say keep the old terminology alive!

 

[DavidW]

I think everyone (EVERYONE) should buy their album for $5, setting off a tidal wave of consumer support and making them 5x what they'd make in the industry (about $1 per album after the labels get done taking out theirs).

Imagine if all major acts got had their albums sold in a set of online stores and $5 became the going rate - and they made MORE money using this model.

If Radiohead averaged $5 per album they can literally sell 5x LESS albums and make the same money. So instead of 1,000,000 records (at $1 profit) they would need to only sell 200,000 (at $5 profit) to make the same money. If you want the physical album then you can pay a little more.

I agree with Clint, buy this album even if you don't like Radiohead.

It may be the key to unshackle your favorite artist from the record companies who steal the artists work and then make far more than the artist does.

It also unlocks the music market where we only hear and see music that the label push on us. It is a chance to level the playing field for quality acts that are forced under the radar because some record exec doesn't see enough dollar signs.

 

[Seth=L]

You can get CD quality, direct rips of the CD online for music. You can also get the studio masters. I am not saying what Radiohead will be offering, just saying the quality can be had via download. Now getting it on to a CD could be a tad different, may require reformating depending on what you download. Some people that have disc spinners that won't play CD-Rs may be dissapointed, like me. My best player won't play most CD-Rs.

 

[rynberg]

A very large percentage of Radiohead fans (myself included) do not have, or have access to, a CD burner.

Are you trying to claim that a very large percentage (which would mean >85% IMO) of people who have a computer don't have a CD-RW drive? They cost about $20. CD-Rs cost pennies.

I would be very surprised if the percentage of people who would download an album and also don't have a CD-RW drive is higher than 3-5%. In fact, I would be surprised if it were even that high. I don't personally know anyone who doesn't have one!

 

[Seth=L]

Are you trying to claim that a very large percentage (which would mean >85% IMO) of people who have a computer don't have a CD-RW drive? They cost about $20. CD-Rs cost pennies.

I would be very surprised if the percentage of people who would download an album and also don't have a CD-RW drive is higher than 3-5%. In fact, I would be surprised if it were even that high. I don't personally know anyone who doesn't have one!

You have to admit that this process is far more complicated than just putting a CD in the tray and pressing play.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I don't personally know anyone who doesn't have one!

I think I might know one person who does have one, but I would have to ask her to be sure. Besides, I was not referring to "those who have computers" or "those who would download", I was referring to all Radiohead fans.

 

[rynberg]

I think I might know one person who does have one, but I would have to ask her to be sure. Besides, I was not referring to "those who have computers" or "those who would download", I was referring to all Radiohead fans.

Ok, who doesn't have a computer these days, especially people under 35, who I think would represent the majority of Radiohead fans. Besides, ALL Radiohead fans are not relevant, only those who would download this...the CD will still be released in a physical format for those who must buy one.

Like I said, a CDRW drive is $20 and is easy to use, why wouldn't everyone have one? Hell, I got my first one 10 years ago when a good drive cost $300!

Also, to anyone who would download music, I hardly think burning a CD represents a challenge... sorry guy, I just don't buy your objections to this method of delivery. I think Radiohead is doing a GREAT thing here, I sincerely hope other quality bands follow suit.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

the CD will still be released in a physical format for those who must buy one.

Sure, for those who are willing to shell out 40lb (about $80) and get a lot of extra stuff with the CD. Otherwise we have to wait for the CD-only release.

 

[patnshan]

I think everyone (EVERYONE) should buy their album for $5, setting off a tidal wave of consumer support and making them 5x what they'd make in the industry (about $1 per album after the labels get done taking out theirs).

Imagine if all major acts got had their albums sold in a set of online stores and $5 became the going rate - and they made MORE money using this model.

If Radiohead averaged $5 per album they can literally sell 5x LESS albums and make the same money. So instead of 1,000,000 records (at $1 profit) they would need to only sell 200,000 (at $5 profit) to make the same money. If you want the physical album then you can pay a little more.

I am going to buy it. I don't really listen to radiohead but I hate the RIAA (see avatar) and those like it so much that I consider it a donation to a charity to support this venture.

Pat

 

[patnshan]

I can't believe there is someone complaining about being able to download a CD for whatever price you want. This is a great idea.

If you still use an 8 track player (sorry, but I couldn't help it) and don't have a PC with a burner, have a friend do it for you. I find it highly improbable that you don't know someone who can do this for you.

Pat

 

[perato]

Overclockers.com has some alternative views about Radiohead's pricing structure.