Some Words About Radiohead
I have received several questions on whether I would be featuring Radiohead’s album In Rainbow. I decided not to for two reasons…
1) Everybody already knows about it. The album has been written up from The New York Times to Popular Mechanics (I’m joking about Popular Mechanics…I think). Radiohead certainly does not need a little blog like mine to promote their record. But I do appreciate their help in unintentionally promoting Free Albums Galore. Several papers have mentioned my site in the same article thus introducing many readers to not only my blog but to lots of quality musicians who are not in the enviable position of Radiohead but still deserving of an audience. The new visitors aren’t just browsing and leaving. They’re telling me that they are downloading class acts like Billie The Vision and The Dancers, Sun Zoo, and 3Sacchetti and loving it.
2) It isn’t really a free album. You are expected to pay something even though I guess you can get away with paying nothing. But basically it is an honor system. I actually love the idea. I understand that the average paid amount was four British pounds. With over 1 million downloads, that puts a hefty amount of change in Radiohead’s purse. Without taking anything away from Radiohead, I hope this monetary gratitude extends to the lesser known artists that are featured on this site and the listeners support the artists by buying their CDs, their T-shirts, or sending a donation as some politely ask…maybe even if they don’t ask. This is a way to ensure that good quality independent music flourishes. And frankly, they could use the bucks a lot more than Radiohead.
The reactions have been fascinating. Trent Reznor has all but stated he will be handling the next Nine Inch Nails album in a similar fashion. He has already placed Saul Williams’ The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggytardust!, of which he produced, for sale or non-sale in the same style. The Charlatans UK have announced their next album will be totally free when released in early 2008. You can get the first track here. But the cracks in the pavement have been noticeable for a while. Free remix collections sanctioned by the artists aren’t all that rare anymore (more about that in my next post) and other name artists like Smashing Pumpkins, The Crimea, Harvey Danger, and The Butthole Surfers have waded into the free and legal waters in the past.
All of this has encouraged the cries of the end of the RIAA and the major music moguls. I disagee. The corporate music scenario will still be viable for mass produced acts like Britney Spears and Beyonce, However it will no longer be the only model and it will no longer be “The only game in town”. Music marketing is entering a turbulent and exciting era. Radiohead has shown that they can go on their own with new styles of marketing and succeed. Other big name bands will and are following suit. All this opens the door to the independent artist who will no longer be corralled into courting the corporations to make a comfortable living. Corporate music and independent or internet music marketing will exist side by side giving creative artists a bigger choice in how they present their music. The suits won’t like being in total control any more but that’s the way it is.
Or am I just a dreamer? Wait and see.
Hey, I noticed there aren’t any comments on big and important posts like this one. I think you deserve some credit for this blog, not only because you’re giving us the possibility of discovering new great music, but also because you actually think about what you’re doing and give some great information along with the free music.
So thanks a lot for the work,
Vali
Comment by Vali — October 27, 2007 @ 9:04 am
Good comment, Vali. I don’t know how many people follow or stumble upon this blog but it must be quite a few; and Marvin deserves loads of accolades for maintaining it so sharply.
It’s remarkable how the material possibility of spreading music using discs and tapes lead to music becoming more of a mass-marketable thing in the 20th century, while in the 21st due to the internet this material barrier is somehwat lifted, and we move back a bit to the relaxed-market “pay the minstrel coz it’s nice of you to do so and especially if they’re really good”.
Comment by Plausible — October 28, 2007 @ 12:00 am
I read this on another blog so it may or may not be correct: I hear that Radiohead are going to release their new album on CD with extra tracks so the download album is essentially incomplete. If I’d spent money on it and then found I had to buy the CD too just to complete it I’d be seriously pissed off at having to buy most tracks twice. I think it’s just a publicity stunt and that the majors still have a long way to go
Comment by iceblood — October 28, 2007 @ 9:34 am
It’s a far cry from the days when Grateful Dead tried to bypass the big labels by selling their records in Good Humor trucks.
Comment by Richard Brandt — October 31, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
“2) It isn’t really a free album. You are expected to pay something even though I guess you can get away with paying nothing.”
For what it’s worth, Radiohead posted (or allowed the posting of) download links (yousendit, etc.)on the record’s official website message board, so it was essentially available for free, without the necessity of giving them credit card info, etc.
Comment by Jeffrey — November 10, 2007 @ 10:22 am
Hi, Its Pablo from the coincidence blog, thanks for your comment!
I really liked the music, “I want a man from argentina, id be the happiest girl in the world”… The band that really blew me away was 3Sacchhetti.
You’re doing a great job, I only hope I can have the tenacity and follow through that you do for my own blog. Thanks so much for introducing me and others to new music, and legally. Your last paragraph is beautiful and so true, it makes me so excited to know that we are on the edge of a paradigm shift or a new way of communicating in all forms and media, i know this has been around for a while, but the ability to have blogs of fresh new music to be open for sharing and downloading, the way that interaction is now not only possible but streamlined and accessible.. it’s really exciting. The present is amazing, we are evolving so quickly. I’m really excited about the future!
Comment by Pablo — November 22, 2007 @ 3:08 am