There’s been alot of attention paid to this one. Not because it’s a Radiohead record, nor for its content, but for the manner in which it’s been released.
See, you can download it for free. No subscription is required, and the songs are in unprotected MP3. What’s more, the band wants you to download it. Pay whatever you feel is fair.
This is a big move, and one I’ve seen coming for some time now. Leave it to Radiohead to pull it off first.
They’ve always been an interesting band. I first heard them in the same way everyone else did. “Creep” was a sudden, massive radio hit, and of course, it came at a time when labels were in a feeding frenzy for “alternative” music. “Creep” fit the demographic perfectly, it sold a ton of records, and, like so many other bands at the time, it doomed Radiohead to one-hit-wonder status.
Or so it would seem. Their second record went almost unnoticed commercially, and it wasn’t until it had been out several months that I heard it. It was good, good in a way few records were at the time, and it showed a band unconcerned with simple hooks or easy answers. For a sophomore album, it was damned mature.
Then came OK Computer. Do we really need to discuss the merits of it? It was a brilliant, cynical and utterly fascinating piece of work, and along with Loveless, one of the most important records of the 1990s. They took the broken detritus of “electronica,” filtered it through King Crimson instrumentation and presented it as a static-ridden, smoke-filtered Dark Side of the Moon for an already cynical generation of listeners.
How they sold it to a major label is beyond me, but OK Computer ended up being one of the few multi-platinum records that actually earned and deserved such success. Rather than resting on their laurels, they had the audacity to follow it up with the elliptical and almost-opaque Kid A.
Rather than alienating their fans, they challenged them. This is a band that respects the listener’s intelligence. They’ve toured with Autechre and the Aphex Twin.
Even better is the fact that they can make a living at it. Few folks get both success and artistic freedom, and Radiohead don’t seem the types to abuse either.
In fact, they could release complete drivel and still name their own price. Instead, they’ve stuck to their guns. I haven’t liked everything they’ve recorded, but I’m always eager to listen.
So, here they are, no longer bound to a record label. They’ve got the material to release, and they decide to sidestep the whole traditional process. Go ahead and download the new record, and pay what you want. I paid $8.00, which is what records cost when I was in high-school. That, and I plan on buying the CD when it comes out in December.
What’s even better is that the new record is good. I’m on my second listen, and it’s what I’ve come to expect from these guys. It’s a bit more focused and traditional than their turn-of-the-century output. Sure, the odd instrumentation and arrangements are still there (the opener, “15 Step,” is in 5/4), but they’re in service of the songs.
And the songs are good. What we’ve got is a tighter, more cohesive record than Amnesiac. On the first spin, “Jigsaw,” “Weird Fishes” and “15 Step” caught me immediately, but the rest is sinking in as I go. Nothing sticks out as extraneous, and everything appears to reward repeated listens.
So, they’re providing the record (potentially) for free, though I’d lay odds most Radiohead fans are the types to pony up some cash anyhow. Why? Because this is a band that rewards its listeners. They’ve never pandered, never compromised and never gouged. They can pull something like this off, and I’m willing to guess that it’ll be a financial success for them.
There are some real lessons in this distribution model, and I hope others in the industry will stand up and take note. There’s a reason record sales have been in a downward spiral the last few years, and it has nothing to do with “piracy.” It has to do with the fact that the labels have been charging ludicrous prices for substandard product. They’ve been treating their artists as chattel and their listeners like idiots. You can only run things that way for so long. It’s simple, really: treat your customers well, and they’ll return the favor.
I’ve been waiting to see the traditional record-industry promotional and distribution model break, and this may be it.
Oh, and they’re releasing In Rainbows on vinyl when it comes out. I love these guys.