Radiohead ‘In Rainbows’: One Year Later

Posted by Albert Costill on Oct 13, 2008 in News | Comments

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Last Friday, October 10, Radiohead’s In Rainbows celebrated it’s one year release.

When the news broke about Radiohead releasing a new album that would be digitally released as a pay for what you want model, the buzz was everywhere. Everyone wanted to throw in their two cents on this crazy plan.

While giving away music was, and remains, nothing new to a lot of musicians, having a band as huge as Radiohead practically give away an entire album was mind blowing. Now after having a year to digest In Rainbows, it’s still safe to say to that Radiohead has indeed changed the music industry.

For one, In Rainbows has helped indie bands expose their music, even some bigger acts who have fulfilled their contracts. Musicians now have a model on how to independently release their music online. Of course site like MySpace, Imeem and Last.fm are there to lend a helping hand. Instead of me trying to ramble on about this trend, I would like to recommend this editorial by Alex Grange, who is the CEO of Pure Play Music.

OK, so Grange may be plugging Pure Play, but here’s an example with Trent Reznor, who would pretty much go on to almost perfect the so called In Rainbows model.

Trent was the producer for Saul Williams last Novembers release The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, which allowed fans to purchase a high quality download for five bucks, or get a free download of lesser quality. While Williams didn’t find the success of In Rainbows, his album was still very successful. It sold as many copies as his previous release (which was a typical label release), but was heard by 10 times that number because of the free download option. This obviously means a bigger fan base, which means bigger tours, which means more money. Oh yeah, he also cut out the middle man. Not too shabby.

Trent, who is now without a label, gave away Nine Inch Nails’ instrumental Ghosts I-IV. He then went on to offer The Slip as a free download in May, but it did receive a physical release in July. What was great about Reznor’s method was that the quality was better and it came with artwork. While Trent has always been critical of the industry, I highly doubt he would have been able to independently release his albums if Radiohead didn’t do it first. With these two huge acts as free agentsm and giving away albums, musicians are no longer strapped down to the big label. Like indie acts, they can now make more money and expose their music as they see fit.

A second reason why Radiohead changed the business, is how quickly a band can release their music now.

Radiohead released In Rainbows only ten days after it was completed. Fans, and the bands themselves, no longer have to wait months and months for an album’s release. Bands can now release an album immediately after it’s completion. They then can move on to promoting that album, or moving on to another project. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but I think it’s fitting that this year acts like The Raconteurs, Beck and Bloc Party released albums that were available digitally soon after they were recorded, and were then physical released down the road. No more wasting time, because time is money.

Another perk of releasing an album soon after it’s been recorded is to release it in pieces. Maybe a band finishes up three tracks, so they release those three. Then they do the same with another batch of songs. Fans can gradually build an album as the band gradually completes that album. How fucking cool is that! Which is something Billy Corgan wants to do.

The possibilities are endless for this format. Bands could charge for the pieces of the album, so they can make some cash, or they could get fan feedback before the album is released to the masses. Sure, bands like Weezer have done something like this, but the interaction between a band and their fans is always clutch.

Or, a band never actually has to actually release a proper album. Bands could just constantly record a track here and there so fans could always have music from their favorite bands. This frees bands from trying to fit in studio time in between touring and their personal lives.

One year after In Rainbows, the industry may seem the same, but it’s changing. For better, or for worse, In Rainbows has turned the industry upside down. Personally, I can’t wait and see what innovative ways bands are going to release their music. I think it’s going to be a very interesting ride.

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