Take the Money and Run, Take the Money and Run… October 3
So I think at this point, almost everyone has given their opinion on Radiohead’s new album and distribution method. Why am I adding my two cents? Well, we need content. Particularly, we need content that doesn’t feature the line:
It is the cross-section of preference and value that gives us the world’s greatest bands.
So anyway. For those who haven’t heard, Radiohead is releasing their new album in stages. You can either buy it digitally, order a fancy expensive box set, or wait for the proper CD release next year. The big deal is that when you buy the album digitally, you decide how much you want to pay for it.
I should reveal that I am an unapologetic music stealer. I steal pretty much everything I listen to, and I don’t have a problem with it. You may be thinking, “But Charles, you currently play in a band that, presumably, is trying to make money. Aren’t you a big fat hypocrite?” The thing is, I don’t think there is money in selling albums anymore. Personally, I have never made any money producing and selling a CD. That could be because I make crappy albums, but I get the impression that people who make good albums are also not getting paid off of them either. The money lies in getting people out to see you live, and albums are a tool to accomplish that.
So, what does this have to do with Radiohead allowing people to download their album for nothing? I am a music stealer, so how much I pay should be obvious right? The problem is that I have never had to admit to a band that I am stealing their music before, and if I pay nothing for the album, I am going on the record and telling Thom Yorke that I don’t believe that his albums are worth anything. So the problem is that I am a coward.
Also, I think Radiohead missed out on a golden opportunity. They should have announced that whoever paid the most for the download of their album would win some mysterious prize. Given the state of Radiohead fanaticism, who knows how much some people would have paid. Apparently, the most you can pay is £99. I imagine that 10 serious Radiohead fans could have paid for the whole production costs.
UPDATE:I meant to point out that I am not a hypocrite re: stealing music because we don’t ask people to pay for our music.
Also, Megan points out that their is still a $1.00 charge when you use a credit card, so the album is not completely free.