I don't know whether the new Radiohead album (The King of Limbs, coming out on Saturday the 19th) is good or not, I only surely hope it's gonna be crazy and dark. I hope they're not falling into pop-radio-mainstream-crap good for idiot teenargers who lack knowledge and culture, but I trust them for that.
However what I'm sure of is that they got something right to start with: the diffusion mode. They understood that people always necessarily get the digital files first, and their album will be first available on downloading (for 7€ in Europe... I don't remember the prize here in Australia), which is far cheaper that the type of prizes iTunes automatically practices. Then it'll be available on compact disc format in a few months in all music retails... and a bit later on, the fanatics will receive their vinyl discs box-set from the band (and a lucky one will apparently get a signed one).
Through this strategy, they show that yes, the musical objects matter, that yes, for the fans it's important to have either the vinyls or compact discs sitting at home with the artwork, the better sound quality and doing all the postures required to play them (don't you like grabbing a CD from its case to delicately place it on the player?!)... because digitalization is not a revolution (read my PhD thesis in a year and a half and you'll get it), it doesn't suffice to release stuff online on MP3s. And for those who regret the fact that they're no longer able to pay what they want, it is not such a rip off, it seems to me quite fair for MP3s, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind if you get it for free from someone!
However what I'm sure of is that they got something right to start with: the diffusion mode. They understood that people always necessarily get the digital files first, and their album will be first available on downloading (for 7€ in Europe... I don't remember the prize here in Australia), which is far cheaper that the type of prizes iTunes automatically practices. Then it'll be available on compact disc format in a few months in all music retails... and a bit later on, the fanatics will receive their vinyl discs box-set from the band (and a lucky one will apparently get a signed one).
Through this strategy, they show that yes, the musical objects matter, that yes, for the fans it's important to have either the vinyls or compact discs sitting at home with the artwork, the better sound quality and doing all the postures required to play them (don't you like grabbing a CD from its case to delicately place it on the player?!)... because digitalization is not a revolution (read my PhD thesis in a year and a half and you'll get it), it doesn't suffice to release stuff online on MP3s. And for those who regret the fact that they're no longer able to pay what they want, it is not such a rip off, it seems to me quite fair for MP3s, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind if you get it for free from someone!
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