QotD: Radiohead, In Rainbows

Radiohead release their seventh studio album today and it's only available online and you set your own price.  Will you buy the album?  Do you buy the idea?

I probably won't...I'm just not a Radiohead fan.

However, I buy the idea. Simply put: Radiohead is not the first to forgo the label and distribute directly to the fans. Jonathan Coulton started a few years ago, making money from digital downloads, CDs via CD Baby, and concerts. He had minimal protection on his Thing-a-Week series. You could donate to him. Many did. He has become a bit of an internet celebrity, and seems to be doing well.

Radiohead is taking it a baby step further, and gathering a lot of attention.

I think that more and more artists will take this route. What may develop is a more diverse set of music, but fewer semi-bad corporate-designed mega stars. The Jonathan Coultons and Dave and Tracys (another act that has/had a relatively small but devoted following) will be able to produce the music they want and find an audience.

Will they expand beyond a comfortable (if not extravagant) living? Probably not. On the other hand, I would love not to hear about that on the news.