AfterDawn: News

Nine Inch Nails' "experiment" nets $1.6 million USD

Last week the popular rock band Nine Inch Nails began offering their latest album exclusively as a digital download on their website, and those sales, along with orders for an expensive collector's edition, have netted the band $1.6 million USD since its release.

That figure, released by the band yesterday, is based on 800,000 individual downloads and orders for the new album, Ghosts I-IV. The first quarter of the album was free to download and a full digital download cost $5 USD. Fans could also order a physical copy for $10 USD and $300 USD for a collector's tin which has already sold out. The collector's edition as well as a $75 USD deluxe version both include a "DVD with the RAW tracks used to compose the album as well as a Blu-ray version with Surround audio."



We can only hope that this starts a trend in the music world, where the artists make the money they deserve.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 Mar 2008 17:12

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• 12 comments

• emugamer

  ....Labels?? Where??? Marketing machines?? LOL

  16.3.2008 17:37 #1

• ZippyDSM

  Name rec made them 90% of the money still tho even if a small band made 10% of that after production costs thats not bad.

  16.3.2008 20:20 #2

• WierdName

  Wait, so they didn't need the RIAA to make money?! Impossible!
  
  In all seriousness, that's pretty good. I mean, they probably would only get a fraction of that with labels, RIAA dues, etc.

  16.3.2008 20:27 #3

• A_Klingon

  Even though I've never heard a 9"-Nail's tune (yet) - I am *proud* of their initiative! MORE Power to them!
  
  (The RIAA is 'dogmeat' now. In fact, they already have been, for some time now).
  
  GO NINE-INCH-NAILS! GO!!! :-D

  16.3.2008 20:38 #4

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by A_Klingon: Even though I've never heard a 9"-Nail's tune (yet) - I am *proud* of their initiative! MORE Power to them!
  
  (The RIAA is 'dogmeat' now. In fact, they already have been, for some time now).
  
  GO NINE-INCH-NAILS! GO!!! :-Dyou'd be surprised most alternative stations run them now and then.
  they have a ok selection of songs I am nto hot for them but then I have shtty tastes :P
  
  uhg ifonly i could find a shoutcast radio station that can do alt,metal rock and alil rap..well...a good mix of rock,alt rock,hard rock and metal would be nice and

  16.3.2008 20:46 #5

• tripplite

  never liked their music...

  16.3.2008 21:21 #6

• emugamer

  Originally posted by A_Klingon: Even though I've never heard a 9"-Nail's tune (yet) - I am *proud* of their initiative! MORE Power to them!
  
  (The RIAA is 'dogmeat' now. In fact, they already have been, for some time now).
  
  GO NINE-INCH-NAILS! GO!!! :-D"Head like a hole
  Black as your soul
  Id rather die than give you control
  Bow down before the one you serve
  You're going to get what you deserve"
  
  Trent blew up in the early 90's with Closer and Head like a hole. I lost track of them after High School. For anyone who's not heard of them, check out their early stuff before their new stuff. You'll appreciate industrial rock.

  16.3.2008 21:26 #7

• A_Klingon

  I think the most important thing here is that they have set a most impressive, positive precedent for other musicians/songwriters, (even the highly-established ones) to follow, who may want to adopt a measure or two here that the nine-inch-nails have established.
  
  The revenue is going directly to where it is most richly deserved - to the *musicians* who made it all possible in the first place! - and, traditionally anyway, without whom the RIAA wouldn't even exist.
  
  At last! The unscrupulous middle-man has *finally* been AXED! (Can't wait 'till they go bankrupt). :-D

  17.3.2008 11:26 #8

• atomicxl

  Labels will still have a place. This works for Radiohead, NIN and others who have sold tens of millions of records in the past. NiN tried this with a new act on their label and it failed on them. Labels will be around for a while. Although, I agree that if you've already had like 3-5 albums out and you have a sizable fan base, you don't need to be signed to anybody but yourself. Whether using the digital model or only releasing physical CDs.

  17.3.2008 15:52 #9

• Ghostdog

  I´m really happy for Trent Reznor and his team how this worked out, even though I also agree with Zippy that reputation helped a good deal along way. Saul Williams new album didn´t sell anywhere near those numbers (allthough it must be said that the model used was a bit different).
  
  As a fan I´m just amazed at how productive Trent is. 'Year Zero' about a year ago, then extensive work on Saul´s new album 'The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of Niggy Tardust' and now 'Ghosts I-IV'.

  18.3.2008 06:56 #10

• legend_l

  That's a great of money

  18.3.2008 21:03 #11

• xtago

  Originally posted by WierdName: Wait, so they didn't need the RIAA to make money?! Impossible!
  
  In all seriousness, that's pretty good. I mean, they probably would only get a fraction of that with labels, RIAA dues, etc.It's not the RIAA that makesup the CDs but the labels do, they also own a band's songs, so NIN could be breaking copyright.
  
  I know the label for radiohead isn't happy about they selling their newest CD online before the label released the CD in shops.

  20.3.2008 22:38 #12