AfterDawn: News

Radiohead leaves "pay-as-you-please" model

Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke has confirmed in an interview that they will no longer be offering any of its albums on a "pay-as-you-please" purchase model, and that "In Rainbows" was a one time deal.

A few months ago the band made headlines when it decided to release "In Rainbows" as a digital download, and for free on its website. Fans were asked to pay as much as they wanted for the album. Many took the full CD for free but the band still made millions, without having to pay any in distribution fees or record label fees.



Yorke says however that the move was "a one-off response to a particular situation", and won't happen again.

Yorke also added: "I don't think it would have the same significance now if we chose to give something away again. It was a moment in time", he said.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 3 May 2008 18:35

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• 11 comments

• Solo_Tek

  BS!
  
  This is just like every other person/group doing something drastic to get their 30 min of fame in the news.

  3.5.2008 18:57 #1

• nintenut

  ^ Exactly, bunch of posers...

  3.5.2008 19:34 #2

• PeaInAPod

  Originally posted by nintenut: ^ Exactly, bunch of posers...Ticks me off when everyone says "wow! look at radiohead, online distobution/sales/etc.! There inovating there leading the way". Its f*cking b*ll$hit, Nine Inch Nails is the true leader in the Digital Music distrobution revolution. Go Trent Reznor/NIN!

  3.5.2008 20:03 #3

• nobrainer

  well.....
  
  Radiohead: "We've made more money from In Rainbows than all the other albums put together..."
  Originally posted by hyper: "In terms of digital income, we've made more money out of this record than out of all the other Radiohead albums put together, forever - in terms of anything on the Net. And that's nuts. It's partly due to the fact that EMI wasn't giving us any money for digital sales. All the contracts signed in a certain era have none of that stuff."or was it just a strike to get some money from digital sales that the record studios have and are stealing from artists, to show them the error of their ways?
  
  The RIAA, fighting pirates for the benefit of the artists!
  
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  

  3.5.2008 20:15 #4

• chaos_zzz

  i bet half of those sales where ppl supporting this model, not fans of radiohead
  i think giving away money without a price tag just won't work nowadays
  picture every albm being hosted for free, deep in ur heart ask yourself would u pay?
  they woudln't make enough money to crash their cars and go to jail on wekeends .. what a shame the world we live in

  3.5.2008 20:42 #5

• jetyi83

  fk radiohead. they used to be alright but now i hope they do another album for free so that no one donates a dime.

  4.5.2008 11:29 #6

• 21Q

  Well I tell you, before their move, I had never heard of Radiohead. I think that they were merely trying to create a fan base so as to actually sell any albums to come. You can't blame them, people are people, they will always do something great to later profit from it.

  4.5.2008 21:07 #7

• TSRSteve

  Originally posted by 21Q: Well I tell you, before their move, I had never heard of Radiohead. I think that they were merely trying to create a fan base so as to actually sell any albums to come. You can't blame them, people are people, they will always do something great to later profit from it.You've got to be kidding, right? They've got to be one of the most creative and influential alt rock/rock bands of the 1990's and even to date. They have 7 albums 3 of which are listed in Rolling Stones top 500 albums of all time.
  
  http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-r/radiohead_main.htm

  5.5.2008 12:52 #8

• hoppy54

  a wouldnt have gave them ten bob for that last album. call the protentious police. steaming pile of ka ka..fake plastic trees was fantata. the rest is mineyaka..

  5.5.2008 19:44 #9

• emugamer

  Quote:Originally posted by 21Q: Well I tell you, before their move, I had never heard of Radiohead. I think that they were merely trying to create a fan base so as to actually sell any albums to come. You can't blame them, people are people, they will always do something great to later profit from it.You've got to be kidding, right? They've got to be one of the most creative and influential alt rock/rock bands of the 1990's and even to date. They have 7 albums 3 of which are listed in Rolling Stones top 500 albums of all time.
  
  I" target="_blank">http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-r/radiohead_main.htmI hold their music in high regard and have been following them for over a decade. I'm disappointed that they are abandoning the cause though. Regardless, I don't like them any less. They make music I thoroughly enjoy. So I'll buy it. I was just hoping that they would be a part of the movement for change. Looks like Trent is the official poster-boy for change. I hope he keeps fighting the battle.

  6.5.2008 12:47 #10

• TSRSteve

  Originally posted by hoppy54: a wouldnt have gave them ten bob for that last album. call the protentious police. steaming pile of ka ka..fake plastic trees was fantata. the rest is mineyaka..Come on now. Bodysnatchers, jigsaw falling, and reckoner are three of the best songs they've done in years. Although the bends and ok computer are still their best works, in rainbows is up there too.

  6.5.2008 13:01 #11