In Rainbows, Pt. 2

So, it looks like Radiohead is closing in on a deal to release a CD version of "In Rainbows" with one of the major record labels. The previous news that they were going to distribute their upcoming studio effort independently now only is a half-truth.

It makes sense from a business perspective. If one wants their music to have the best chance of being exploited to the fullest extent possible, they have to play the old game. The major labels still can get you the best exposure possible. As one of the band's managers said to Billboard; the band is proud of the new album, they want it introduced into the mass marketplace, and the record companies have the infrastructure to deliver it. That pretty much sums it up. That is the reality.

And here is another thing to consider; would there have been this much buzz about the new album had Radiohead not taken their initial stance that their new album was going to be self-distributed? I'm not saying it was a marketing ploy, but why initially hold back this substantial detail about how the album will be made available to the consumer?

What are the major labels thinking? The band will be issuing basically free downloads of the album and those same downloads will be traded like crazy all over the internet. Hardcore fans will invest in the deluxe box set version. So who will buy the traditional CD version? Casual fans at Wal-Mart and Borders? Radiohead isn't a guaranteed million seller, so it isn't as though the CD version of "In Rainbows" has double platinum potential. Usually, large revenue streams and profits due to big sales are what the major labels go for and Radiohead isn't necessarily a recipe for that (their impressive concert box office grosses are a different story). Certainly the desperation to be in business with one of the few bands in the current music landscape that has any artistic credibility is an appealing factor.

The only disappointing aspect to this update about the pending major label deal for Radiohead is that it would have been fascinating to see how the success of "In Rainbows" would have panned out had the band kept it as a self-distributed project. Maybe Pearl Jam will show us how this experiment works someday in the future....