well slap my ass and call me sally.

omg. yessss.

I can't decide how much to pay.

If I wasn't so broke, I'd pay. I put $0 in for now, but I plan on buying it if it comes out in stores in the future.

One of the best ideas in musical history.
Fantastic concept.

(if only the discbox was not so expensive!!)

un real!

i have a copy of a very rare live version of Reckoner and let me tell you guys, it's an AMAZING song. i am beyond excited about this album!!!

Unprecedented.

Hear that? That's the sound of major labels going down the drain...

Imagine if all big bands did this.

{cue snarky comments about how radiohead are hacks}

And THAT'S how they roll. AH...

"If I wasn't so broke, I'd pay. I put $0 in for now, but I plan on buying it if it comes out in stores in the future."

Yeah right.

genius. so genius. im so incredibly excited its not even funny. its about time reckoner saw the light of day! this is gonna make the next 10 days so sweet.

"If I wasn't so broke, I'd pay. I put $0 in for now, but I plan on buying it if it comes out in stores in the future.

Yeah right."

Actually, I do. I hate not having a physical copy of the album to begin with. I have next to no money in my checking account right now, so using my debit card to order it is out of the question. Be a jackass all you want, if this will be on shelves for the Dec. 3rd release date, I will definitely buy one.

radiohead are gods.

This is pretty fucking awesome of them. Can't wait to hear this.

And I really hope they tour the U.S. soon. Missed out on tix for their last tour, so I have to see them this time around.

they are the coolest.

i dont think ive ever been more pissed off about the weak dollar.

with the canadian dollar overtaking the us on friday, and now this, it really is a pathetic time to live in the states.

all the sacred cow status aside, this whole way of doing things is innovative. there's no denying that. im psyched

ummm why is this so fucking genius please tell me?
the price is outrageous plus the fact that the download is only half the album so if you actually pay for just the download you get half the album. Now radiohead fans are going to want the whole thing so you end up paying this ridiculous price for the disbox and you dont get it till december at which time i can guarantee you that it will be available in stores as cd or vinyl etc at a much lower price
Who cares that there is no leak yet. In 10 days when the dl is available, it will be all over the internet in about 1 second flat for free.
What im saying is this does not smack of genius but rather a huge pig move on the part of the band. So unlike them as well. I do credit them though because they are going to make a fortune from all the suckers dumping that 82 dollars.

YES!!!!!!!!! RADIOHEAD!!

12:07, you're not getting half the album via download. It's the full album--the second CD is a bonus disc with b-sides, but In Rainbows proper is the thing that you can get for free on October 10. That's right, for free--if you're this angry, you can volunteer to contribute nothing! Everyone wins!

I do believe I just set the record for "Most Consecutive Incorrect Inputs of Confirmation Code"

Some things i want to know...

how does this affect album charts, if at all?

and

do you think it will played on radio?

are there videos?

go listen to death cab and cry yourself to sleep.....radiohead = best band in the world

rock solid.

canadian dollar overtook US dollar? wtf is that true? we are fucked.

wow, i really hope that this isn't just a cash-grab stunt on the part of radiohead, but a real attempt to revolutionize music distribution...stoked for the album either way

it's not Radiohead's fault the U.S. dollar is so weak. £40 for 2 CDs, 2 Vinyl LPs, and collector books is not a bad deal at all. Hardly overpriced if you live in Britain [I don't, I'm paying $82]. Anybody who thinks Radiohead is being greedy or making a money grab, is totally off base and missing the point. also....I would not expect to find the 2 CDs in music stores anytime this year.

Lou:

the whole point is that none of that matters

sick. twisted. revolutionaries...thank god.

to 12:07 anon:

hey dipshit, you don't have to pay one fucking cent if you want to and you'll get the album. no one is making you spend $82 if you don't want to so stop your fucking bitching. i hope to see you at the next radiohead concert standing there all disaffected and cool.

"12:07, you're not getting half the album via download. It's the full album--the second CD is a bonus disc with b-sides, but In Rainbows proper is the thing that you can get for free on October 10"

dude you are just wrong. I happen to be a huge radiohead fan and those songs are so not b sides. They are part of the album and major songs that radiohead have been working on this whole time and in fact "up on the ladder" is one they have been working on for years now.
This completely smacks of a cash grab rather than genius. I will bet anything you will be able to get the double cd in stores around the same time the discbox is released.
But cool, pay the 82 bucks and get ripped off. I love radiohead so i am happy that stupid idiots will pay then 82 dollars now to get what the rest will be able to get for far less at the same time it comes out.

pay $10-$20 for the download of disk one. illegaly download disk two when it leaks. end of story.

I'm slightly confused. I supposedly just bought the pre-order for £0.00 and got a confirmation email saying "This transaction will appear on your credit card bill as WASTE PRODUCTS LTD. or a shortened version of this." but I never gave any credit card info. Has anyone paid more than 0.00 and entered the card info then to pay for it?

80 bucks includes shipping. and you see its being made to order. so limited edition. I would say its worth it. However does this signal the end of the cd as has been forecast by these big labels? also I wish they included some kind of dibs on concert tickets for those who buy the hard copies. I dont want to get shut out of tix last last year and it would be only fair that people that shelled out 80 bucks for their records get some sort of preference.

"pay $10-$20 for the download of disk one. illegaly download disk two when it leaks. end of story."

if you are going to do that why would you pay anything for disk 1???? The second the download becomes available in 10 days it will be all over the net for free.

"80 bucks includes shipping. and you see its being made to order. so limited edition. I would say its worth it. However does this signal the end of the cd as has been forecast by these big labels? also I wish they included some kind of dibs on concert tickets for those who buy the hard copies. I dont want to get shut out of tix last last year and it would be only fair that people that shelled out 80 bucks for their records get some sort of preference"

Fat chance that is gonna happen but it is nice to dream a bit and it will not be limited edition. You will be able to buy the double cd, the vinyl and the book im sure in stores at the same time for much less

yeah you know i thought about it and this would make sense if its available only on their website, and if the people who purchase it also get some kind of pass word or pre-sale for their tour (assuming there will be a tour).

ya!!!!!!! por fin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
soy tan feliz

why would they specifically say "each diskbox is made to order" if it wasnt limited edition? That would be sort of contradiction in terms?

if my band made millions I'd do the same, but until we eek out a living touring around in our broken van, we'll have to charge 10 bucks a CD at shows

:(
sorry!

not that you care about my band!

No matter what bands do, someone on this blog has to whine, bitch and complain. Radiohead, the most inovative major artist of this era does something cool, different and fun but still some people have to whine, bitch and complain! Don't buy it if you don't want to. They know everyone will just download the 2nd disc next month anyway. And I do not think you will see this on store shelves anytime soon. Anything that doesn't involve the major labels is just plain fucking brilliant!

THE REASON THE DISK BOX COSTS MONEY IS CUZ IT COSTS MONEY TO MANUFACTURE. IT IS PROBABLY CLOSE TO COST OF MANUFACTURING + SHIPPING. VERY LITTLE PROFIT INVOLVED= DONT FORGET COST OF YEARS OF RECORDING. RADIOHEAD IS BASICALLY GIVING THEIR MUSIC AWAY FREE NO RECORD LABEL NO CORPORATIONS MAKING MONEY NO WALL STREET INVESTORS JUST STRAIGHT UP DEMOCRATIC DISTRIBUTION HOW IT SHOULD BE p>S F*CK AMERICA THE EMPIRE THE EMPIRE THE EXPLOITER

i agree with 2:25. read- "radiohead is currently without a record deal." so this might be it. I for one hope they blow off all the labels and distribute this way exclusively. casual fans can just d/l for free, and diehards will buy the box. everyone walks away happy.

Smashing Pumpkins did this seven years ago without the $80 deluxe set rip. Calm down kids, this is not that crazy.

Kill the record labels - record labels are evil....

really? Ok the major acts (like the head) don't need them anymore...(so why oasis are chasing a new deal dont ask me....

I always felt someone like radiohead would release there own records- with their political intrerests ( i always found it weird 'RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE' were on SONY of all people.

anyway- thats great- but even the big artists had to have label to support to start with. Without money to record, help pay for instruments, tour, get press, most bands will struggle- unless you are a blog darling- and that isnt enough...Labels need to exist- you just need to find aone that isnt going to rip you off, and not let the bullshit blind you....if someone offers you a massive advance- fair enough, your going to get screwed- just be sensible...

im fed up with the whole 'labels are evil's rubbish-

Smashing Pumpkins released some B-Sides album nobody gave a shit about. Radiohead just happen to be sitting on one of the most anticipated albums of the decade and decided to give it away for free.

Fair enough, but their business strategies are the same.

I think Radiohead are doing some monumental here, but some people say if they had Radiohead's money, they wouldn't care about sales either.

The new album will be available in conventional form sometime next year.

According to nme.com the album will be available early next year in traditional cd format. Personally though, I think the discbox is a bargain.

Not exactly unprecedented - Canadian singer songwriter Jane Siberry (aka now as 'Issa') started a download and pay-what-you-like policy with her entire catalogue at her own Sheeba records a few years back. As a gesture of trust and respect to her fans, and people who may want to check her out but not ready to commit - and, now the average amount people are paying for her tunes is only 10 cents under the suggested 99.

But certainly nobody of Radiohead's commercial stature has done it. Good luck to them - hope their fans treat the offer reasonably.

Omg some of you people just really have no clue. This is not that revolutionary. Prince did this years ago and basically started the model. Radiohead know their fans and they know that their fans are rabid. They would pay 100 dollars for a bag of Thom Yorke's shit if they offered it up for sale. They know that the fans will download the record, buy the diskbox for whatever they want to charge and would even buy it all over again when they put it in record stores even if all it had was a different cover. They are a smart band, no question about it but its a money grab pure and simple. This nonsense about them going without a record label is just utter foolishness. They are negotiating right now with labels to distribute the cds and i would bet you will see the record in stores at the same time the discbox is shipped. You will not have to wait till next year. That whole business plus the nonsense about being made to order are just ways to get people to think they are getting something special or before everyone else. Also, the poster above who said manufacturing costs are what is driving the price of this so high is just very misinformed. Finally, laughing at the dope who said this is one of the most anticipated records of the decade. Hahaha its just LP7 dude. Relax.

Chris,

NME says Radiohead are planning to release "In Rainbows" in traditional cd in stores sometime next year.

However, according to Radiohead, "In Rainbows" consists of only the 1st CD. So to me, that doesn't sound like they plan on having the bonus enhanced CD in stores at all. But that could of course change.

plus you get the vinyl and all the other stuff. just think the cost of shipping could be between 10 and 20 bucks (assuming youre shipping from UK to USA) and thats ship to anywhere in the world.

Also to respond that this is a money grabber, then how do you explain last years mid size theater tour that sold out in seconds in most places? Wouldnt they be touring stadiums and arenas if they were just doing it to grab money?

My week has been lifted from a fucking horrible moonday to a sublime day when I'll be spending 80 bucks for a band that fights for their beliefs

the 80 includes shipping anywhere on earth...this would normally be 10 or 20 bucks, i.e shipping is free. def not a money grab.

wow - it has earned them the top headline on the Drudge Report --

"with the canadian dollar overtaking the us on friday, and now this, it really is a pathetic time to live in the states."

We've been in Iraq for 3 1/2 years and only now you find it's a pathetic time to live here, and only because your money doesn't go as far as it used to? Fuck you.

is it just me or can you no longer get into the album website?

Ugh are you kidding me? I can pay $0 ? that is way to much. I remember when ted leo sold albums for .001 cent. this is a ripoff. no one dances at radiohead shows. i liked them before anyone else. i miss refused. justice have sold out. black is the new pink, etc.

Ugh are you kidding me? I can pay $0 ? that is way too much. I remember when ted leo sold albums for .001 cent. this is a ripoff. no one dances at radiohead shows. i liked them before anyone else. i miss refused. justice have sold out. black is the new pink, etc.

There is nothing innovative about what Radiohead are doing. They have the money to do it, so they are. Lesser known bands do not have this luxury.

I'll tell you why this is actually pretty genius. Radiohead know that enough people are so totally willing to get on their knees and suck them off in order to look cool that they can release whatever they want and charge whatever they want. Kudos to them for realizing that people will do anything to look cool. (I mean are you going to read that little book to your douchey kids at night?)

Radiohead ARE an amazing band and i cannot wait to hear the album, but it is asinine for them to make me do a whole song and dance for it or pay $80 for something that could potentially suck. I'm most certainly giving them nothing until they give me a reasonable option to purchase the entire album for a normal price.

I buy all their music on CD, vinyl and limited edition. So $80 is about right. and who the fuck cares-its radiohead. they can have one of my nuts if they asked for it.

this could only be successfully done by a band of a certain stature or with a cult following. i'm so glad it was done. industry people are probably flipping out, but that's what happens. a band CAN control whether or not their album is leaked ahead of time.

i'm downloading it for free and if i feel passionately about supporting the cause after hearing it, i will buy it.

this could only be successfully done by a band of a certain stature or with a cult following. i'm so glad it was done. industry people are probably flipping out, but that's what happens. a band CAN control whether or not their album is leaked ahead of time. blah blah blah, press, etc...no excuses.

i'm downloading it for free and if i feel passionately about supporting the cause after hearing it, i will buy it.

"I buy all their music on CD, vinyl and limited edition. So $80 is about right. and who the fuck cares-its radiohead. they can have one of my nuts if they asked for it."

And the idiot who made this statement above is the reason why they are doing this money grab

wait, so you can play 0.00 and still get the download?

crazy..

I gave 'em $10 yesterday for the download--seemed fair to me. I heard a few snippets yesterday and it sounds pretty amazing.

And anyone out there who thinks what they're doing isn't cool, well, there's no hope for you. Buh-bye.

this is awesome, I hope all the major labels and Rick Rubin suck on lemons for this. go Rhead GO!

Smashing Pumpkins are shite compared to Rhead. this is monumental!

let there be radiohead.
what a great concept.

Seems a reasonable approach to me. Hit the hard core fans for the limited edition, skim some money from the fans who would otherwise bittorrent this by providing the free download option (assuming the thing will leak anyway and this way probably a fair number will at least kick something in), then release later in normal format for the general consumers who still buy cd's in record stores (and where probably the most money is for a band like Radiohead). Hardly seems revolutionary; more a way of maximizing revenue and bringing in some cashflow before the contract for the regular cd release is sorted out. Look forward to the record, though.

ok wait a minute radiohead is giving the finger to record companies and you think its not cool? fuck the record companies and fuck rick rubin with his schemes. bravo radiohead.

also yes small bands can do it this way and are doing it. there are many bands out there doing small runs on cds. A band can print 1000 cds cover and everything for $3000, thats 3 bucks a pop. self release, fuck the record companies. and fuck corporate media outlets like Rolling Stone.

This is pretty cool, but far from innovative. Several people have already listed other musicians who have done similar things, but this isn't even limited to the music industry. Publishing companies are just as greedy as record labels, so Stephen King did something similar years ago with his (still unfinished) story, "The Plant" and a few other e-books. But, as others have said, this only works for artists with the money and following of Radiohead, Prince and Stephen King.

in case you weren't aware in shops a cd in the uk costs about £12-15 and an lp about £20, so for a 2cd & 2lp set you're paying exactly what you'd pay in england, where everything will ship from. you're all just acting a fuss because the us dollar is so weak, so just get over it, it doesn't look like it's going to change.

And why does it have to be $80 or nothing? You can't throw a few pounds into their coffers for appreciating the different approach and effort?

to 10:32 - small bands can do it too. you have to change the fans mentality to actually buy these cds. it always amazes me how artists have to beg people to buy a 10 dollar cd, meanwhile the same person doesnt think twice on spending 5 bucks on a beer. That was the scene at Mccarren this year. How many cds they sold vs beers, I wonder.

Bravo Anon 10:44! Your analogy is excellent.

radiohead might not be fucking w/ the music industry after all: http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Radiohead-to-Release-Standard

radiohead might not be fucking w/ the music industry after all: http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Radiohead-to-Release-Standard

yeah Anon 10:44 you've hit it on the fucking head with that one. especially when the wholesale costs of beer is in the tens of cents.

Horrible band. Horrible.

Okay. Quit your whining about the dollar.

Yes it's weak. Probably the weakest it's ever been.

HOWEVER, the pound has more or less *always* been more valuable, which is reflected in the cost of goods in the UK. Generally speaking, £1 will buy you more than $1 would in the states, even taking the massive 18% VAT into account, and the fact that goods in Britain are generally disproportionately expensive no matter what the exchange rate happens to be.

No matter how you spin it, weak dollar or not, 40 quid is a ton of money for an album. Radiohead are milking the early adopters.

Has anyone also taken into consideration the fact that the album could very well not be any good? Radiohead's made good music in the past, but it's not unheard of for an album to bomb.

Is the site not working for anyone else?

Andrew, Radiohead: not good? Blasphemy.

most of these songs have already been previewed live and were awesome. the chances of this album sucking are tiny.

without a record company, the band is bearing all the production costs, which is a lot higher (per discbox) when dealing with production at this small scale. yes, the band is still making a profit, but it's probably not as high as some of you think.

80 seems fair for what you get in the discbox. Everybody's complaining, but we haven't even seen the books it comes with. If you really want the bonus material, I'm sure you can find a way to download it. I'm sure the band is PLANNING on that.

Plus, HOLY CRAP THE NEW RADIOHEAD ALBUM COMES OUT IN A WEEK! A WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"radiohead might not be fucking w/ the music industry after all: http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Radiohead-to-Release-Standard"

okay, so after they distribute the album to pretty much everyone with an internet connection, who will be left to buy it at Best Buy? not too many people.

i think the reasoning behind this is to make the album accessible to people who do not have internet connections and cannot afford £40 for the loot. this way "In Rainbows" is accessible for every man, woman, and child in RadioheadLand.

Oh wait, I forgot to flip my calendar. 10 DAYS!!!!!!111!!!!1!!!!1!!!!!!!1!!!11111!!!

From the press release:

"Radiohead are currently planning a traditional CD release of In Rainbows for early 2008."

The Radiohead website lists the second disc of the "Diskbox" version as being "bonus material." So who knows what exactly will be on the "traditional CD release" in early '08, but at least there WILL be something to buy in stores.

I love this statement in that link "perhaps Radiohead are not necessarily trying to fuck with the music industry so much as provide options for their fans, who by now are so richly varied that it takes multiple formats and marketing approaches to cater to them all."

No it does not take any of this. It is rabid fans who will buy the product over and over in different formats with very little diff between them.

"The Radiohead website lists the second disc of the "Diskbox" version as being "bonus material." So who knows what exactly will be on the "traditional CD release" in early '08, but at least there WILL be something to buy in stores."

Mark my words i tell you. Just watch, come december this double cd with the exact same songs as in the discbox will be in stores at the same time and for far less. They will claim a deal with whatever record company was so good and was made in time to get it into the hands of everyone for the holidays or some shit like that.

"without a record company, the band is bearing all the production costs, which is a lot higher (per discbox) when dealing with production at this small scale. yes, the band is still making a profit, but it's probably not as high as some of you think."

Again a person with no knowledge of what it takes to put a record out. The cost of them to put out these discboxes for 80 ridiculous dollars will more than compensate for assuming the entire production costs. In fact the number will probably be higher than you think.

Folks, I love radiohead as well and am so excited for the new recording but please stop with the genius bullshit and the changing the recording industry bullshit. It is an extremely transparent greedy money grab and nothing more. I am glad that it is Radiohead cause if anyone was going to fleece their fanatic fan base and overcharge them to get richer im glad it is them.

DOES THIS MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO DROP THE BONNAROO DVD SOON!?!?

just buy the damn pack now you cheap college bastards. at least this will last you more than one time, as opposed to the crap you smoke

All the shit talking about how this is a money grab actually makes me long for the days when you couldn't download music for free. The sense of entitlement that accompanies it is crappy. "Wait, I have to PAY for a record??" If the dollar wasn't so fucked, this would be around $55. I'm not saying that's cheap or that their idea is highly original but it seems to me like an honest attempt by Radiohead to have some sort of direct connection to their fans & to make a product that people might actually feel like paying for because it's neat. Which if you haven't noticed is pretty rare these days - especially for bands as huge as them.

I find it hilarious that Radiohead are essentially giving this album away, and yet people still have the balls to call it a "money grab."

"There is nothing innovative about what Radiohead are doing. They have the money to do it, so they are. Lesser known bands do not have this luxury."

oh really?
i bought the new ecstatic sunshine LP the other night when they played the silent barn.
it came with the cd of the mp3s and a mint green 12" for 10 fuckin dollars.

bands who dont do this, choose not to do this.

I'm still waiting for the day when bands start paying me to listen to their music.

Screw this "free" stuff.

This is good news-- don't get me wrong. But I'd be more willing to throw around the "genius" tag if the band still made music as good as OK Computer & The Bends. Face: the last few albums were far, far inferior. I'd happily download this new album for free. But I won't cream my jeans. The band just isn't as good as they used to be. The music press & the indie rock fan followers just need SOMEONE to label "geniuses." And they're sticking with Radiohead... Hail to the Theif & all.

Anybody who complains about this is an idiot. Here you have an enormously popular band giving away their new album for free (or for a "donation"). If you're a huge Radiohead nerd you can buy the box set. If not, you can still get the bonus CD for free by burning it from one of your friends or downloading it illegally like you do everything else. Come on, you sit around reading Brooklyn Vegan and Pitchfork all day. Like you can't get any album you want for free anyway? Grow up and stop complaining you whiny bitches. If you like the band, be happy.

thank you, birdy.

I wonder what the bitrate of the downloads will be. I would assume it will be nothing as good as FLAC. mp3s are fine for mp3 players, but not good stereo systems. Can't wait for the eventual slimmed down CD version.

I will pay 1 dollar for the download, because I'm going to have to end up paying 80 for the diskbox thing. I gotta have my Bangers n' Mash you know?
Am I the only one slightly agrivated at the misleading worm buffet codes?

"I wonder what the bitrate of the downloads will be. I would assume it will be nothing as good as FLAC. mp3s are fine for mp3 players, but not good stereo systems. Can't wait for the eventual slimmed down CD version."

Finally someone getting around to why this is a money grab and why all the morons saying they are giving away their new album for free is just not true

People, an mp3 is NOT the album. I dont care what bitrate you use. It is not what the band recorded and it is certainly not the way they intended you to hear the record. It is a compressed version of the record. So stop with this shit that they are giving away the album for free. They are giving away a compressed tinny version of the album for free. And with a band like Radiohead who put so much instrumentation into their recordings you really are not getting to hear it the way you should by downloading the mp3's. That is why they have for the last few records leaked it themselves on the net months before it comes out. They know most of their fans are real music lovers who will use the mp3 as a starter to get the flavor only to buy it in cd, vinyl etc when it officially comes out.

i did not hesitate to buy the diskbox.
it's radiohead.

"Finally someone getting around to why this is a money grab and why all the morons saying they are giving away their new album for free is just not true

People, an mp3 is NOT the album. I dont care what bitrate you use. It is not what the band recorded and it is certainly not the way they intended you to hear the record. It is a compressed version of the record. So stop with this shit that they are giving away the album for free. They are giving away a compressed tinny version of the album for free. And with a band like Radiohead who put so much instrumentation into their recordings you really are not getting to hear it the way you should by downloading the mp3's. That is why they have for the last few records leaked it themselves on the net months before it comes out. They know most of their fans are real music lovers who will use the mp3 as a starter to get the flavor only to buy it in cd, vinyl etc when it officially comes out."

Nerd.

Is this the band that had that song 'The Creep'?

Posted by Matt | October 1, 2007 2:07 PM, Matt, you are crazy. you know nothing about Radiohead if you feel Hail to the Thief is not among their best releases. It ranks just under OK Computer. I can't believe you can say Radiohead are "not as good as they used to be"... on the contrary, they are getting better. Their is definitely method to their madness, you just need to listen carefully.

I'll tell you what's rediculous: two months ago I bought a couple of shirts of the radiohead website, and the price was only about 3 dollars more in the U.S. Two months later we're paying double the price? I'm a tad upset. And hey- where's Open Pick? Now I'm really upset. Still, I feel a little guilty paying zero dollars for my favorite bands new album. A little guilty, but I'll sleep tonight.

Uhhhh I have heard an inordinate amount of people on various websites say something along the lines of:

"I'll pay a little for the download cuz I am paying 80 bucks already for the box"

THE BOX COMES WITH A FREE DOWNLOAD.

This might be how RH makes their money in the end.

OFTGD

"They are giving away a compressed tinny version of the album for free."

People nowadays listen to music only on their ipod. They have no sense of quality, they don't remember, or never had, how music better music sounds on a real stereo. mp3s just don't compare to the sound quality of a CD.

DP-
I don't think I'm crazy for having an opinion. I don't hate Radiohead. And I think I know *something* about Radiohead. I have all their albums. I started listening to them as soon as The Bends came out (Pablo Honey didn't do much for me when it came out). I've gotten every album on its release date since them. I've obviously listened to EVERY album countless times since. I saw them live on their last few tours. I just think that their last 3 albums don't hold a candle to The Bends & OK Computer (this is after many, many listens). They're not bad albums... just not "as good." I think others would agree with me, but I don't really intend to speak for everyone. I'm just stating my opinion. I still like Radiohead. And I am still eager to download the new album (even though I wasn't crazy about too many of the new tracks they previewed on their last tour). But I kinda sorta resent being told that I don't know anything about one of my favorite bands. I'm just grounded when I speak about them. I don't get worked up about every note of every song they released. And I don't premature label everything of theirs "genius" without having heard it first. But I'm in the minority about them there. I think Radiohead are one of the best bands around. But I also think they're one of the most overrated. People hold them in much higher regard & place them on a higher plateau. I don't think they should. They're not THAT good. No one is!

Nerd.

Posted by Nigel Godrich | October 1, 2007 4:42 PM

Loser

unlike the real Nigel Godrich

to the anonymous dude who keeps bitching and whining about the "cash grab":

hey you fucking miserable little shit. no one is forcing you to pay anything, where does it say anything about the download being in MP3 form? i don't see that anywhere, do you?

you must have a pretty sad existence if you've spent 30 minutes on brooklynvegan whining about how this is a personal affront to you and all of the other "true" music fans who refuse to pay what amounts to fair value for a double album + double vinyl with artwork and free shipping. if you don't want to shell out $82, then you can download it for free and wait for the proper release next year. it's not that fucking difficult, so please stop acting like your cat just died.

yes they are that good.

who's better.

If the dollar wasn't so fucked, this would be around $55.

Posted by Anonymous | October 1, 2007 12:44 PM

$55/£40 = $1.375 per pound

You must be older than dirt to remember the exchange rate being that low.

yobaby(yeah you are much better than anyone posting with anon)
fucking simpleton
first of all, in adhering to the dumb post you made, how do you assume that the persons posting about how it is a rip off is just one single person. Seems to me it is more than one but hey who knows. I do know that i have been reading a number of blogs today and there are many people who feel the same. And many many people do not feel 82 dollars is fair value for a double cd and double vinyl and free shipping especially when they will be able to go into stores in december(fuck that next year bullshit) an buy a double cd and double vinyl and the book as well for probably around 40 or 50 dollars which would seem to me to be fair value

And yes the download is being offered as an mp3 and not flac. It has been reported in a number of places

So pretty much you can go fuck yourself

how do i know that it's the same anonymous bitching and moaning every five minutes? because you use the phrase "cash grab" in every one of your fucking mini rants. i just think it's extremely asinine for you to whine about the price when they're offering the music to you for free. i'm sure it's a high bitrate MP3, and if you want to be one of the audiophile snobs that claims they can easily tell the difference between FLAC and an mp3 encoded at 256kbps or higher you are full of shit.

i don't know how you can trust NME or pitchfork to have the scoop on what form the audio download is in, because it says NOTHING about whether they are offering the download in MP3, FLAC, or both on the official website.

who said the vinyl and book and second cd will be widely available by the end of the year/beginning of next year?
sure, it's possible but too many people would be pissed off in spending 82 bucks on something that won't be so exclusive come the end of the year, which is around the time that they will get their order anyway.
it could very well be a limited package, in which case having only the first cd and the second cd digitally just doesn't compare.
considering that you're getting two cds and a booklet with a slipcase and (two?) vinyl(s), its definitely not a HUGE amount of money. it's comparable with an art monograph or something.
especially if it turns out to indeed be a collectors batch, it is well worth it.

"There is nothing innovative about what Radiohead are doing. They have the money to do it, so they are. Lesser known bands do not have this luxury."

Check out Marco Mahler.
Lesser known and he's doing it.

11:45 hell yes I agree, youre getting a collectors item at a bargain price, once they stop printing them watch the prices skyrocket.

No seriously, is this the band that does The Creep?

how do i know that it's the same anonymous bitching and moaning every five minutes? because you use the phrase "cash grab" in every one of your fucking mini rants. i just think it's extremely asinine for you to whine about the price when they're offering the music to you for free. i'm sure it's a high bitrate MP3, and if you want to be one of the audiophile snobs that claims they can easily tell the difference between FLAC and an mp3 encoded at 256kbps or higher you are full of shit.

i don't know how you can trust NME or pitchfork to have the scoop on what form the audio download is in, because it says NOTHING about whether they are offering the download in MP3, FLAC, or both on the official website.

Posted by yobaby | October 1, 2007 10:44 PM

Dude, you need to stop. You are an idiot saying you cannot tell the difference between an mp3 encoded at 256 and the actual cd. Anyone with a even passable basic higher end stereo can tell the difference. And lots of people have been using the term "cash grab" or "money grab". Plus i believe i as well read that the download is going to be in mp3 format but cannot remember where.

Plus i doubt that this is going to be a limited collectors edition. I am sure you will see both cd's and vinyl in the stores later this year.

Can't we all get along?!

"Plus I doubt that this is going to be a limited collectors edition. I am sure you will see both cd's and vinyl in the stores later this year" - 0ct 2nd, 3:45am

how can you be so "sure"?
at least i'm being logical about it.
do you really think that the vinyl and the *both* CD's are going to be released at the end of the year, which is also around the same time that the people who paid $82 for them and the slipcased book will get theirs?
i could understand if what people ordered for $82 came in next week, but I highly doubt that it will be readily available (except maybe on eBay) by the end of the year.
that would the most blatant of rip-offs.

logically and ethically speaking, it would make sense for this $82 dollar batch to indeed be limited collectors item.
sure, the first cd will definitely be released by years end (or early '08) and maybe the second cd with their respective vinyls, but i highly doubt that you will see the Diskbox get a wide release.
that just wouldn't make sense.

"the audiophile snobs that claims they can easily tell the difference between FLAC and an mp3 encoded at 256kbps "

The problem is the mp3s will not be offered at 256kbps. With the amount of downloading that will happen on the 10th, the mp3s will probably be encoded at 128kbps to make the system faster. I wouldn't be surprised if they upped it to 160k, but I seriously doubt anything 192k or higher.

Everyone here has missed the most vital point in all of this, which is the fact that this is a terrible precedent to be set in the industry. The fact that they have released the album without a label is great and revolutionary, however, the fact that it is "pay as you please" is misguided and will hurt the industry much more than help it.
They are in essence, perpetuating the devaluation of music in the minds of the consumer and further eroding the concept of exchanging value for value or money for one's work. It's a cheap novelty stunt by the most influential band of this generation and is a step in the wrong direction for an industry that is already being led by the blind.

you make it sound like the entire industry is going to adopt this strategy tomorrow.

it's one album. one album that is almost definitely going to kick ass, but one album nonetheless.

calm down.

Blah, you must work at a record label, because the only people who are going to really suffer from this idea taking off are the people who sit behind desks at labels wasting their time figuring out whether a new band has enough "buzz" and a "strong enough brand" to make the label lots of CASH.

This will not hurt the Music industry--this will help the artists and the people they work with who unconditionally support them and believe in them (their PR people, managers, producers, etc). It's about time artists start taking what is rightfully theirs--the FULL gross of the product they sell, instead of getting a dollar or less on each album sold!!!

Then, they can ask their fans to pay a reasonable amount, take their earnings and pay their managers, their PR lady, their accountant, their distributors, their producers, and keep what they earn at the end of the day.

And that amount, I'm sure, will be more than they get back from the labels. As you've seen in the above discussion, there are plenty of people who will still support the artists by buying music or going to shows. And even if you get one person paying $5 (not even $10!!) for the album and 2 people who pay nothing, that's still probably as much or more than the artist would make if they were with a record label.

not sure if anyone is reading this thread anymore, but...

Radiohead Spokesperson: Fans Paying Close to Retail for Pricing-Optional Album

http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/10/radiohead-spoke.html

"Radiohead took a huge risk in releasing their album this way, but judging from this early indication (which, granted, comes from their publicist), the risk seems to be paying off, not only in terms of press coverage, but also by generating advance sales -- of a high-priced album package, no less. Surely, there's a lesson to other bands and labels floating around here somewhere: increase anticipation for your album, treat fans with respect, give them options and offer something truly attractive to the hardcore following, and the world will beat a path to your server -- which will then require an upgrade, as the operators of Radiohead.com found out yesterday."

First of all, I do not work for a record label and your point does not make much sense since I stated that their choice to release the album without a label was great and revolutionary. My problem with the "pay as you please" model is that it supports and perpetuates the crumbling of the value exchange for music. Most of the people who are posting on here are relaying their knee-jerk reaction to receiving free music and they are right to do so, I love receiving products for free as well as a consumer (Iwish my apt was pay-as-I-please). But, at a macro level, when taking the dynamics of the fledgling industry into consideration this is a step in the wrong direction. It's great that they are in a position to receive higher rates from their album sales and they should've passed that on to the consumer via a lower price-tag, not by abandoning the entire concept of purchasing music.

Again, just pay the bucks for the pack or get the dl for free and enjoy the album. Why does everything have to be a motive for arguing?
Seven days kids!

What is so complicated about all of this? GET A FUCKING LIFE

I've been a fan since I saw them in NYC at the Mercury Lounge right before the Pablo Honey tour. Seems lately I've haven't kept up on them and the new album is a pleasane surprise. I'm definitly getting that vinyl!.

http://www.stillstarving.com

Stop that brainiac masturbation, patty, the only problem i can see right now, u might have, is a lack of responsability, and you dont know how to react, when someone tells you: do as u please.
As for the music industry, FUCK IT! Who really cares ? What music industry turned music into ? Porn. Nothing +.
Music industry just leeched off music. And finally sucked it to death...
Music was there a long time before, and will... Fuck your fears man, u r free. Remember?

more

I have one word for those less than happy with radioheads new deal.

uTorrent

I've posted my hot air about this innovation and offered a free download of my recording of Radiohead in 2006, with six In Rainbows songs in the setlist.
http://www.nyctaper.com/?p=67

2 Days.