Radiohead CD
Musicians. What a pain in the ass. They make the music, but they’re not good at anything else. Like SELLING their fucking music.
Or could it be that Radiohead is just too old wave. This wouldn’t happen with a new band. New bands are WIRED, they UNDERSTAND the Internet. Whereas now we know that Radiohead doesn’t really believe in files, they live still live in the nineties, we’re supposed to buy the CD!
Tell that to everybody who coughed up more than nothing for the download. Yup, you’re gonna release a CD with BONUS TRACKS! What fucking assholes. Does this make you any better than the majors you supposedly loathe, adding new tracks to old CDs for Christmas, fucking the true fans in the ass?
Bad enough that we couldn’t hear the music first. THIS is a breakthrough? So, you’ve got a dedicated fan base, which will buy your record without hearing it first. But that’s the SEVENTIES model, that’s not today. Why can’t we hear it first, SOME OF IT FIRST, before we lay our money down (and don’t tell me they played some of the material live in concert, you’re just a dedicated Radiohead fan who believes the band can do no wrong). If it’s that good, wouldn’t we want it ANYWAY?
Maybe not.
And if CDs sound so fucking good, why not sell FLACS TODAY? Something Phish started doing FOUR YEARS AGO? It’s not like it’s impossible. Maybe you want to charge more, for bandwidth costs. But that would fuck with your business/tip jar model. But maybe, if you wanted FLAC (lossless for the uninitiated, essentially CD quality), you had to pay a minimum of five bucks, two and a half pounds. Hell, you had a fixed price for the BOX!
And if the CD is so fucking good, why do we have to WAIT?
This is bait and switch. It was implied you got the whole album if you signed up for the downloads. There was no mention of CD extras.
Heads have been exploding in New York and L.A. for two weeks now. Even the mainstream media has caught on. What the HELL happened to the record business? Radiohead and Madonna just jumped ship, and the Eagles said they were going EARLIER in the year. Where IS the answer from the major labels? Any other industry would fight back. Make an announcement of transparent accounting, new splits. But all we get is Universal complaining that Apple takes too much of THEIR money. There’s NO money without the acts. Why not a better split for the acts? Why not a return of COPYRIGHTS to the acts? You write a book, you own it. Write a hit record and you pay for it and the label STILL OWNS IT!
Pay what you like isn’t a business model, it’s a MARKETING STUNT! And, Radiohead is acknowledging this by pooh-poohing the downloads and saying you’ve got to get the CD, to hear their music RIGHT!
While you’re at it boys, are you going to go into business with STEREO manufacturers? Getting everybody decent equipment? Have you SEEN a stereo recently? In the nineties, it was all-in-one crap. Now, it’s two tweeters and a subwoofer (if you’re lucky), connected to a computer, costing UNDER A HUNDRED BUCKS! Oh, your music’s gonna sound FUCKING FANTASTIC ON THAT RIG!
And if someone is really worried about sound quality, and most people are not, they can rip your CD in Apple Lossless format (which most people don’t even know exists, deep in the iTunes preferences). Once again, why couldn’t you just sell these people the music THIS WAY?
I’m surprised the band even SOLD files. Deigned to get in bed with the filthy masses. While you’re at it, why don’t you tell your audience to sell their Toyotas and buy Ferraris, so they can understand what driving is REALLY about. Better yet, why not take on Ford and GM, get them to put in more sound insulation, so no road noise intrudes while your fans are listening to music. Oops, they drive foreign cars, which are often NOISIER!
Don’t shit on me and in your holier than thou voice tell me you know better. You implied I could get your album for whatever I thought it was worth. You didn’t tell me you were going to sell me a three-legged stool when I really needed one with four protrusions. I can’t fix my three-pronged one, I’ve got to buy a WHOLE NEW ONE!
Do us a favor Radiohead. Tell us you’re going to e-mail codes to everybody who purchased "In Rainbows" online so they can get the bonus material included on the CD FOR FREE! And then stop talking shit about files. CDs sound bad. I’m surprised you’re even selling them. The sampling rate is so LOW! Why not make everybody buy an SACD player, to hear your music right. Or, buy turntables to hear the infinitely superior vinyl.
You think you’re doing something innovative, but it just looks like you’ve got contempt for your audience. I never fire up the big rig anymore. I LOVE my iPod. Files rule. Get OVER IT!