Ron Hollywood's 10 Scale Reviews, hosted by qreativ.com
 

November 09, 2007
Thanks Radiohead??!!!

Thom Yorke and Radiohead are certainly now the dominant leaders of a music revolution that will change the music industry forever and that can be a very good thing for artists and fans alike. Is the band to be thanked or not? Maybe a bit of both. You decide.

A few weeks back Radiohead made their, In Rainbows, project available to the world for downloading at any cost one is willing to pay or you can even download it for free if you want. Downloading free music? Isn’t this what had Metallica suing their own fans for a few years back? This decision has now begun to not just spark a flame but create a raging wildfire. They are gaining support from artists like REM, Dixie Chicks and Will.i.am.

Radiohead’s decision came in the same week that indy -legends The Charlatans decided to give away their new album over the web, also without help from a record label. Tim Burgess, the Charlatans’ lead signer, told The Sunday Telegraph: “I want the people to own the music and the artists to own the copyright. Why let a record company get in the way of the music?” Amen, brother.

This message was posted on Nine Inch nails website from Trent Reznor himself “Hello everyone. I’ve waited a LONG time to be able to make the following announcement: as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label. I have been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate. Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008. Exciting times, indeed.”

What about those who really appreciate album (do we still use that word?) artwork and packaging. Not too mention things like liner notes and musician credits. Will anyone know that Kenny Aranoff played on four tracks off the new Sheryl Crow Cd? Sure there’s digital booklets and let’s face it only die-hard music aficionados care enough to look at stuff like that. Yes, I am one of those. Not too mention that a lot of releases on itunes include bonus videos or songs not available on CD (Check my review of Britney Spears: Blackout) Is this the recording industry influencing or pushing the general public to go digital?

It seems that this means with free music becoming more and more available and not just record stores but record companies losing money there will be only one true medium by which artists can make their money. The tour. Let’s face it no matter how ell photographed a concert DVD can be there is nothing quite like attending a concert in person. This means that many acts will have to step their game up as live performers to get fans to pay to come and see them. However Pearl Jam’s manager Kelly Curtis fears for new bands being coerced to sign ’360 deals’ with major labels taking a chunk of profits from touring, merchandise and other income. Recently Madonna signed a new deal with Live Nation mainly a touring company for $120 million. Rod Stewart’s agent, Dennis Arfa exclaims “Touring is where the gold is”.

It seems with music sales on the decline of twenty-five percent and now Radiohead’s revolutionary step in the process let’s see where the industry on a whole ends up on the evolutionary scale of things.

Post note : Is the new Radiohead In Rainbows worth even paying for and if so how much? From every experimental sound they could squeeze out from thier integrated walls of sound. It’s not hard to imagine wood blocks, orchestral arrangements, falsetto vocals, and new wave synthesizers spread throughout ten new songs from Radiohead. I’m sure Bono is listening to a song like Reckoner and wondering why he didn’t write it. For the style of music experimentation these guys give it satisfies and I’m sure live certain songs will improve, but I’m left wanting something more lively. This is the kind of album that most critics will love however I like and respect it.

Other POV articles

Your Comments

Textile Help