cat >/dev/null

I’m just listening to the new album from Radiohead, named In Rainbows, which was released yesterday. I’m still halfway through, but so far it seems like a good record.

So, what’s new?

I just downloaded it off the net.

Again, what’s the deal?

I actually paid for it.

Hm, interesting, for a change, but not exactly earth shattering, I can almost hear you think.

Well, think again.

I didn’t buy it from iTunes or another online music store. I got it directly from the album’s own website, after paying directly to the artists. Immediatly after checking out I received a web link that started the download of a zip archive, containing plain simple 160kbps mp3 files. No DRM. No strings attached. Just good music, click and play.

Now, hear this. What you pay for it is left up to you. No, really, it’s up to you.

So, what do you say? I say it’s high time you put your money where your ears are. I’m going to be quite upset when I see someone pirating this.

P.S.: curious about how much I chose to pay for the album? £3.33. I’d pay less for 160k mp3s, but I really wanted to vote with my purse on this one. I am generally concerned about sound quality; give me royalty-free, lossless high-quality audio files (hint: FLAC) and I will gladly pay more than that.

Moreover, while I understand it would somehow lessen the impact in this instance, generally I’d appreciate a little preview. Also, artwork does not necessarily mean paper.

P.P.S.: no, you can’t have my mp3s. Go download them off the site.

I’d like to point out a good article about “The Record Effect”, or how technology has transformed the sound of music, along with a very interesting followup from David Byrne.

Interesting quote:

So when music as a product, as a consumable object, is subverted and undermined by technology and by its own success, then maybe we have come full circle. Maybe if music is no longer seen as an object, but as pure information, data, sound waves, then the object becomes at best a mere delivery device, and we’re back to viewing music as an experience, albeit still one that other people produce.

UPDATE 20051008: a permanent link is now available. Look for the article dated June 5.

UPDATE 20060809: I’ve updated my article with the NEW permalink that is now available, hopefully for good this time.