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Radiohead Changes Tack, Joins iTunes

Posted by timothy on from the meeting-people-is-easy dept.

Joe Jay Bee writes "The British rock band Radiohead, who previously stated that they wouldn't want to have their music on Apple's iTunes Music Store (and, indeed, were unhappy when their Kid A album was released via the store) have performed something of an about-face; virtually their entire catalog, including singles and their B-Sides, has appeared on the store. The band previously said they only wanted their work sold as complete albums, which Apple refused to go along with; however their tack has apparently changed, and all their songs are available to mix and match, including their most recent work, In Rainbows. The albums are all available in DRM-free AAC format."

10 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. DRM - Free by elguillelmo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Maybe the fact their songs are available DRM-free has something to do with their changing of mind...

    --
    Dawkins Revisited: A person is shit's way of making more shit -- Steve Barnett, anthropologist.
    1. Re:DRM - Free by spandex_panda · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Yeah, I guess its good, they don't have a record label now right? If I hadn't already bought all their cds I might give them some money, but not through itunes, I would get mp3 from tpb, and order some cds from their website. Its the future.

      --
      like phosphorescent desert buttons singing one familiar song
    2. Re:DRM - Free by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Or maybe, they decided they like money more than integrity.

    3. Re:DRM - Free by Kibblet · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yes, you are right. However most are just certain songs you can only get if you buy the whole album. Usuallly all but one of the songs is available as singles, with one or two requiring that you buy the album. What RadioHead wanted was for the whole album to only be available, and no singles at all. It's a different case. Although I would argue for RadioHead. If that's how they want to sell their music, iTunes should let them do it. Apple's head is getting way too big lately. Heaven forbid Apple do something for their customers! I prefer to buy what I want, not a whole album. And it has nothing to do with artistic integrity, but pure greed. Take the Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack. There is a song there only available if you get the whole album. It's not like it is the original artist saying "we want these works together as a whole", it must be that no one else wants the crap on that soundtrack and it is the only way to make any money. So kudos to Apple for standing up for their customers. I wish they would do it more often, and unbundle ANY song that requires you buying the whole album.
    4. Re:DRM - Free by Altus · · Score: 3, Interesting



      I get both sides in this. On the one hand you are right that many people would just like to buy a few songs that are on the radio and leave it at that.

      On the artist side though, its like selling the bottom right corner of a painting. Admitedly the Album is a dying artform these days (mostly due to MP3 players and shuffle) but there are still some artists who develop entire albums rather than just a few songs and some filler. These are the sort of thing thats meant to be listened to from start to finish. I can understand not wanting your album chopped up and sold piece by piece if you put that kind of effort into a whole album.

      Still, I see this transition as fairly inevitable. The album has been dying for quite some time and the rise of the MP3 player is going to pretty much end it.

      --

      "In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women..." -H. Simpson

    5. Re:DRM - Free by CastrTroy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The 99 cent thing works both ways. There's probably a lot of artists who would be willing to sell their music for less, if only Apple would allow them.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  2. Nude Garageband stem sales by theurge14 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm curious as to how much money they generated from the sales they made of the Nude Remix contest via iTunes and Garageband. This may have been the band and/or the label testing the waters.

    1. Re:Nude Garageband stem sales by Alioth · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's a pity that this missed the deadline for the remix contest:

      http://www.vimeo.com/1109226?pg=embed&sec=1109226

      It's possibly one of the most awesome covers I've ever seen.

      --
      Oolite: Elite-like game. For Mac, Linux and Windows
  3. Not everyone is a completist.... by argent · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Itunes is only worth it when there are extras, like bonus songs or interviews. Or at least a discount!

    Not everyone is a completist. If I find a song I like, I'll buy it on iTunes. If I like an artist enough after a while to go ahead and buy an album, I'll buy it on CD. Sometimes I'll buy an album on iTunes if there's enough tracks that the $10 album price makes sense, but usually I just buy a couple of songs.

  4. We have a winner! by dreddnott · · Score: 3, Interesting

    http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2210259,00.html

    Read about the ongoing feud between Radiohead and their former big label here.

    I'd bet that the summary article is incorrect and the band itself did not directly approve of the iTunes move.

    --
    I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.