Do you want to legally get a new music release for free online? British alternative rock band Radiohead will be making its new album available digitally with no suggested price. That means that you can pay whatever you think
In Rainbows is worth -- from zero or a penny on up.
Radiohead spent many years on a major label, but when their contract ended they decided to take this groundbreaking new step on their own. Giving away free music online is a tactic usually employed by independent bands who want to generate a buzz. But Radiohead is the first mainstream act to try it out. With the average price of CDs from mainstream artists hovering around $13, the record industry is watching with bated breath to see what happens to Radiohead.
Will people pay a reasonable amount when they're in control of pricing? Two of Clark's staffers think folks will cough up anywhere from four to 10 bucks (or roughly a dollar/song) for the album. But they also acknowledge that many people may pay zero because the Internet is so anonymous and there's no one there to police them.
A few restaurants across the country have been trying out this pay-what-you-want business model with varying results. We'll report back later to let you know how this whole thing plays out for Radiohead.
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