In an interview with CNET, Trent Reznor talks about the web release of his collaboration with musician Saul Williams on the album The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust.
He is clearly disappointed with the overall sales figures, having thought more consumers would choose to purchase the release instead of downloading it for free. But he shouldn't be so hard on himself. In taking this innovative approach, he is one of the more notable among a growing group willing to challenge the music distribution establishment. Ever heard the saying "You can tell the pioneers. They're the ones with the arrows in their backs"?
Radiohead, much more widely known and popular than Saul Williams, who released In Rainbows online last fall, viewed the release as an experiment rather than a complete change in philosophy. Ultimate sales success did not depend on the online distribution channel alone. Radiohead planned a limited-time online release followed by a traditional CD release. With In Rainbows topping the charts last week and direct download sales being viewed as "successful" (whatever that means since Radiohead have not released figures), Radiohead have paved the way for other artists to take similar approaches.
Given Radiohead's popularity and reach, it's no wonder the release of In Rainbows gained so much attention. Each new album release by the band is highly anticipated, with word of mouth and viral marketing doing much of the heavy promotional lifting. This undoubtedly contributed to Radiohead's online sales success. Saul Williams, on the other hand, would likely need much more traditional marketing to get the word out.
Perhaps, as Reznor suggests, an "ISP tax" (and please CNET, get the quote right. He did not say 'tax on music' as your headline suggests. That's an entirely different thing.) could help to dissuade some from using file sharing services. But this won't solve the problem. It would, however, be another option for consumers who are interested in paying for music.
True, the genie is out of the bottle with consumers looking to get their music for free, but at this point that has to be viewed as a cost of doing business. We need innovators like Trent Reznor, Saul Williams and Radiohead to take some risks, experiment, and see what works. These challenges to the status quo may be difficult for the individual artist and, viewed in isolation, some may not succeed. But for the music industry as a whole to move forward, someone has to start. Let's applaud these guys for having the guts to lead the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment