Radiohead report is in

[scotandrsn]

Digital data center Comscore has released information regarding Radiohead’s independent release “In Rainbows” as a pay-whatever-you-like digital download.

62% of people worldwide chose to pay nothing at all, and almost half of those who chose to pay paid less than $4. This may not be such a bad thing, since the overhead for releasing the album is much lower than a traditional disc release.

The next datapoint needed to determine if this really is a model for the future of the record industry is the figures from the CD/Vinyl release this winter.

Another helpful data point would be a survey of those who did choose to pay. I’m sure they’re happy to support the band, but the real question is, are they happy about having subsidized the freeloaders, and will they continue to do so?

[EvoDevo]

Actually, the Comscore figures turned out to be total bunk. Straight from the horse’s mouth (i.e. Radiohead’s management):

“In response to purely speculative figures announced in the press regarding the number of downloads and the price paid for the album, the group’s representatives would like to remind people that, as the album could only be downloaded from the band’s website, it is impossible for outside organisations to have accurate figures on sales,” they explained.

The statement added: “However, they can confirm that the figures quoted by the company comScore Inc are wholly inaccurate and in no way reflect definitive market intelligence or, indeed, the true success of the project.”

Also, anyone tempted by the boxset containing Radiohead’s pre-In Rainbows albums that EMI just announced should probably think twice, since it is being produced against the band’s wishes, as the carrying out of a threat made during the label negotiations for IR. As posted on BoingBoing:

“I think people need to know that the band isn’t some greed machine. I can tell you with 100% certainty that EMI is putting out all those reissues without the band’s participation, blessing, permission or involvement at all. They are doing it as retribution for the band’s decision not to go with them in releasing the new album. Despite their contract being expired, EMI had been counting on the revenue from the forthcoming album. When the band put out the digital version of the album themselves, EMI threatened them with re-releasing their entire catalog on the same day the discbox of IN RAINBOWS was being sent out, Dec 10, unless the band gave EMI the standard physical release of the album. Of course the band/managers told EMI to piss off and were appalled that at such an important point in the band’s career that their former partners would do this to them.”

[jk1245]

One other question (that may be unanswerable), is how many of the freeloaders would’ve paid any amount at all for the album?

People are weird when they see something as “free”. They’ll take things they have no interest in or plans to use. I would bet a large number of the freeloaders have not listened to the album at all or very minimally.

If Radiohead got their album in the hands of lots of people who would normally never buy it, they may have gained a few fans in the process. As you say, with the overhead costs being much less than a traditional CD release, they will likely come out ahead, or at least OK.

This does seem like it could work with an established group, however.

[Spit]

Well…62% paid what it was worth.
Seriously, though- I think that idea would be helpful for a smaller band starting out. If enough bands did this (and had positive results), then maybe we could see how it would work on a larger scale.

[Equipoise]

@EvoDevo

“In response to purely speculative figures announced in the press regarding the number of downloads and the price paid for the album, the group’s representatives would like to remind people that, as the album could only be downloaded from the band’s website, it is impossible for outside organisations to have accurate figures on sales,” they explained.

From the OP’s article:

The results of the study are based on data obtained from comScore’s worldwide database of 2 million people who have provided comScore with explicit permission to monitor their online behavior.

2 million people volunteered for voluntary spyware?? That’s creepy. Why would someone do that?

I had never heard a note of Radiohead’s music, and I paid for the album! Not just a couple bucks either. I paid 7 pounds, which is roughly $14, and felt bad that I didn’t pay more, afraid that I was being a cheapskate. Even if that study is bunk, you know that they’re dead on about lots of people not paying. That’s sad.