Well, the returns are in on Radiohead’s experiment in name-your-figure pricing and… it’s not pretty. At least not if you were thinking of model as having broader applications in a world where more and more consumers are ignoring the copyright restrictions that support many content-providers. A ComScore release says that of the 60% of Americans who downloaded the band’s new record, “In Rainbows,” did so without paying. On a worldwide basis the number was 62%. And when folks did cough up some dough, they were generally pretty cheap. 17% paid $4 or less but 12% paid between$8 and $12, the range that best approximates what you’d pay at retail.
Conclusions: The “In Rainbows” release will go down as a publicity stunt meant to gin up attention for a new record as opposed to an attempt to introduce a way to get consumers to pay something. It’s back to the drawing board for the content makers. Color me disappointed. I was optimistic that this idea might have some legs, especially given Radiohead’s large and very devoted fanbase.
Personal taste interjection: It’s a fantastic record, their best since “Kid A.”
2 responses so far ↓
1 Ryan Anderson // Nov 6, 2007 at 6:19 pm
True, the average download price was nowhere near what you would pay at the store, but I’d wager that $2.62 average download price was far more than the share they would get from a record store purchase, and they have complete ownership over everything. It’s a little disappointing, but I don’t think you can call it a complete failure… it will be interesting to see where the future business model of music goes, because the market is pushing so hard in the opposite direction of the industry, somethings going to break very soon.
2 captain yaht // Nov 8, 2007 at 8:37 am
i was surprised they didn’t have “yellow” on it. it’s a rainbow color! LOL BS! i [heart] that song!
-yaht
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