The Argonaut

Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Entertainment

Thom Yorke

Radiohead, possibly the biggest unsigned band in the world ever since their six-record contract with Capitol Records ended in 2003, has struck on musical gold with their seventh LP, In Rainbows.

The British quintet (if you're unfamiliar with the band, move out of your cave) announced their new album on Oct. 1 and released it on Oct. 10, to everyone in the music world's surprise.

But the fantastically quick announcement and preceding release was barely the beginning of Radiohead's surprises.

What really shook the foundations of the music industry was the way in which the album was released. At the moment, In Rainbows can only be bought as a digital download from , with a traditional CD release scheduled for sometime in 2008.

Right now, the album is technically a preview of the CD to come. But if you think that is unorthodox, prepare to be surprised.

The heart of Radiohead's genius is the price of In Rainbows. When adding In Rainbows to your shopping cart on their online store, one notices an oddity - there's a blank price field beside the album, with a "Help" icon next to it. Click on the little question mark and the website tells you that "It's up to you." Click on the next icon and it says, "No, really. It's up to you."

It isn't a joke.

People are undoubtedly going to download the album illegally, so, in response to that, Radiohead is essentially giving the album away and asking for donations. I paid $13 for it, which is what I would expect to pay in a store. Some have reported paying around $1.50, since that's what a band can expect to be paid from a single purchase of their album. Still others have their own justifications. Many paid a grand total of $0.00.

The idea is that true fans will pay fairly for the album, and those who would download it illegally might even be willing to shell out a dollar or two. In the long run, Radiohead's strategy should cut down on illegal downloads and make the band just as much - if not more - money than if they sold it traditionally. After all, being an unsigned band means that there are no record companies to pay and a majority of the money earned stays with the band.

Now, as for how the album sounds.

Well, it's fantastic, really. It's Radiohead, after all.

Interestingly, all of the songs on In Rainbows are older tracks, played often at live shows, but never released on a studio album. This makes it a mix of mostly-new and some older Radiohead, such as one of my favorites, "Nude" which was originally written for (but which got cut from) the band's 1997 album, OK Computer.

Over all, it's a softer album, mellower than I think fans expected, but it's no less amazing.

If you want to experience the album for yourself, then I urge you to head on over to and get yourself a copy. But please, don't stiff the band; you can afford a dollar or two, can't you?

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