First, it was Radiohead that rolled out their new album in an unheard of manner; allowing fans to name the price for their new album. Now it's Trent Reznor's outfit -- Nine Inch Nails -- who have parted ways with their Universal Music Group label.
It isn't surprising, though, after the band unveiled early cuts of their new album guerilla-style at shows early this year by leaving USB jump drives in bathrooms of venues in a sort of "fuck you" move against their label and proved that new ways of thinking can build buzz for new music. It got my attention, too, because I am always looking for cool marketing ideas that don't lead to police action.
"Steal it," Reznor told the audience. "Steal away. Steal and steal, and steal
some more and give it to all your friends."
Reznor isn't alone is his displeasure with the major labels. Oldies alums Cheap Trick and The Allman Brothers have sued their label for more of a take in the profits from digital downloads and white boy rapper Eminem has sued Apple, Inc. because he want to cut his own download deal with the computer company rather than be represented by his major label distributor.
I mention these rabble-rousers, these modern-day revolutionaries because it seems that with the ever-growing influence of our digital world and the broad reach of the internet that the dinosaurs of the record companies (even the antiquated 'record' term proves the lack of forward progress) refuse to adapt and latch on to the new ways of the modern media universe and accept the fact that people do actually buy digital tracks and that instead of the greed of the past, they could hold on to the same level of profits if they actually lowered thier prices due to the decreased overhead with the lack of an actual physical product.
I have to wonder, though, if I'm alone in my view of the record companies. Am I in the minority by being in my twenties and only purchasing a handful of physical CDs each year compared to my habit of maybe 7 years ago of purchasing one disc each week? I probably still buy just as much music but can cherry pick one or two tracks from each album making my music addiction far more economical. Again, am I alone here? Are there still folks who snap up CDs at the rate of one each week?
