Will Oasis and Jamiroquai follow Radiohead?

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Justin24

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/09/nradiohead108.xml

Oasis, Jamiroquai to follow Radiohead

By Harry Wallop and Lucy Cockcroft
Last Updated: 2:29am BST 09/10/2007

Some of the music industry’s biggest names are considering offering their music free online following the success of the experiment by the band Radiohead to let fans download their new album without charge.

Radiohead
Radiohead fans are willing to pay for their music

The band’s website topped the chart of music websites with an 11-fold increase in internet hits after the announcement, according to internet monitoring agency HitWise.

Now Jamiroquai and Oasis, two major names that are not contracted to a record labels, are rumoured to be considering following Radiohead by offering work for free, according to industry sources.

Radiohead refuse to reveal how many fans have pre-ordered their seventh album, In Rainbows, but figures from HitWise show the move pushed the site up from number 43 to the top slot for music websites in the UK.

Google say that searches for Radiohead have increased tenfold this week as fans log on to the band’s site, with the majority – according to the band’s spokesman – spurning the opportunity to download the album for as little as 45 pence and instead signing up for the £40 box set, which includes vinyl records, CD and artwork
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The Charlatans are also offering fans their next album completely for free if they visit the site of radio station XFM.

The performers that give away their music for free are expected to make their money from sales of concert tickets and merchandise.

“They’ll all be thinking about it now,” said Stuart Clarke at Music Week. “Any big name that is out of contract such as Jamiroquai and Oasis will now see it as an option.”

Oasis has already announced that its next single, Lord Don’t Slow Me Down, will be available only to download for 99 pence. Meanwhile rumours abound that Madness, a band with a loyal fanbase amongst 40-somethings, is considering giving away its next album for free.

David Enthoven, founder of ie:music, Robbie Williams’s management company, said: “I think a lot could follow. You’ve got to be sure about your fan base but why would you sign your career away to a record label when CD sales are falling so rapidly?”

While CD sales are falling dramatically, download sales have grown from zero in 2003, to 26.5 million in 2005 which then doubled last year to 53.0 million. However, according to the British Phonographic Industry, for every track that is paid for, twenty are downloaded illegally for free.

Yesterday, Alan McGee, the manager of the Charlatans, said he was astonished by how popular the experiment was proving, even though fans were not yet able to download the album.

“The record industry is obsessed by age and fashion. And so you get these amazing British bands like the Charlatans and the Happy Mondays that were massive 10 years ago and are still great, but are out of contract. How do you get them profile? You give away the record.”

He said that the initial feedback had been so positive that the he was already considering booking larger venues for the band to play in when they tour next year. “This experiment is going to work, I feel,” he said, adding he was confident that merchandise and concert tickets will make up for giving away the free album for free.
Click to expand...
 
Jamiroquai are still around?:huh:

"following the success of the experiment by the band Radiohead..."

And we know it's a success how?

:scratch:
 
Interesting.

As somebody who's considering a career in the music business, this kind of stuff is very interesting to me.

Bloody brilliant though, it gives more exposure to artists. I wouldn't go in to a shop and pay $20 for a CD of a band I hardly know and only want a couple songs anyways, but I would absolutely download an album and give it a listen if it's available for free. And if I like what I hear, I'll probably buy a concert ticket (which makes a ton more money for the band than buying a CD does anyways).

Radiohead have found the new method of music distribution. And I bet the record companies are shitting their pants. :up:
 
DaveC said:


Radiohead have found the new method of music distribution. And I bet the record companies are shitting their pants. :up:
Click to expand...

This isn't new. I mean, yes, it's uncommon for band's of this size, but it's not new.

I don't see how it will change anything for smaller bands.
 
A band that plays to local audiences in bars giving their album away for free means jack shit.

A band that sells out stadiums wherever they go and plays 100,000+ size festivals giving away their music is a big damn deal and will require some rethinking on the part of BMG, Universal, etc.
 
I think the problem remains: will people still buy something they can get for free?

I dunno honestly, record sales continue to slump thanks to legal and illegal downloads...

Do people honestly think that musicians are going to just give away all their music for free voluntarily? Where will they make their money, touring and merchandise?
 
DaveC said:
A band that plays to local audiences in bars giving their album away for free means jack shit.

A band that sells out stadiums wherever they go and plays 100,000+ size festivals giving away their music is a big damn deal and will require some rethinking on the part of BMG, Universal, etc.
Click to expand...

:huh:

Yeah, I agree, but it's not new and it isn't going to change much for those bands that don't sell out stadiums.

Basically Radiohead took control of what's become the inevitable leak, and I give them props for that, but I don't see it being as groundbreaking as everyone says it's going to be.
 
Yeah, if all goes well tomorrow with this Radiohead digital download release, just about all profile bands and aritsts will probably go down this path in the future.

I just hope that they can somehow ensure that these albums can be in real record stores 1-2 weeks after the digital release. 3-4 months is a bitch to wait for owning something properly.

More importantly, does this article indicate that a new Oasis album is very close to being announced?!?!?! :drool: Please be soooo.....
 
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I can't wait until I can just walk into Borders and take books of the shelves. For free.

Or until my buddy Mac has another art show. I'm gonna walk right up to my favorite photo, take it, and put it in the back of my car. For free.

Free stuff is great. The artists can get day jobs.
 
MrBrau1 said:
I can't wait until I can just walk into Borders and take books of the shelves. For free.

Or until my buddy Mac has another art show. I'm gonna walk right up to my favorite photo, take it, and put it in the back of my car. For free.

Free stuff is great. The artists can get day jobs.
Click to expand...

wtf are you talking about? :huh:
 
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