Gizmodo
While Radiohead basked in adulation for dipping its toe into the digital future with the pay-what-you-will In Rainbows pre-release, it wasn't the first major act to toy with the internet model, and certainly wasn't making a genuine move toward disruption. Had it truly boldly gone where a few have gone before, it potentially stood to lose boatloads of revenues the traditional distribution model guarantees an A-list act. On the other hand, Saul Williams, someone with a lot less to lose, took a dive into the deep end with his release of the Trent-Reznor-produced Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust.
Pearl Jam and The Doors have been offering direct DRM-free MP3 downloads of material for a while now in a mix-and-match format, though not with the highest ease of use factor; Prince just gave his last album away (though not digitally); and Public Enemy's giving away How You Sell Soul To A Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul for free on P2P networks, albeit loaded with ads. And loathe as I am to credit Phish for anything, they directly sold MP3s way back in the Stone Age of 1999.
Ultimately Radiohead was only wading around the kiddie pool wearing floaties, those being its plans to distribute the album on vanilla CDs next year, possibly through one of the Big Four in North America, ensuring their experiment held little possibility of sinking them (or their cash haul).
The release was brilliant: Fanboys latched onto the $80 superfan package, casual or sympathetic fans threw a couple bucks its way for middling but DRM-free MP3s, and the band cleaned up on positive press, only to have another shot to do it again in a couple months with a regular release riding a wave of hype.
Saul Williams proves to be an interesting test case for independent digital distribution: He's not a household name, but he is forcefully backed by someone who is. In truth, without Trent's involvement, it's doubtful many people would be writing about this at all. Regardless, the release strategy is bolder and closer to what people want out of digital distribution: no DRM, easy access, solid bitrates whether you paid or not, and choices (FLAC or MP3, free or flat, reasonable fee). And while there could be a CD release of Niggy Tardust, given Trent's stance on the major labels, it's highly doubtful it'll be through one of the Big Four.
It's been asked what's up with the hate for physical media and trumpeting of digital releases. I don't hate CDs. I buy a ton of them. The issue is choice. People can buy an album on CD, buy it DRM'd to hell and of mediocre bitrate from a number of online stores or grab it for free in whatever quality they want without DRM from an equally large number of quasi-(il)legal outlets. Trent Reznor and Saul Williams are simply recognizing that piracy is a legitimate, or at least a real consumer choice, and they are cutting out the middlemen—both the labels and the pirates.
What I'm arguing is that the future of the music industry is in offering up music in as many avenues as possible, as easily and cheaply as possible. It's not so much advice as it is inevitability—it's just where things are going. The hard reality is that people place a different value on that content now than they did before—it's absurd to me to pay for news, for instance, despite being in the industry—and no matter how many people the industry sues, that won't change.
To me, five bucks is reasonable for a digital copy of an album at a good bitrate, ten for a real CD. But it might be three bucks and six for the guy next to me on the bus. Or nothing at all, but he'll drop thirty bucks go to a concert. Maybe he just spreads the word to someone who will. The music industry fits in here by offering reasonable choices and formats to accommodate all of those situations—at prices people will pay (or not) in each of them—of which there are, actually, more of than ever.
Radiohead didn't go far enough because they didn't really believe in their online release as a genuine choice. (Witness the quote from their management, "If we didn't believe that when people hear the music they will want to buy the CD, then we wouldn't do what we are doing.") On the flip side, Trent told people to steal his music because CD prices are too high, and will probably release his next album in much the same way Saul did.
Radiohead gives samples away to try to keep people from stealing it. Saul is giving his album away so they don't have to. In that way, Radiohead's step forward is an almost equal one back, while Saul's is one that's firmly forward, even if he ends up stumbling along the way.
Comments
niggy tardust's album blowwwwwed. ugh. you get what you pay for.
Something about this article doesn't add up: Radiohead's upcoming CD release will be ripped and spread around for free too. I doubt anyone who bought the songs online are going to buy the CD as well. I know I won't....I already paid 20£ and prefer not to own physical media to clutter my living space. If I see higher quality formats floating around, I'll grab 'em.
Also: If piracy is such an issue, then why do so many people buy music on iTunes when they could get it for free? My wish is to see artists be able to do the Saul Williams approach, but with a small change: ANY format available to be downloaded + the ability to preview files before buying them without having to download the album. It would be like test driving a car before buying it.
The only thing left to wonder about is how good artists can get promoted and heard so people don't have to wade through gigantic craploads of bad music to find those good nuggets.
@knappoleon: I didn't like it either, but I'm glad I got to take a quick listen before trashing it. I applaud the release approach though.
Personally, I loved the album. I thought it was one of the most original, unique things Trent has done since Downward Spiral. I realize it's not Trent's album, but c'mon...he was all over it. It's good to see him do something not so paint-by-numbers NIN sounding. And that's from someone who really, really likes NIN. Now I'd like to hear him do a country album.
niggy tardust took me two whole plays before it clicked. Raving about how different yet awesome it is, would be a waste of both my time and yours. This article touches on a very important point, though. Instead of hunting down a rip of a promo cd and waiting for the torrent, I got this album the same time as everyone, at amazing download speed, pushing my FIOS nice and hard - straight from the artist. I loved what I heard, I went back and bought the FLAC. The full color art/lyrics book that comes with it is fantastic, to boot. When Radiohead release the hard copy, will you get PDF art & lyrics for your donation? I'm particularly pleased at how smart and open the entire Niggy process was. No bait and switch.
Definitely Fail on Radiohead's part.
-Hell, if the local band can muster a CD run, Radiohead can do it too, be their own distributor, still make more, and just get away from crappy record companies.
@altimage: All Trent did was produce it. You might want to learn what exactly a producer does before you start giving him credit. If you want to give someone credit for the album, give it where it is due: to Saul Williams.
BTW, Trent has produced/collaborated in many other projects that were "not so paint-by-numbers NIN sounding."
And with all due respect to artistic freedom, country music can die in a fire.
@spaceman7: What Radiohead did might not be ideal from a consumer standpoint, but it is a far cry from "fail." They did a lot more than the vast majority of major label artists in releasing In Rainbows with their pay-what-you-like system. They are toeing the line for a new distribution model, and you fault them for not taking a giant leap of faith? Please.
@ninjashock: "country music can die in a fire"
LOL!! But then what would rednecks listen to?
Radiohead sucks. I blogged on this too. Glad to see others of same opinion though. When is everyone going to get up on Lessig's SHIZNOT...wait until he drops his joint.
[vip3rfantastic.vox.com]
Oh...and I think we should all take a step back and realize the genius that is Chuck D. That title...omg
i thought Niggy Tardust was fantastic, and I applaud it that manner in which it was released. I hope beyond hop that more and more bands and artists, both in music and film, release their art in these ways.
To people who didn't like Saul Williams' album: if you hadn't heard of him before this, you're probably not his target audience. He's been more of a poet/spoken word artist than musician. If that's not your thing then fine, but at least recognize that you probably aren't qualified to say if it sucks or not since it may be completely out of your circle of musical taste.
@metonae:
"you probably aren't qualified to say if it sucks or not since it may be completely out of your circle of musical taste."
I think ANYONE is qualified to say that ANYTHING sucks. It's simply an opinion, wether you like it or not. MECHR00N01 said Radiohead sucks (one of my favorite bands!) but I'm not going to get all offended and tell him he isn't qualified to say that because of his inability to appreciate the finer points of Thom's depressing vocals. :)
got both, for free, loved Radiohead, the other, well, it went quickly to the trash been.
BTW, METONE, you should recognize that your not qualified to say we are able to recognize if we are qualified or not to recocognize anything or quality. Understand?
The one thing I think we all can agree on is your post blew (blowed?), similar to that album. And I am qualified enough to tell that.
@ninjashock: It sounds to me like Trent did a lot more than just produce it...it feels like more of a collaboration to me. Trent is singing on it, did lots of the music etc. Not taking anything away from Saul (I've since heard some of his previous stuff and even saw Slam), but this album is different for both of them.
Radiohead did fail, all they needed was to make a bold step forward and abandon a corrupt and exploitive industry for a more practical and honourable model. At that they failed, outright.
Williams/Reznor brainstormed a great beta model that was inclusive and practical. Should the desire arise to release a physical format, then the capital from Digital Sales are already there. It's an honest model that enable fans with greater access to the artist.
Reznor's now kind of unselling out, and making it really interesting to be a fan. Radiohead could have spun the smae cycle, instead they're just perpetuating what's wrong with the existing model anyway. Despite their choice in labels.
@Leviathant: Same here, and I think it that Saul getting all this press could be a good or a bad thing. To someone who hasn't listened to his first album, this one probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Saul is more of a Spoken-Word artist than he is Hip-hop, or singer, or anything else. When he writes he writes with purpose and verse. The tracks the fall behind his voice is merely a lubricant for the message he's preaching.
In that sense, I think Niggy Tardust was a huge success, my only qualm is that Trent did seem to have his hand a little too deep in the cookie jar. Saul is apt at what he does, and I'm sure he made decisions to make the tracks the way they are now, but I feel like there was a great deal of influence from Trent and sometimes it's better for it and sometimes I think it suffers.
And after writing this whole thing, I realize metonae said exactly what I did, albeit a bit more jarring and less exhaustive.
saul williams writing is better than his music, but i'm definitely a fan of "...niggy tardust"
What the hell ya got against Phish?? Their first album was brilliant!
And I think Radio Head's move was a just a big gimmik, but their hearts are in the right place :D
Not only did Saul Williams get my $5 for the album, but I searched out and got Saul Williams' first album (unfortunately through iTunes, I was at work). Really, they are making it pointless to go the illegal route. Only cheap-skate douche bags wouldn't pay $5 for an album. Also, the procedure for getting the album was VERY easy. No annoyances to try, and basic credit card info to buy. Well done. I hope my other bands are listening.
if anyone hasn't realized yet, there are a few bits of information that set this album apart from anything either of them have don't before with Niggy Tardust.
First off its a side project for both of them, Saul Williams isn't the artist Niggy Tardust is. Its a play just like David Bowie did with Ziggy Stardust. its an alter ego of saul williams so you really can not compare it to his other work. and trent did ALL the music for the album, while he did look to saul for approval on some things and they did work together, in the end it was all trent for the music.
There are more artists doing something similar. The Icelandic artist Mugison (mugison.com) released his album online, with a twist. You buy the CD, and you can download it in full quality (320kbps AAC/MP3, DRM free) while you wait for the physical cd to be shipped (for free!), and it's cheaper than buying it at the store (at least in Iceland).
He of course did the music, produced the album, does the distribution, sells it on his website, did the packaging with his family and friends while he and his dad take care of mailing the orders (signing a copy or 2 on the way). He also recorded the first concert in his tour and put online the same night on his website.
This way you _know_ you're paying the artist what he/she deserves, and it goes straight to his bank account :) Cut out the middleman!
@MJDeviant: I hope they are too.
And you're very right.
@MJDeviant: Your represent the reason why the Music Industry as is today must eventually die.
Fans like yourself should be the ones that big record companies should care for. Digital distribution is the means for which a new audience can now connect to new talent and support it directly. Instead of nurturing these fans and providing safe, legal avenues for distribution however, they find them threatening to their existing sales model and they go out of their way to stomp on them and make them out to be no better than criminals (even if you buy it from iTunes, they lump you in among the Pirates by assuming your're just itching to go and Torrent it elsewhere, hence the pesky DRM).
When more new artists decide to forego the monolithic and restrictive Record Corporations, they will find a ready-made audience willing to hear them out that would not have bothered dropping $20-$30 bucks on an album they knew nothing about them. Heck, they will reach more people than ever before.
How can THAT be a bad thing?
@ninjashock: While Trent took credit as a producer (and very little credit anywhere else on the album), anyone who has been a fan of NIN for more than ten minutes can clearly hear the influence.
@ninjashock:
come on guys, read the liner notes of the album before making snarky inacurate comments... yeah trent was "producer" but he's also given credit for writing the music (in full or part) for ELEVEN of the fifteen songs on the album.
@johnnyrandom: What's the difference? You already have to wade through craploads of bad music to find something good. I've given up on radio, satellite or terrestrial. I can listen to the same 40 min from a local station for free or pay XM/Sirius to listen to a 90 min loop but I seldom hear anything new and good. While I don't really fault the local stations (I live in Bumfark, Wyoming), I am disappointed that satellite hasn't shown the way to new and exciting sounds.
There needs to be a way for Radiohead to give ME money for everything put out since OK Computer. That being said, '15 Step' is a really good song. I also really liked Saul William's album, but you cannot deny Reznor's impact on it.
I'm one of the many people that believes the record industry is on it's way to the grave with it's current model. To me it's simple;
The record industry was started at a time where promotion and distribution was not easy, required a lot of money and a lot of work. Nowadays people can spend some cash, get Fruity Loops or Pro Tools, produce their own albums, and sell them online just as easy.
It's an over-sized industry that's going to end up deflating to a small little husk of it's self. They should be quick and embrace the technology of today because it's going to win before they do. Really they don't have a choice and their business is falling through their fingers unless they figure out a new model.
Digital media in any form is easy to pirate, but that doesn't mean there aren't enough people like myself who are willing to pay for something legitimate. All in all, big business is going to lose and the common man is going to win. Quality is still quality and can only be created and obtained by certain means, a talent with merit will still stand out against a flood of trite crap without the record industry.
Traditional artists still do after all, and how easy is it to get a JPEG? Very, but I'll still go out and buy the book or poster if I like it enough, same goes for music. It's just a shame there's no popular analog format for it, but that's another discussion.
@rususeruru: I never said there was a "difference" if you read my post again. I'm simply stating that I wish it was easier to find good music, period. Right now (regardless of delivery) it seems almost random to find something cool. If I actively search for good music it can be very time consuming (online, vinyl, cds, etc). Or maybe I'm just being a lazy bitch.
I'm failing to grasp why this discussion has among some of you, evolved into "Band X" sucks, "Band Y" rules, and I'm afraid that it is clouding your judgment on the subject of the article. Remove the noband names, and read it again.
This is one of those times where capitalism and democracy become divergent, where it becomes more important for art, for culture, and for our societal evolution to tear down one methodology, and replace it with another. You might not agree, but you aren't voting with your voice, but your actions.
The same goes for the artists. Band A is doing something, at least. Band B is doing a fair amount more, partially as a dry run to test the waters for Band C to follow suit. Just as listeners react to music, music reacts to the listeners. This article is discussing those reactions, in terms of degree of efficacy. That's it.
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