I am sitting in the train on my way back to Copenhagen. I was in Aalborg last night to play a gig, and after that I DJ’ed in Århus at a friends club. I was just reading a piece in danish newspaper Information about Radiohead and how they use their new-found freedom, after they split from their old label EMI. The article is centered around their use of torrents and pay-what-you-like-methods of distributing their music. It’s clear that the journalist, Ralf Christensen (who by the way co-directed the brilliant documentary Good Copy Bad Copy) feels that the band is leading by example, and that other artists would benefit from distributing their music this way too. I partly agree with him, but I think that a major reformation of the industry is needed.
The last song from Radiohead “These Are My Twisted Words”, was absolutely free and released via Mininova, a well known torrent-tracker similar to Piratebay. As Ralf Christensen also states in the article, Radiohead would not be as big a band as they are, had it not been for their deal with EMI, and the enormous amounts of resources put into promoting them. Had they not been Radiohead, the release would probably not be noticed, but journalists around the world tune into radiohead.com everyday so the release – and not least the method of the release – received major attention. I think it’s important to consider what releasing albums for free, without a label means for someone who is not Radiohead.
Of course Radiohead did not invent this way of releasing music. Bands and striving artists have been giving away their music for free, via the internet, for the last fifteen years or so. They have done it for the instant feedback, and they have done it because they could. Heck, I was doing it ten years ago, but not because I wanted to turn over the music industry, or because I saw myself as some kind of Robin Hood-figure. I did it because it was a simple, effective, controllable and fast way of getting my music out to a lot of people. What I have found is that I prefer this method of distributing my music, as opposed to traditional album releases. I can release one song or one thousand songs in one release, and I am not limited by physical wrapping. That means I can include practically anything with a release, be it additional artwork, video, photographs, etc. And the best thing is that I can do all this myself at little or no cost. Why spend your whole life chasing a record deal, when you could spend it on refining your art? Unless it’s the fame your after?
Maybe the reason why the music industry wasn’t revolutionized instantly by the invention of the MP3 format, is that many artists still want the fame, more than the artistic satisfaction and creative control? Maybe the big labels aren’t the real problem in our industry, but rather that we – the artists – still strive for fame and glory instead of concentrating on our music? My point is this: When the means of recording and distributing are getting ever easier and cheaper, why don’t more bands do it themselves, instead of giving away control and money to a label? Is it because, what we really want is… fame?
I think we need a revolution of the mindset in the industry to match the distribution methods. The balance has changed, and the need to rethink what it means to be a musician is necessary. I am not saying that you shouldn’t sign with a label that can do all the hard stuff for you (at a price of course), but I am saying that you should consider what it is you want from your career – and most importantly – what you don’t want, and then choose your methods accordingly. The tools to do it yourself are there. You can record, distribute, promote if not for free, then definitely at an affordable price, and that is a valid option. It takes a lot more work from your side, but on the other hand you have complete control over your art.
Back to Radiohead. They are a band that could easily capitalize on their past releases, but they choose to move forward as artists and as businessmen. They strive to do things differently and they lead by example and all that jazz. But remember that they made their money and they have recognition from the entire western music world. So where does that leave the rest of us?
If we want music to be free, if we want music to be something that has no value in the economic sense, then the artist has to let go of the dreams of big money and stardom beyond the moon. And I don’t think we’re quite there yet. Do you?
