Well now, in case you missed it a couple of posts back, I was giving props to Radiohead for their “rebirth” as an indie artist. In Rainbows, their latest release was available as a free digital download before you could even buy it in the store. I also mentioned that if I wasn’t mistaken, Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails weren’t far behind… I love it when my powers of clairvoyance actually work… You can get a free download of the single Discipline if ya click on this little link here. Don’t say we never gave ya nothin’…

I was in the car the other day and one of the local DJ’s was talking about the change in the record industry and wondering aloud how it was the record companies were going to be able to continue making money. With the likes of Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails bringing product directly to our computers, I’m sure there are board rooms all over the country wondering the same thing. If they have any brains at all, they’ll realize they somehow have to harness the Internet in a fashion that just isn’t affordable to the average Joe. Let’s face it, The Internet is becoming privatized right under our very noses. Record labels, if they’re smart, will become miniature film companies and instead of releasing a new CD, the new music will be released on a DVD with videos for every track, live performance clips and maybe some behind the scenes shenanigans. Release a few singles as free digital downloads, leak a few videos onto YouTube, and then just buy up exposure online like they would with any other media outlet.

No matter what happens, we the consumer have more choices than ever on where to find our music. If record labels want to hold our attention, and more importantly our money, they’re going to have to step up and offer us more.