Comments on: Radiohead Goes Traditional http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html Internet Marketing News Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:00:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alex -s- http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38752 Alex -s- Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:25:46 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38752 http://mashable.com/2007/10/19/radiohead-album-sales/ Just to bring some follow up to this interesting conversation. Average of $8 per CD sounds more like a sum most buyers would like to see on shelves :) I think this year will see more artists trying this route and hopefully the recording industry trying some new pricing models to finally have a competitive product on store shelves. I remember when CDs first came out - "The prices will drop when more people have the technology" - guess what -they didnt drop - some fatcats at Sony etc realised they were on a get rich quick scheme - and finally its looking like consumers are telling the industry that the ride is slowing down. (PS - what happens if we can't add but still want to comment ;) (sorry -i couldnt resist it) http://mashable.com/2007/10/19/radiohead-album-sales/

Just to bring some follow up to this interesting conversation.

Average of $8 per CD sounds more like a sum most buyers would like to see on shelves :)

I think this year will see more artists trying this route and hopefully the recording industry trying some new pricing models to finally have a competitive product on store shelves.

I remember when CDs first came out – “The prices will drop when more people have the technology” – guess what -they didnt drop – some fatcats at Sony etc realised they were on a get rich quick scheme – and finally its looking like consumers are telling the industry that the ride is slowing down.

(PS – what happens if we can’t add but still want to comment ;) (sorry -i couldnt resist it)

]]> By: links for 2007-12-17 | The Marketing Technology Blog http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38434 links for 2007-12-17 | The Marketing Technology Blog Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:25:49 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38434 [...] Radiohead Goes Traditional It appears Radiohead has ditched the effort to sell their music online with a “pay as you’d like” approach. I think that’s a mistake. Radiohead will surely profit from concert revenue in turn for lost sales. (tags: radiohead music industry) [...] [...] Radiohead Goes Traditional It appears Radiohead has ditched the effort to sell their music online with a “pay as you’d like” approach. I think that’s a mistake. Radiohead will surely profit from concert revenue in turn for lost sales. (tags: radiohead music industry) [...]

]]> By: Steven Bradley http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38415 Steven Bradley Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:08:31 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38415 I don't know that we can say Radiohead's experiment was a failure. I think there's been too much emphasis placed on how much money they directly made from the download. I think the experiment could still end up very successful even if they never made a penny on the music itself. I've mentioned this a few times, but most artists do not make the majority of their money from record sales. They make their money from performances and other merchandising. Many marketers would advise giving something away for free to bring new customers into your funnel where you can market to them less expensively and sell them on more and more expensive products the deeper you can draw them into the funnel. I have no idea if this was Radiohead's strategy, but why do we insist on judging them solely on the direct money the album brought in. There are so many other ways this could still be a successful marketing strategy even if 100% of the people who downloaded the music paid nothing for it. I don’t know that we can say Radiohead’s experiment was a failure. I think there’s been too much emphasis placed on how much money they directly made from the download. I think the experiment could still end up very successful even if they never made a penny on the music itself.

I’ve mentioned this a few times, but most artists do not make the majority of their money from record sales. They make their money from performances and other merchandising.

Many marketers would advise giving something away for free to bring new customers into your funnel where you can market to them less expensively and sell them on more and more expensive products the deeper you can draw them into the funnel.

I have no idea if this was Radiohead’s strategy, but why do we insist on judging them solely on the direct money the album brought in. There are so many other ways this could still be a successful marketing strategy even if 100% of the people who downloaded the music paid nothing for it.

]]> By: Devin http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38318 Devin Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:59:41 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38318 I fully agree with Alex on this one. Would the people who chose not to pay really have payed for an in-store release anyway? And in addition I really don't believe that Radiohead's goal was to make a killing anyway. I think their wallets are in pretty good shape. They have always wanted to do things different. I fully agree with Alex on this one. Would the people who chose not to pay really have payed for an in-store release anyway? And in addition I really don’t believe that Radiohead’s goal was to make a killing anyway. I think their wallets are in pretty good shape. They have always wanted to do things different.

]]> By: Futon-Matt http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38310 Futon-Matt Fri, 14 Dec 2007 13:30:11 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38310 I downloaded the album, but I actually paid something for it. Not much, but still I didn't want to take it for free. Matt I downloaded the album, but I actually paid something for it. Not much, but still I didn’t want to take it for free.

Matt

]]> By: Janet Meiners http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38229 Janet Meiners Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:29:33 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38229 Thanks for the correction that it was their plan to sell the CDs in stores all along. First, I admire Radiohead for their experiment. We're not really sure what success means to Radiohead. I wish they'd speak up in the spirit of openness that they started the experiment on. In other words, tell us how it worked out, be more transparent. Even the bidding process was a bit tough to figure out. Maybe that's beside the point because the main point was to challenge the record industry. If making money was the focus, they should've started the bidding out at a set price. I'm reminded of a time I got a free massage. The guy giving it asked me how much I'd like to pay for a professional massage. I thought about it and answered honestly - nothing. How can you get mad at fans for being human? If you change the question to - how much should you pay for the download? or how much is it our album worth to you? That's another question. I agree that this is an experiment for an already established band who can afford the risk. I'm sure it's also a better strategy for launching than for driving sales after the launch. I'd like to see a band this big try again and this time blog about the entire process. But then again, as a blogger, I'm biased. Janet Thanks for the correction that it was their plan to sell the CDs in stores all along.
First, I admire Radiohead for their experiment. We’re not really sure what success means to Radiohead.
I wish they’d speak up in the spirit of openness that they started the experiment on. In other words, tell us how it worked out, be more transparent. Even the bidding process was a bit tough to figure out.
Maybe that’s beside the point because the main point was to challenge the record industry.
If making money was the focus, they should’ve started the bidding out at a set price.
I’m reminded of a time I got a free massage. The guy giving it asked me how much I’d like to pay for a professional massage. I thought about it and answered honestly – nothing.
How can you get mad at fans for being human? If you change the question to – how much should you pay for the download? or how much is it our album worth to you? That’s another question.
I agree that this is an experiment for an already established band who can afford the risk. I’m sure it’s also a better strategy for launching than for driving sales after the launch.
I’d like to see a band this big try again and this time blog about the entire process. But then again, as a blogger, I’m biased.
Janet

]]> By: Dr. Ben http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38222 Dr. Ben Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:27:51 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38222 I believe you are wrong about it being a financial failure. The band refuted comScore's findings as "rubbish" which suggests that more people paid a price than you would expect. Plus, it is FAR from a financial failure. With no middleman, the band was able to rely on its already established name to bring in revenue. I have heard estimates ranging anywhere from $60-160 million that the band netted. And might I remind you that all of that cash went directly into the bands pockets. The reason why it shut down is not because it wasn't successful, but because the band always only intended it to be an experiment, an example of how things could be. Now would this work for any other no name indie band? Probably not, but for someone as already established as Radiohead, it seems that it did judging from the smug reaction that the band members have given to people who have estimated on the low side of their success. I believe you are wrong about it being a financial failure. The band refuted comScore’s findings as “rubbish” which suggests that more people paid a price than you would expect. Plus, it is FAR from a financial failure. With no middleman, the band was able to rely on its already established name to bring in revenue. I have heard estimates ranging anywhere from $60-160 million that the band netted. And might I remind you that all of that cash went directly into the bands pockets.

The reason why it shut down is not because it wasn’t successful, but because the band always only intended it to be an experiment, an example of how things could be.

Now would this work for any other no name indie band? Probably not, but for someone as already established as Radiohead, it seems that it did judging from the smug reaction that the band members have given to people who have estimated on the low side of their success.

]]> By: Alex -s- http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38220 Alex -s- Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:19:08 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38220 First of all - do some research first - the physical release of "in Rainbows" was always scheduled for late this year/ early next! The plan with "In Rainbows" was always to launch it online first, then launch it as a "real" product. In fact i was just reading how the band loved a fan mash up of one of their songs so much, they sourced the guy and added it to the in-store version of the CD. The fact that they decided to go with Indie label support for the release still speaks volumes for their "trust level" of the Big guys in the industry. I reckon it'll still sell as well as most CD's do - fans of the band will pay for the higher quality sound - and the moochers that got it for free off the web, well heck they would have gotten it for free off bit torrent/napster/mp3 blogs etc etc anyway. Failure? far from it! - financially maybe not the best results - but in terms of challenging the standard recording industry nonsense and taking a stand for their fans - huge success - not to mention the amount of (mostly favorable) publicity and new traffic it got them. I'm guessing they probably saw a decent movement in back catalog CD's from all of this too - people that maybe got the new CD for low cost or no cost and hadnt really heard much of them before. And as for anyone that hasn't heard or bought a Radiohead CD - shame on you all :) Merry christmas humbugs :) First of all – do some research first – the physical release of “in Rainbows” was always scheduled for late this year/ early next!

The plan with “In Rainbows” was always to launch it online first, then launch it as a “real” product. In fact i was just reading how the band loved a fan mash up of one of their songs so much, they sourced the guy and added it to the in-store version of the CD.

The fact that they decided to go with Indie label support for the release still speaks volumes for their “trust level” of the Big guys in the industry.

I reckon it’ll still sell as well as most CD’s do – fans of the band will pay for the higher quality sound – and the moochers that got it for free off the web, well heck they would have gotten it for free off bit torrent/napster/mp3 blogs etc etc anyway.

Failure? far from it! – financially maybe not the best results – but in terms of challenging the standard recording industry nonsense and taking a stand for their fans – huge success – not to mention the amount of (mostly favorable) publicity and new traffic it got them.

I’m guessing they probably saw a decent movement in back catalog CD’s from all of this too – people that maybe got the new CD for low cost or no cost and hadnt really heard much of them before.

And as for anyone that hasn’t heard or bought a Radiohead CD – shame on you all :)

Merry christmas humbugs :)

]]> By: Joshua Steimle http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38206 Joshua Steimle Thu, 13 Dec 2007 07:04:56 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38206 Hi Janet, fancy meeting you here. I'm a big fan of Radiohead, and while admittedly not an expert on their marketing strategy, it was my understanding that they were planning on selling the physical album for a set price all along, and that it was only the downloadable tracks that would be made available at an optional price to be determined by the buyer. Even if that's not the case, I don't know whether anyone but Radiohead can judge whether this is a failure or not and I'm not even sure they can make that call at this point. There still remains to be seen what effect their strategy may have on sales of Radiohead merchandise, tour tickets, etc. And perhaps for Radiohead the end game isn't simply to see if they can make more money selling direct to the public than through labels. Perhaps it was just to see if they could make <i>enough</i>. Hi Janet, fancy meeting you here.

I’m a big fan of Radiohead, and while admittedly not an expert on their marketing strategy, it was my understanding that they were planning on selling the physical album for a set price all along, and that it was only the downloadable tracks that would be made available at an optional price to be determined by the buyer.

Even if that’s not the case, I don’t know whether anyone but Radiohead can judge whether this is a failure or not and I’m not even sure they can make that call at this point. There still remains to be seen what effect their strategy may have on sales of Radiohead merchandise, tour tickets, etc.

And perhaps for Radiohead the end game isn’t simply to see if they can make more money selling direct to the public than through labels. Perhaps it was just to see if they could make enough.

]]> By: GoWFB http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html/comment-page-1#comment-38194 GoWFB Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:52:49 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/12/radiohead-goes-traditional.html#comment-38194 What a pity that the experiment did not work for Radiohead. I wish it had worked and that more artists had gone their way. What a pity that the experiment did not work for Radiohead. I wish it had worked and that more artists had gone their way.

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