GNG News Guy
03-03-2008, 12:24 PM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/92/69892.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NIN-Embraces-P2P-Again-Offers-Free-Music-92331)
While the major labels have had trouble adjusting to how broadband & piracy changed their business model, Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor hasn't. To tell the backstory and generate excitement for their last album, Year Zero, the band used fake government websites (http://anotherversionofthetruth.com/), fake revolutionaries (http://www.artisresistance.com/), fake crackpots (http://iamtryingtobelieve.com/) and fake companies (http://www.consolidatedmailsystems.com/nooneimportant/). They also leaked DRM-free tracks to fans (some of them in formats allowing for remixing by sequencing software) and ultimately offered the album for free -- none of which their label liked.
Reznor is back again, and is now offering the first part of his latest album, Ghosts, for free download via the band's website (http://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options). The full album (38 songs) will cost $5 to download. The band's server seems to be struggling from the strain, but they've already uploaded the first nine songs to BitTorrent trackers (http://thepiratebay.org/tor/4059158/Nine_Inch_Nails_-_Ghosts_I_(2008)) for free (Amazon also has it (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00158SHD8/104-7207505-4431940?ie=UTF8&tag=demonbaby-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00158SHD8)). The band, now freshly untethered from a traditional record label, has this to say in liner notes of the latest release:"Now that we re no longer constrained by a record label, we ve decided to personally upload Ghosts I, the first of the four volumes, to various torrent sites, because we believe BitTorrent is a revolutionary digital distribution method, and we believe in finding ways to utilize new technologies instead of fighting them. . . We encourage you to share the music of Ghosts I with your friends, post it on your website, play it on your podcast, use it for video projects, etc. It's licensed for all non-commercial use under Creative Commons.
Like most bands, the group previously made the majority of their revenue from touring and merchandising, turning the albums into little more than promotional material -- the revenue from which went to the label. Without a label, the band is obviously taking that revenue (assuming people pay) directly. The go on in the liner notes to urge users who like the product to pay for it ($5 download, $10 CD, or more expensive deluxe editions).
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NIN-Embraces-P2P-Again-Offers-Free-Music-92331)
While the major labels have had trouble adjusting to how broadband & piracy changed their business model, Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor hasn't. To tell the backstory and generate excitement for their last album, Year Zero, the band used fake government websites (http://anotherversionofthetruth.com/), fake revolutionaries (http://www.artisresistance.com/), fake crackpots (http://iamtryingtobelieve.com/) and fake companies (http://www.consolidatedmailsystems.com/nooneimportant/). They also leaked DRM-free tracks to fans (some of them in formats allowing for remixing by sequencing software) and ultimately offered the album for free -- none of which their label liked.
Reznor is back again, and is now offering the first part of his latest album, Ghosts, for free download via the band's website (http://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options). The full album (38 songs) will cost $5 to download. The band's server seems to be struggling from the strain, but they've already uploaded the first nine songs to BitTorrent trackers (http://thepiratebay.org/tor/4059158/Nine_Inch_Nails_-_Ghosts_I_(2008)) for free (Amazon also has it (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00158SHD8/104-7207505-4431940?ie=UTF8&tag=demonbaby-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00158SHD8)). The band, now freshly untethered from a traditional record label, has this to say in liner notes of the latest release:"Now that we re no longer constrained by a record label, we ve decided to personally upload Ghosts I, the first of the four volumes, to various torrent sites, because we believe BitTorrent is a revolutionary digital distribution method, and we believe in finding ways to utilize new technologies instead of fighting them. . . We encourage you to share the music of Ghosts I with your friends, post it on your website, play it on your podcast, use it for video projects, etc. It's licensed for all non-commercial use under Creative Commons.
Like most bands, the group previously made the majority of their revenue from touring and merchandising, turning the albums into little more than promotional material -- the revenue from which went to the label. Without a label, the band is obviously taking that revenue (assuming people pay) directly. The go on in the liner notes to urge users who like the product to pay for it ($5 download, $10 CD, or more expensive deluxe editions).
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NIN-Embraces-P2P-Again-Offers-Free-Music-92331)