I’m not talking about the Daily Mail giveaway - I’m talking about the NPG club. Prince has been giving music away for years as incentive for monetizing his fanclub.

Yes, consumers still place value on recorded works, but it will all change as that space is being replaced by other physical goods. It has to. Fans need to OWN or COLLECT in some way. The fan/artist relationship can’t be all ephemeral but I have my doubts that the album will be that binky for much longer.

Re: Radiohead, et. all

I agree! BUT you or I can not hold ourselves to the same metrics. These are trailblazers we’re talking about. My examples are usually best practices once thinking has changed/stabilized.

Giving it away may not get you any press - on the contrary, I believe it will just wind up to be a ubiquitous practice. But those who get hip to it early may stand a chance of attracting a little attention.

And I’m all for thinking more cleverly, and beyond just these points.

I feel I must say that I”m not necessarily promoting these changes as much as I am predicting them. If given the opportunity to perfect my art or force change for a whole industry, I’ll stick to my bass. But you have to recognize change especially when the current is already pulling you down the river.

We probably a) won’t get the column inches, so there’s no resultant advertising payoff that translates to ticket sales, and b) almost certainly don’t have the kind of audience that will pay $$$ for the multi-disc set, or the means to record enough material, video, photos, t-shirts to supply that kind of demand…

So we need to think a little more cleverly than that…

I’d say that your music should ultimately cost something, but it doesn’t need to be money. :o)