The way people buy and store music is changing; as technology evolves the music industry may be about to undergo a major transformation.
The decision by English rock band, Radiohead to offer their latest album,' In Rainbows’, as a pay-what-you-like download is shaking up the music business.
In a groundbreaking experiment, the group is bypassing record labels and basically
Trying to restructure the economics of the music industry.
RTÉ lyric fm broadcaster John Kelly cannot predict how this will play out but thinks,
Those who can afford to mess with it should, you know, have a go at the system and see what happens.
This new band led business model could see a time when consumers will not buy music to take home. One customer in HMV record shop on Dublin's Grafton Street disagrees,
I think I’ll still buy it, like a collection.
Another customer would happily avail of free downloads but,
If I have to buy a CD I would absolutely.
Established artists like Prince have abandoned the paid-for album, concentrating on live revenue and merchandise sales. But, smaller bands such as Irish rock band Future Kings of Spain are sticking with the traditional business model. Singer and guitarist with the band Joey Wilson feels their fan base prefer to support the band by purchasing the album as they know,
The band sort of needs that revenue to kind of continue on.
Even though the music industry could be about on the cusp of a major transformation, classic Radiohead albums are still readily available on good old fashioned vinyl.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 3 October 2007. The presenter is Gareth O’Connor.
