Radiohead: Not so Cutting Edge on Nude Remix

Radiohead's new single Nude from In Rainbows is out. Being the creative band they are, Radiohead is innovating by allowing their fans to download 6 tracks to remix. Each track, available on iTunes for $.99, represents one instrument from Nude (Bass, Drums, Guitar, etc). This fan-based mix is similar to REM's open source video.

When I first heard the news, I was excited - Radiohead was pushing the boundaries again. But now that I've had a chance to check it out, I'm less enthusiastic. I have two concerns. First, Nude was part of In Rainbows, an album where fans could "name their price" for purchase. Why is Radiohead charging $.99 for each of the Nude tracks? You have to assume most fans already own In Rainbows. This leads to other questions. If I already bought the album, why would I have to pay for the individual tracks? What did I actually purchase when I paid for the digital album?

I purchased In Rainbows, legally. This means I own the Nude MP3. Why would I pay for parts (individual tracks), when I already own the whole (the full song)? Can I open the Nude MP3 and separate out each instrument or may I only use it in the format that was provided?

This reminds me of The iPod Approach post on TechCrunch. Music labels in the UK want to establish a music tax on iPods because you can convert CDs to MP3s. "Unquestionably, there is a value produced by the ability to format shift. It is imperative that creators and performers should benefit directly from this value." Creators and performers want some money when your rip your CDs to MP3s.

When you buy a product, a CD or MP3, should you be able to convert it into a different format or break it into its individual parts? I say yes - if you purchased it, it's yours.

Radiohead fails to understand this concept. They would have generated far more media coverage, had the MP3s been free. More people would remix the song, more people would be interested and more people would talk about it (favorably). The press is worth more than they'll make selling these solo instrument tracks for $.99.

Come on guys, Radiohead, music labels and media companies, once a customer buys your product, they can format it, convert it, and slice it however they want.