Take a breath and think about this. How about a CD from online? Or even better, just a CD. I can honestly say the last CD I bought was The Chemical Brothers’ “We Are the Night”a couple of months ago. Before that, I couldn’t even tell you. I, like many people, have discovered the beauty of downloading music. The CD is something that I consider a step between the artist and my Zen MP3 player. Now, I am not the only one.

Radiohead has made a buzz in the music world again by releasing its seventh major record, “In Rainbows,” online. Not only is it available for download only, but you name your price, even $0 if you are compelled. The band has ditched its money-mongering record label and opted for this option since no physical product is being produced. Since “Pablo Honey”to now, Radiohead has always been innovators in the music world, but what does this say about the music industry?
I, for a long time, had stopped buying CDs because more than $10 for a CD is outrageous. Furthermore, the artist wasn’t receiving more than a small percentage of the sales amount. The rest would go to the record label. What am I paying them for? They didn’t come up with the music. I have only bought CDs from artists whom I truly admire and know are going to give me an aural explosion. I even bought Interpol’s “Antics”twice because I scratched my first copy.   
           
This brings me to another point, how much of an audience is out there for a band to put out an album like this? I think at this point Radiohead (and Madonna) are the only recording artists that could pull off something like this. Their fans are loyal and expect nothing but great and controversial music from them. I would download this album in a beat, but I am waiting for a paycheck. I have bills to pay you know. But, I mentioned that I could get it for free if I wanted to. I have a loyalty to Radiohead. I have bought all their albums, and I plan to do the same with this one. They have not failed me as artists and that is why their fans have a strong loyalty to them and they can do what they have done. I seriously doubt any other band or performer (except Madonna) could pull it off.
           
In an article I read from MTVnews.com, writer James Montgomery makes an excellent point that pop performers such as Kanye West and Fall Out Boy would absolutely tank if they were not signed with a major label. The label provides promotion, gigs and an audience to feed to. You have to have a loyal audience to do what Radiohead is doing, and they have it. Other musical powerhouses are also leaving their labels. Madonna, Nine Inch Nails and R.E.M. are all taking their music into their own hands. But they have been around for decades and know their audiences and know they are out there.
           
Major labels aren’t going to disappear soon. I wouldn’t mind if they did, since that would rid me of all the Fall Out Boys out there. But many bands are having success on small or independent labels like the Hives on Gold Village Entertainment.

Major labels (Sony/BMG, EMI, Warner and Universal Music Group) need to realize that in order to be successful and respected, they need to stop being greedy. They need to take care of their artists and understand that no one really wants to dish out $18 for a CD that can be burned for a buck. Give me good artists at a fair price, and maybe the suits won’t be paired off with lawyers as scum.