http://radiohead.com/deadairspace/



but....

Radiohead has announced their new CD -- In Rainbows. Using an innovative release method, you are able to purchase it either as a digital download, or as a huge discbox containing tons of goodies. (more on that later) The digital download will be released on October 10 -- earlier than the discbox, which is set for release on December 3. The wait is worth it, however, as this discbox contains an extra disc that contains even more new songs.

::>> More infos

Very interesting.

Radiohead to give away new album

I wonder what they'll use to encode it? Couldn't find it anywhere on the site. Hopefully it'll be lossless... but I have a feeling it's going to be in MP3.

I'll be amazed if it's lossless.

Apparently there will be a regular CD release in early 2008. Not sure how reliable that info is atm though.

I'll probably pay a couple of £'s for the MP3 and buy the CD when it's released.

I have created a poll, as I am interested to see what price members will put on the download.

They say that the standard CD version will hit stores next year. What I'm wondering is, who will handle that? Do you need a label to get into Best Buy and the like, or can they do that on their own too?

They need a label. This will be announced within the next few days according to ateaseweb.com articles. HMV listed the label as being Parlophone (their old company) but this is not official.

Damn. If they need a label, they should at least go with an independent label. It's time to just say "Fuck the RIAA." They are already the biggest band in the world, they don't need the promotion blitz of a major label. They just need their disc in stores so anyone can buy it, and indie labels are competent with that.

Rumours were that it was a large indie label (albeit with a major distributing.) Personally I've chosen my price at £0.00 (assuming it actually works!) If I like it, I'll buy it in the new year, and if I really like it I'll shell out for the luxurious version.

efforts are being made, (by yours truly as well) to form an online petition/email campaign to get radiohead to offer the album download in open formats as well, you can find the draft here at http://wiki.xiph.org/index.php/Radiohead_album_advocacy , and I started a thread in the forum asking for contributions to the draft

I just received an e-mail containing some info regarding tomorrow's download:



So now we know the format and the bitrate. I'm not too concerned to be honest as I'll be buying the discbox; I just see the download as a good way to preview the album.

Edit: Just noticed it had already been mentioned here.

Ok, i just downloaded my copy, and i think the album is great, the mp3-quality is ok.

But: have you listened to track 7 (Reckoner)? - There's a "cracking" noise on the left channel (listen from 1:39) - i guess it's a percussion sound, and it's supposed to sound that way, but listening with headphones, it sounds kinda unpleasant, like if someone's twiddling at the connectors.

So if i mixed that track, i think i would have tried to get rid of this sound, or at least make it a little less "sharp".

What do you think?

It is in mp3. When aggressive compression is done on music as rich as Radioheads, there is bound to be clipping distortions.