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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Yorke paid nothing for own album

Thom Yorke (l), Steve Lamacq (c) and Ed O'Brien
No-one was given copies of the album for fear of it being leaked


Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has admitted he was among the thousands of people who paid nothing to download the band's latest album.

Last month the group released In Rainbows online and invited fans to set their own price.

Speaking to BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq, Yorke said: "There wasn't any point. I just move some money from one pocket to the other."

According to one survey, three in five people paid nothing at all for it.

The project, which in October one of the band's managers Bryce Edge admitted was a "risk", was shrouded in secrecy.

"We had to literally tell no-one. I didn't tell my wife we were going to release it like this," said guitarist Ed O'Brien.

Yorke added that no-one was allowed to have copies of the master recording in case it was leaked beforehand.

"Every record that we've done for ages has been leaked. And why not leak the bloody thing yourself?" he said.

Thom Yorke
Every record that we've done for ages has been leaked. And why not leak the bloody thing yourself?
Radiohead's Thom Yorke

Internet monitoring company Comscore found the average price paid for the album was $6 (£2.90).

American fans were the most generous, paying on average $8.05 (£3.85), compared with the $4.64 (£2.22) paid by those outside the US.

Of those who were willing to pay, the largest percentage (17%) paid less than $4 (£1.90).

However 12% were willing to pay between $8-$12, (£3.80 - £5.71).

Comscore said an estimated 1.2 million people visited the In Rainbows site in the first 29 days of October, but it is not clear how many downloads were made.

Radiohead have disputed Comscore's figures, calling them "wholly inaccurate".

A press release from the band's representatives said it was "impossible for outside organisations to have accurate figures".

CD and vinyl versions of In Rainbows will be released in shops on 31 December.

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