Radiohead album set free on web

In Rainbows, the seventh studio album by alternative rock group Radiohead, has become available for download from their official website.

The band have let fans decide what to pay for the 10 MP3 files - from nothing to £100.

But they have refused to reveal how many people have ordered the album, or what they paid.

Sunday's top 40 will not provide an answer, either. The band's website does not report sales to chart compilers.

However, the Oxford-based band have scored number one positions for their last three studio albums - Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail To The Thief.

I thought Radiohead were supposed to be the masters of invention and innovation

Bryce Edge, one of the band's managers, said he had evidence that fans would be willing to pay for the album.

He told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat: "We're prepared to take a risk and we might come out looking very foolish. But we believe if your music is great, then people will pay for it."

Chris Hufford, another Radiohead manager, added: "There are actually people who are going on websites and saying:, 'I don't actually like Radiohead, but I'm going to give them some money because I think it's a brilliant idea.'"

No artwork

Radiohead are the latest act to circumvent the traditional routes of supplying music to their fans.

Earlier this year, Prince gave away copies of his latest album, Planet Earth, with the Mail on Sunday newspaper in the UK.

HAVE YOUR SAY Genius gimmick to get them into the headlines with their new album. FNLN

Indie band the Charlatans are also giving away their next album as a free download to fans who visit the website of radio station XFM.

The download version of Radiohead's album contains no artwork or lyrics.

The files are provided without copy protection - meaning fans can copy them to any other computer or music-playing device.

A retail version is expected next year, while fans can also pre-order a £40 "discbox" from the band's website, which has extra tracks, a vinyl version of the album, and a lyric booklet as well as the download.

Rock legends back Radiohead plan

Radiohead's plan to let fans choose how much to pay for their new album has won support from two British indie legends.

Fans can name their price, from £0-100, and download In Rainbows on Wednesday.

Former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown said it was a "fantastic idea", adding: "Anything that can break the music industry up, I'm supporting it."

Ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr praised their trust in human nature. He said: "We'll see if their good faith is going to be rewarded. I think it will work."

'Fantastic idea'

Radiohead followers have been pre-ordering Radiohead's seventh studio album for the past week.

Everyone knows you can get your music for free, so let's see if you really want to show the band your appreciation Johnny Marr

He added: "I think people are fundamentally more decent than the corporate world would give them credit for."

Instead of listing a price, the group's website simply says: "It's up to you," and then adds: "No really, it's up to you."

"I think it's a really fantastic idea because it puts the responsibility back on people's own consciences and deals with people as grown ups," Marr told the BBC News website.

"It's not hiding behind any corporate nonsense, it's just saying 'this is the way it is, let's get on with it'.

"Everyone knows you can get your music for free, so let's see if you really want to show the band your appreciation."

Radiohead are not currently signed to a record label after their deal with Parlophone ran out, and no agreement to release the album in record shops has been announced.

Referring to The Charlatans' scheme to give away their new album, Ian Brown said: "I've heard about bands putting out free albums.

"The idea of that is that they'll then sell concert tickets and that's how they'll get the money back. Anything that's going to break the game up like that, I support it."

Brown and Marr were speaking at the Q Awards in London on Monday, where Brown was named the Q Legend and Marr received a lifetime achievement honour.