Archive for April, 2009
Switchfoot announced this week on their website that their next album would in fact be four albums and would be releases over a period of time. 80+ songs are said to be coming from the band. This follows their decision not to re-up with their record label and follow in the footsteps of Radiohead into the world of independence.
Last year Radiohead released their album “In Rainbows” from their website and set a “pay what you want” price for it. You could literally purchase the album for 1 cent or 1 million dollars. Later the album was released in cd format and on iTunes via a distribution deal with ATO records, a label that Dave Matthews is involved with.
The pay what you want format didn’t seem to hurt In Rainbows. Late in 2008 the album had already hit triple platinum status, released as the #1 album on iTunes, and had sold just over 1 million physical cd’s indicated well over 2 million digital albums had been purchased. They also later released individual stems or tracks for each instrument for the song Nude so that fans could make their own remixes of the song.
Now, I’m pretty sure none of this creativity or freedom would have been explored within the confines of a recording contract. We can only hope Switchfoot takes the same kind of liberties, freedoms, and risks with their first shot at the indie release.
Like Radiohead they also have a distribution deal through ATO. The dying record labels only mean new life for artists and fans and new excitement around the art of making music. We’re waiting to be moved by art again, not industry made robots. Burn.
From The Inside Out - Kristian Stanfill arrangement
Everything Glorious - David Crowder Band
Remember you can here the same songs in both the Gymnatorium and Theater venues. See you there. Come singing.
All To You - Lincoln Brewster
For All The World To See - don’t know, Kid’s City is singing this one with us!
Center - Charlie Hall
O Praise Him - David Crowder Band
Let God Arise - Chris Tomlin
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