In Rainbows

"Videotape" as "absolute agony", stating that the song "went through every possible parameter". One day, Yorke left the studio, returning to find that Godrich and Jonny Greenwood had stripped the song down to the version found on the album, a minimal piano ballad. Yorke has said that the album's lyrics are based on "that anonymous fear thing, sitting in traffic, thinking, 'I'm sure I'm supposed to be doing something else' ... it's similar to OK Computer in a way. It's much more terrifying."

Read more: In Rainbows | In this article: Radiohead, Thom Yorke, OK Computer, Stanley Donwood, Jonny Greenwood, Bodysnatchers, Jigsaw Falling into Place, Neu!, and EMI

Commenting on the distribution of the album, Dave LaGesse of "U.S. News & World Report" said "The move seems an even purer play than what Radiohead did with its most recent album, "In Rainbows"." Jody Rosen of "Rolling Stone" magazine called giving away "The Slip" for free Reznor's "most radical stunt yet", and added that "it' an impressively democratic, fourth-wall-shattering gesture coming from one of music's biggest control-freak auteurs."

Read more: The Slip (album) | In this article: The Slip, Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails, Discipline, Ghosts I-IV, IGN, Pitchfork Media, Alan Moulder, The Fragile, and DVD

At one point, Yorke says "In Rainbows was a particular aesthetic and I can't bear the idea of doing that again," so Simonini asks:

Read more: Radiohead LP Not Coming Anytime Soon | In this article: Thom Yorke, The Believer, Stereogum, Willy and the Poor Boys, IPod, and Hail to the Thief

"Changes to the ways in which music is recorded, experienced, consumed and shared have been unprecedented over recent years - whether that's Radiohead's tip jar experiment for 'In Rainbows' or the emergence of new digital services," he explained.

Read more: Feargal Sharkey to quiz fans with UK Music Survey | In this article: Feargal Sharkey, God, and Radiohead

"What's going on is that artists are starting to have to take more control over what they are doing because the economics are getting twisted so dramatically," said Brian Message, co-manager of Radiohead, the band that blazed a trail by offering their 2007 album In Rainbows as a "pay what you can" download. "Artists need to start having some kind of collective organisation that can help to start to define the new rules of the game and to encourage and promote that artists-fan relationship."

Read more: Union fights for pop stars' rights in digital era | In this article: Radiohead, David Rowntree, Bruce Dickinson, Coldplay, James Hetfield, Annie Lennox, Kate Nash, Monkee, and Blur

"I think with the digital age and record companies dispersing and disbanding, young bands need a governing voice that will support them and help protect their work," he said. Brian Message, the co-manager of Radiohead, which left its record label EMI after wranglings over copyright and later released In Rainbows as a "pay what you can" download, said new artists could also share their experience of building up online fanbases and promoting their own concerts on the internet. The band's guitarist Ed O'Brien said joining the union was a "no brainer". "We believe all musicians and artists should be signing up,"

Read more: Millionaire rock stars launch performers' union | In this article: Radiohead, Badly Drawn Boy, EMI, The Verve, Kaiser Chiefs, Musicians' Union, EPA, Ed O'Brien, and David Gilmour

"The expectation among rights-holders is that, in order to create a success story, you must reduce the rate of piracy - we've found that is not the case," said Mr Garland, chief executive of Big Champagne, who highlighted the benefits that Radiohead received from the album's popularity, including strong ticket sales for its concerts this year. The findings could add impetus to rights-holders' efforts to license digital services that are at present beyond their reach, following the pattern of the MCPS-PRS Alliance's recent move to license YouTube, the Google-owned online video-sharing site. "Developing new ways and finding new places to get something as opposed to nothing"

Read more: Music industry 'should embrace illegal websites' | In this article: Radiohead, Mcps-prs Alliance, Peer-to-peer, YouTube, Google, and New York

Martin Stiksel, Last.fm co-founder, said: "Radiohead understand that the Internet is changing music distribution, and we're extremely proud that they've teamed up with us to offer In Rainbows for free-on-demand streaming. We believe that music fans should be able to access music for free, and just as importantly, that artists and rights holders should be paid when their music is listened to. Last.fm makes this possible, and we're thrilled to be working with Radiohead to once again break new ground in digital music."

Read more: Last.fm Offers Radiohead's In Rainbows for Free-On-Demand Listening | In this article: Last.fm, Radiohead, Warner/Chappell Music, CBS Corporation, Revenue, NYSE, Sony BMG, EMI, and The Orchard

Bryce Edge, Radiohead's co-Manager, said: "We felt this was a fantastic means of offering a new way for people to discover In Rainbows. It's perfect timing for the band's current world tour."

Read more: Last.fm Offers Radiohead's In Rainbows for Free-On-Demand Listening | In this article: Last.fm, Radiohead, Warner/Chappell Music, CBS Corporation, Revenue, NYSE, Sony BMG, EMI, and The Orchard

"We felt this was a fantastic means of offering a new way for people to discover In Rainbows. It's perfect timing for the band's current world tour." Jane Dyball, Senior Vice President, European Legal and Business Affairs, Warner/Chappell Music said, "The experimental 'one stop shop' for all In Rainbows digital rights has proved a great success. It has offered the band a whole spectrum of innovative ways to digitally distribute and promote their album, whilst providing all their licensees with a nimble service on terms set in consultation with the group and their management."

Read more: Last.fm Offers Radiohead's In Rainbows for Free-On-Demand Listening | In this article: Last.fm, Radiohead, Warner/Chappell Music, CBS Corporation, Revenue, NYSE, Sony BMG, EMI, and The Orchard