Reznor Vs. Radiohead
Or, Reznor Vs. In Rainbows, if you will. As you all know, they've both found success experimenting with album price points in a big way, and debuting music online. And rumor has it they'll both be headlining Lolla '08. On top of that, they're both using online video networks to commission fans to create visual pieces for their records. With the help of YouTube, Trent's asking listeners to make Ghost vids. Via NIN:
The concept is for you to take whatever tracks you feel inspired by from Ghosts ... and create what you feel should accompany them visually ... This isn't a contest and you don't win elaborate prizes -- it's meant to be an experiment in collaboration and a chance for us to interact beyond the typical one-way artist-to-fan relationship.
You can head to NIN's YouTube channel to see Reznor explain the project in more detail. Radiohead's also just announced animators can put together a video for an In Rainbows tune. They will have a prize, though: The Heads will select a winner -- after three judging stages -- who nabs $10,000 and gets to bring their video dream to complete fruition, etc.
The first stage of the competition opens today with a 4/27 deadline. The first stage is where you get to submit storyboards. As the press release puts it, "[They] may range from basic sketches with words to more complex submissions in video formats, using the song of their choice from In Rainbows." And, as the video mentions, you can get more info about the next stages at Aniboom. With all these overlaps, clearly it's only a matter of time before one music industry innovator starts dissing the other. Oh, wait, here we go...
Via Ars Technica:
"I think the way [Radiohead] parlayed it into a marketing gimmick has certainly been shrewd," Reznor said when speaking to Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Michael Atkin. "But if you look at what they did, though, it was very much a bait and switch to get you to pay for a MySpace-quality stream as a way to promote a very traditional record sale."
Reznor is referring to Radiohead's release of In Rainbows as lossy 160kbps (max) MP3 downloads, which many would argue are sub-par when compared to DRM-free offerings from Amazon and iTunes Store (both of which offer 256kbps DRM-free music). Furthermore, Radiohead's album is also no longer offered as a digital download, as the band openly stated that they were still going to rely on traditional labels and distribution channels for the rest of In Rainbows' sales.
"There's nothing wrong with that," Reznor continued, "but I don't see that as a big revolution [that] they're kinda getting credit for." In addition to the quality of Radiohead's MP3s, NIN's frontman also took issue with the band's omission of artwork and altogether not taking care of the fans. "To me that feels insincere. It relies upon the fact that it was quote-unquote 'first,' and it takes the headlines with it."
My download is bigger than your download, Thom.
Posted at 8:52 PM in Video
Tags: Nine Inch Nails | Thom Yorke | Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor hasn't been relevant in a long long time.
Score = -18
Trent Reznor is a cunt, end of story. He's like the kid who tries too hard to be cool in high school.
Score = -14
Two of my favorite bands, can't choose. Head exploding.
Score = 0
Nice to see Trent's continuing his experiments. And Alan, I'd love to see your list of relevant musicians. If an artist who's attempting to change the face of the music industry and the way music is distributed to his fans doesn't rate, then I can't imagine who does.
Score = 12
I love NIN. Radiohead is good, but in the end NIN does it for me.
Score = -1
Your mother is cunt but I still like NIN better.
Score = -5
Your mother is a cunt but I still like NIN better.
Score = -6
shut up.
and trent stot sounding so jealous, d bag.
Score = -5
Well, think about it. I found a lot of sites that have been giving away free albums all the time. You don't even have to pay for it. So, I guess the reason that Radiohead was first with it is that they are the most famous band that'll ever do it. But you also can't deny the fact that Radiohead has helped to try the idea of doing all of this themselves.
I suppose the reason Trent Reznor is doing this is not just for the fans, but he really wants to rely on himself, and it is least likely he's going to any label for anything. What do you think Trent might do, if it becomes only a little bit successful, as it did with Radiohead and Saul Williams?
Score = 0
Well, think about it. I found a lot of sites that have been giving away free albums all the time. You don't even have to pay for it. So, I guess the reason that Radiohead was first with it is that they are the most famous band that'll ever do it. But you also can't deny the fact that Radiohead has helped to try the idea of doing all of this themselves.
I suppose the reason Trent Reznor is doing this is not just for the fans, but he really wants to rely on himself, and it is least likely he's going to any label for anything. What do you think Trent might do, if it becomes only a little bit successful, as it did with Radiohead and Saul Williams?
Score = 0
The truth is that Radiohead wasn't the first famous act that'll ever do it, PRINCE stared all, he give away free cd's in his concerts years ago, plus he give away 3 million copys of his new cd in the UK The Sunday newspaper.
PRINCE was the first mainstream artist going indi, he was doing this when Tom York wanned to be the MTV darling, now after more then 10 years all this 90's artists are staring to catch on, but the main reason is that Radiohead need it this to survive on the charts.
Trent Reznor give more for our $, he's trying to create a whole experience, the people that said that he hasn't be relevant lately better listen to Radiohead new record, they are turning in to a cartoon of themselves.
Score = -1
Trent ought to put all this animosity into his lyrics. 7th graders need some more laughably bad poetry to write on their notebooks, afteralll.
Score = -3
I bought this new set from Portishead today http://portishead.trinitystreetdirect.com
Are they doing label-free too?
Score = 0
I love Nine Inch Nails, but all of Trent's whining is getting a bit annoying. First the failure of Saul Williams' album, now taking shots at Radiohead for being the "first." Sorry Trent, your music is great but it looks like your ideas for the future of music formats just aren't working out as planned.
Score = 0
JP. check out the sales for nin's Ghosts. I think his ideas are working out just as planned.
Score = 0
god trent shut up
Score = -2
They're both so innovative (I'm a way bigger fan of Radiohead but really dig NIN too), there's no point in arguying. I'm sure there are enough young filmmakers and animators out there for both bands...
My band is looking too btw...
Score = 0
Will every person who says Nine Inch Nails is no longer relevant please just shut the hell up. Most of you have no idea what you're talking about. The fact that we're sitting here discussing his release scheme pretty much disproves that on the spot.
I'm a big fan of both of these bands, although I have to admit to a larger penchant for NIN and Reznor himself, as I find him an intriguing figure in the music industry. Trent didn't even take a "shot" at Radiohead; he was quite justified in what he said. For lovers of music and sound quality, their mp3 download was unsatisfactory. Admittedly, the music suffers little from it - the sparse arrangements lack the textural complexity that NIN makes constant use of. I've had a fair few discussions over time on how NIN's music /needs/ over 192kbps.
I'm warbling on; the point is - there IS no bloody feud between the two bands. Reznor just feels Radiohead's whole online set-up has been blown out of proportion, which I don't precisely disagree with. And Ghosts has been selling quite fine, thank you.
Score = 7
@Artemisian:
Nine Inch Nails is no longer relevant. Get out of 1994, Grandpa.
Score = -2
Good music or not, Trent Reznor didn't really need to comment. I agree with the comment about him trying too hard to be the coolest kid in school. There's no reason to be negative about Radiohead's release. He should just do his thing and shut up about everyone else. He should also get that goiter looked at.
Score = 0
El Syd,
Define relevance, Grandpa. If by 'relevant' you mean having a publicist get your picture on the cover of every industry mag and getting tons of coverage in major newspapers like Radiohead has, then yes, you're right, he's no longer relevant. And thank god for that.
You're the one defining 'relevance' in Grandpa terms there son...
Score = 2
what? trent reznor is still around?
Score = -2
they're both tools
Score = -2
If Trent was your grandfather, would you sit on his lap? Careful!
Score = 2
If it wasn't for Trent Reznor and NIN most of these shitty noise bands that are basically taking ideas he had in the early 90's and making a mockery of them with shitty keyboards and talentless musicians. Just watch that video of Fuck Buttons to see what I'm talking about. The man has more balls than just about anyone else in music and constantly comes with a new idea on every release whether people like it or not. If it wasn't for him, most forms of "indie" music made on keyboards and synthesizers would not sound the way it does. Listen to his albums 'Broken' (1992) and 'The Downward Spiral' (1994) and you will understand. And for the record, Trent is right the quality of the 'In Rainbows' download was shit.
Score = 1
I think the thing is that Radiohead have never CLAIMED they were being innovative in their putting the album up on the net, nor for letting the fans choose the price. Thom has said repeatedly in interviews that they just wanted to get the album out as soon as possible and was making no grand statement about the future of music- that whole claim was built around them by the media. And really, I'm not sure you CAN complain about the quality of an album you could pay 0p for! It's like taking a freebie from a store and then complaining when they only used single cream! It's taking the whole thing for granted in a pretty selfish way. So I don't think that argument really holds up very well?
Score = 3
What a weird thing to claim, 'Trent Reznor isn't been relevant...' What a really weird thing to claim, and on a music blogging site of all places......
While I think Reznor's relevancy can be proven quite concisely by adding up all those sales figures on his free album, I also think his comments ARE a slag, rather than necessary commentary. It shouldn't take a network engineer to realize how much space a 320kps file takes up on a server, and how many more people could gain access to said server if you simply made said music files smaller. DUH. Perhaps Radiohead also saw a certain irony in skipping on your label just to sell out to- what, Amazon? iTunes? Come on Trent, if you're gonna be all high and mighty, don't go all half-assed on us like you've done with your music for the past fifteen years.....
Score = 0
Really, Trent is railing against a lazy press. He's a pretty big fan of Radiohead.
Score = 1