The Internet Market Has Set The Value Of Music

And it's $0.00. UK band Radiohead's move to allows fans to pay what they like for their new album In Rainbows was widely hailed by the anti-RIAA, music-should-be-free crowd as a means to eliminate the middle man, and allow the artist to be paid directly from the fans. Yet, according to this study, the majority paid zero. Zip. Bupkis. Nada.

And the rationalizations are hilarious, sad and ignorant from the internet warriors at Digg.com. Here's a few examples:

So? They still made an unbelievable amount of money from this idea.

I am sure that the RIAA had it's "team" download thousands of copies to try to show that "see this won't work, you need us. People will steal from you".

The real news is that a lot of people paid for it and the band made a lot of money. They could have made $0.00.

Whoever expected most people to pay money for this album don't know the internet at all.

It is just much easier to download it; all I have to do is press 1 button on my tool bar the rest is automated. If I buy it from their website or itunes I have to register, take out my wallet etc.. it is more hassle then it is worth.

You would be an idiot to assume everyone will pay money for it.

Its Radiohead. Why would you pay to listen to it? Seriously.

Hey thanks for letting me know about a free CD (that I would have never paid for anyways)

Yeah, well they still made record amounts of dough.

I pay 0.00 for most of my albums..
but I've also told people about In Rainbows.

yeah I payed 0 for it, but [no offense at all] I would have never payed anything in the first place, so as far as I'm concerned, that was a great deal.

Wow, people taking free music from the internet? Stop the presses!

not surprised at all. who the hell likes to pay?!?!? people will take anything for free. no one should be surprised here. pretty sad but even if it was elvis coming back from the dead and releasing new mp3s... people won't pay a penny.. hahah

Free or not I'm still going to pirate it from a torrent.

Great album. Didn't pay. I'm broke and Thom Yorke's not.