Radiohead Continues New Media Onslaught With Remix Contest
Rock band Radiohead has already pushed the envelope in the past year by first releasing their new album under a pay-what-you-want price scheme in October, and then calling on fans to create a music video for any of the album's songs in March. Now the band is at it again, teaming with Apple, makers of iTunes and GarageBand, to launch a public remix contest.
The contest offers up the single "Nude" from the album for remix. The band has for sale on iTunes "stems" for the bass, voice, guitar, strings/fx and drums for the song and anyone who purchases all five gets access to a GarageBand file that can be opened in GarageBand or Logic.
Until May 1st, the public can vote for their favorite remix, and remix authors can use a MySpace or Facebook widget to allow fans on social networks to vote for them. The prize, though, is just that Radiohead promises to "listen to the best."
So interesting idea, but like the rest of Radiohead's innovative marketing techniques, this one also feels a bit gimmicky. Requiring entrants to purchase the source files, and then offering as a prize only that the band will listen to the winning entries is somewhat lame in our book. Still, the site has already collected 142 remixes, so some great new music could come out of this for Radiohead fans.
Further, Radiohead has perhaps inspired many other mainstream musical acts to take the plunge and embrace alternative methods of distribution. Nine Inch Nails released an album via BitTorrent, REM open sourced their music videos and streamed their new album on iLike, and Pennywise put their album on MySpace. We may be able to credit Radiohead with making distribution experimentation cool, which can only mean a win for consumers in the long run.
Image credit: Steve Rhodes
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Yeah, whatever :) ACIDPlanet has been doing this for YEARS with all sorts of artists. And the remix tracks have always been FREE.
See a list of current and previous remix contests here:
http://www.acidplanet.com/contests/?T=9310
Hi Josh, can it be that we may have read different versions about the Radiohead contest?
My reading is: The Grand Prize Winner will be awarded $10,000 to produce a full length music video, and that the actual music video contest is until June 8.
Here's the video contest calendar I made for an easier planning: http://videocontest.videovoo.com/
@annplugged: I think you're referring to the Radiohead music video contest, which is a separate contest. We covered that here: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/radiohead_music_video_contest.php
Yes, you are right, I was reading the post superficially. Anyway, the original post on the music video contest on RRW says "Until April 27th, anyone can submit" and it's only an interim deadline.
http://www.radioheadremix.com/remix/?id=1552
there are so many remixes, but this one really stood out for me! give it a vote!
http://www.radioheadremix.com/remix/?id=1585
Hi, i invite you all to hear my synth-pop remix at
http://www.julianberg.com/nude.php
i think i did a descent job...
enjoy listening :-)
Check out my remix as well
http://tinyurl.com/3mrkz6
3rd place and climbing.
Hi folks,
Here is my "Bristol" version, Bristol being the home town of Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky, and many other great artists.
http://www.radioheadremix.com/remix/?id=1307
Hope you like it, and don't forget to vote!
please take a moment to listen to the Brael remix of Nude. You will not regret it. Thanks
http://www.radioheadremix.com/remix/?id=562