Radiohead's In Rainbows sells three million copies

Published at 4:17 PM on October 16, 2008

By Jeremy Medina

Many were baffled when Radiohead announced its "pay what you want" deal in 2007 for the band's seventh studio album In Rainbows. But the unconventional release model wasn't just a gift to fans and music lovers across the globe; it was a brilliant marketing strategy.

Turns out there was a platinum record at the end of the Rainbows, three times over no less. According to reports, In Rainbows sold three million copies in its various forms (digitally, CDs and the swagged-out discbox). That specifically breaks down to 1.75 million CDs, over a million downloads and 100,000 discboxes. But, in the Internet downloading age we find ourselves in, it's reported that the album was downloaded more from BitTorrent than it was from Radiohead's official website. Such is the nature of the music industry these days.

If this isn't evidence Thom Yorke and bandmates aren't great businessmen, then we don't know what is: Radiohead made more money from In Rainbows before it was physically released than the band has made thus far to date from its 2003 Hail to the Thief record.

With its worldwide tour now wrapped, Radiohead has its sights set on a new record. In the meantime, Yorke's collaborative effort with Icelandic songbird Björk entitled "Nattura" will be released on Oct. 20. A song from Björk and Yorke can be nothing short of a gift sent from some sort of benevolent, rhyme-loving musical deity. That, or the Swedish Chef from the Muppets, perhaps?

Related links:
News: Homemade remixes of Radiohead's "Reckoner" hit web today
News: New Radiohead album already underway
News: Radiohead webcast to compete with Obama speech

Got a news tip for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.