Radiohead released their eighth album "The King of Limbs" in 2011 in an unconventional way. They self-released the album as a digital download on their website before partnering with their label XL for a physical release. They utilized new models of direct-to-fan digital distribution and special packages rather than traditional promotion and singles. This untraditional release approach allowed Radiohead to experiment with new industry models while appealing to their dedicated fan base.

1. A2
Media Studies
Music: Industry & Audience
Radiohead: The King of Limbs (2011)
Lady Gaga: The Fame (2008)
Nirvana: Nevermind(1991)

2. 3 Differing Texts
1. Different Genres:How would you ‘define’ the
genre for each artist?
2. Different Audiences:How would you categorise
each audience?
3. Different Conventions:What type of
conventions are associated with each artists
work (visual/musical)?
4. Different Production Models (Industry):How are
the production models, labels, formats and
methods of release different?
5. What does this tell us about how the music
industry functions?

4. Answers
1. Different Genres: -
Nirvana = Metal/’Grunge’
2. Different Audiences (Dominant): -
- Male/Long hair/Scruffy
3. Different Conventions: –
– Loud/Male/Group/Heavy
4. Different Production Models (Industry):Research
how music is distributed and is accessed by
audiences via downloads/CDs/youtube etc.
5. What does this tell us about how the music
industry functions nowadays?

5. Release: 18/2/11

6. Radiohead
• 8th Release (well established artist)
• Self-released (No
contract to record • Initially released as a
label) download only MP3 or WAV
- 18th Feb 2011
• ‘Physical’ CD and 12” • a wider digital release via
Vinyl releases on AWAL, and a special
28th March 2011 “newspaper” edition on 9th May
2011
• The physical editions were released through the band's
Ticker Tape imprint on XL in the UK

7. On 18 February, the band's
Radiohead announced ‘The King blog, Dead Air Space,
of Limbs’ on their website on 14 published a song from the
February 2011 with a release album, "Lotus Flower", with
date of 19 February, five days an accompanying music video
later. uploaded to Radiohead's
official YouTube channel.
Release Timeline
The MP3 download costs £6; the WAV
download costs £9. Customers could also
order a special "newspaper edition" of the
album, released 9 May 2011, for £30, with
the MP3 download, and £33, with the WAV The band released the album
download. The "newspaper" edition
contains "two 10-inch vinyl records in a later that day – a day earlier
special record sleeve, many large sheets of than first announced
artwork, 625 tiny pieces of artwork & a
compact disc.

8. ‘The King of Limbs’
Released 18th Feb
2011
‘Live’ DVD –
Broadcast July 2011
Released Dec 2011
Re-mix
CD of
‘The
King of
Limbs’
tracks –
Sept
2011

9. The retail vinyl edition of the
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at
album, excluding "newspaper
number seven on the UK Albums Chart, selling
album" sales, sold more than
33,469 copies in its first week, making it
20,000 copies in the UK in the first
Radiohead's first album since The Bends (1995) not
half of 2011 – 12% of all vinyl sold
to reach number one in the UK.
in that period – and became the
best-selling vinyl album of 2011.
In June 2011, Radiohead
Financially, it was probably the most successful record announced a series of
they've ever made, or pretty close. In a traditional deal, the remixes of tracks from the
record company takes the majority of the money. album. These remixes and
others are compiled on the
remix album TKOL RMX
Radiohead performed The King of Limbs in its entirety for
1234567, released in
The King of Limbs – From The Basement, broadcast in July
2011 and released on DVD and Blu-ray in December 2011 September 2011.

10. TRACKS
1. Bloom
2. Morning Mr. Magpie
3. Little By Little
4. Feral
5. Lotus Flower
6. Codex
7. Give Up The Ghost
8. Separator
(No single released)

11. Key issues
• Self-released (no record label involvement)
• No promotional campaign before release - immediate
• Followed 2007‟s - „pay what you want‟ - ‘In Rainbows’ release
• Download file for £6 (initially)
• Physical release followed – via XL (label)
• Special “newspaper edition” – „10‟ inch vinyl/CD/artwork £33
• No conventional „single‟ released
• Approaches would appeal to „hardcore‟ fan base & audiences
who make use of new technology