Radiohead Buyers Forking Out $2 to $9

Fans are dishing out $2 to $9 to preorder Radiohead's pay-what-you-want In Rainbows album, reports the New York Times — as the plan wins hours of media and water cooler buzz. Many buyers are even getting the box set, with an extra CD and booklet for $82. But not all fans are willing: “The fan in me wants to pay $80, but the person that’s paying rent wants to pay $8,” says one.

Bloggers and pundits say Radiohead's offer is a record industry breakthrough. “This is absolutely the coolest thing any band has ever done," says a writer on stereogum.com. But one exec wonders if fans will pay for no-name bands, especially if all records are pay-what-you-want. "Suppose there are 50 albums you want. Then it’s gets more expensive to signal to yourself how wonderful you are.” (More Radiohead stories.)