Life in technicolor

Radiohead, which released its latest oeuvre on its site in a pay-as-you-wish format, still plans to push the album in stores — most likely with a Big Four label, reports Ars Technica.

Radiohead fans gave the group much love after it released the 10 tracks of In Rainbows at any price people wished to pay.

Some called the move a final coffin-nail for the record label industry. Reportedly, even non-listeners of the band contributed finances to the album to show support.

Radiohead also flouted Apple's iTunes by refusing to make its music available on the popular music download site.

But during an interview with UK radio show Music Week, Radiohead's management admitted record label distribution remains necessary for hitting the mass psyche.

Despite Radiohead's reported cult status, and though labels have struggled with the advent of online radio and filesharing, record companies still have the broadest reach in mainstream radio world.

The difference now, Ars Technica asserts, is that labels cannot count on that being the case over the long-term.