From NYT’s Radiohead Payment Model, The.:

Clicking on that led to another message: “No, really. It’s up to you.” According to early estimates, 1.2 million downloaded the record in the first two days, earning the band somewhere between $1 million and $5 million. Soon after, the withered husk of the recording industry gently commenced to collapse on itself.

Or possibly not. For while there was joy among Radiohead fans and those eager to get on with the post-scarcity economy, it remains unclear whether a new paradigm has been established.

NYT doesn’t know what to say about Mr. Head’s direct sales of In Rainbow. And Mr. Head isn’t providing data. The quote is almost a command to stop speculating until more is known.

Still, 1.2 million downloads in the first two days is mesmerizing. That alone is wild success. Surely, other bands will experiment with different direct-to-audience strategies.

Lacking answers, I would try questions:

What if Mr. Head had given visitors reason to return?
What about catalog sales? Merchandise sales?
What about download first, pay later?
What if there was an incentive to pay, beyond obligation?

Other companies, such as Apple / iTunes, might try different partnering strategies. Could Amazon partner with an apparel company to distribute merchandise linked to a band page focused on MP3 sales? If no specific company is willing to compete directly against the record labels, then what tools are needed for bands to be able ’sell direct’?

These questions beg for more experimentation. What if bands work to build relationships with their audience first? After all, don’t you like being kissed before being asked to put out?