Radiohead is successful and everybody knows it. But from all, they have acknowledged it the most and they are now playing their best card, although at a first glance they’re losing the game.

Radiohead made its latest album “In Rainbows” available to fans for a sum established by the purchasers. “It’s up to you” to decide how much to pay for the band’s songs and the fact that they haven’t fixed any minimum threshold may encourage fans to be more generous.

But entrepreneurial skills of the rock band obviously don’t end here. Because they haven’t signed with any record label, they enjoy absolute freedom. And they are surely using it. They are preparing a surprising box set and the idea is catchy indeed. Fans will be able to purchase starting December, the album “In Rainbows” on CD and vinyl, plus additional media including photos.

Users can place the album in the online checkout basket and fill in the price they wish to pay. To help those unfamiliar with the new concept, a question mark pops up next to the price box, which displays the message "It's Up To You" when clicked. A completed transaction showed the album can be bought for as little as one pence (2 cents), plus a 45 pence (90 cent) charge for using a credit or debit card.

The band will also offer a special edition boxed set priced at 40 pounds (82 dollars) on the website, which will include two vinyl albums, a CD version of the new album and a second CD with additional new songs, artwork and photographs of the band.

Radiohead's novel approach comes as the traditional music industry model of CD sales has been decimated by unauthorized downloads that have seen total sales of albums drop for seven straight years. The success of Apple's iTunes and other online music stores is scant comfort as downloads, including ringtones still account for less than 20 per cent of the overall music market.

In the decaying sales of record industry, an initiative like this will boost sales in concerts, as it was the precedent with Prince’s free album 3121 in UK that helped him attract more in his concerts. So the band’s profits won’t be affected by album sales and their popularity will augment more and more. 

All you have to do from now on is to pray to catch the official site available…