Trent Reznor just got all of his toys back under his control.

(nin.com)

My respect for the guy keeps shooting up. With Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead saying “Fuck Off” to the major labels this week, we’re about to see music
industry actually become innovative again.
Year Zero was certainly a phenomenal album, but the associated ARG helped revitalize interest in concept albums filled with narrative depth, and that is what made it an important album.

I’ve mentioned the Year Zero ARG in passing, but only in the wash of publicity following Trent Reznor’s announcement that he’s free of contractual obligations did
I learn that the Year Zero ARG had been funded out of pocket.

When your US label, Interscope, discovered the web-based alternate reality game (ARG) you’d built around Year Zero, were they happy for the free marketing or angry you hadn’t let them in on it?


I chose to do this on my own, at great financial expense to myself, because I knew they wouldn’t understand what it is, for one. And secondly, I didn’t want it coming from a place of marketing, I wanted it coming from a place that was pure to the project. It’s a way to present the story and the backdrop, something I would be excited to find as a fan. I knew the minute I talked to someone at the record label about it, they would be looking at it in terms of “How can we tie this in with a mobile provider?” That’s what they do. If something lent itself to that, OK, I’m not opposed to the idea of not losing a lot of money (laughs). But it would only be if it made sense. I’ve had to position myself as the irrational, stubborn, crazy artist. At the end of the day, I’m not out to sabotage my career, but quality matters, and integrity matters. Jumping through any hoop or taking advantage of any desperate situation that comes up just to sell a product is harmful. It is.

(Source – Herald Sun 5/17/07)

I’d like to direct your attention to the MeFi thread that triggered this post, specifically the comment from Zoogleplex. He hits the.. uh… nail smack on the head. What is changing is the sophistication of the musicians and the fan base, who’ve figured out that the easiest way to communicate with each other is directly, without the industry. Will Trent Reznor make more money selling music directly to his fans? Well, duh.

And he’s not the only one who’s figured this out.
“Any big name that is out of contract such as Jamiroquai and Oasis will now see it as an option.” And if they’re smart, they’ll be doing the very same thing.

Torrents: Nine Inch Nails