So ... How did that Radiohead Album Give-Away Experiment Pan Out?

From Tim Harford:

According to one internet consulting firm, almost two-thirds of those who downloaded the album paid nothing, and those who did pay didn’t pay much – less than £3 on average. That makes sense: much easier to leave no tip when you don’t have to look the waitress in the eye, and Radiohead make more than your waitress anyway.

If the figures are accurate, the band seems to have made £500,000 or less from downloads in just three weeks; their traditionally priced CDs probably made the band 10 times more, at least. But it is too early to say whether this scheme was profit-maximising, especially since Radiohead have criticised these estimates.

So ... not very well, I guess.

I wouldn't exactly start feeling bad for Radiohead, though. They have the rare ability to sell out pretty much any venue they decide to play regardless of the price of admission.