In an age of music downloads and declining sales, musicians often have to become more enterprising with regard to how they can make their fans part with their hard-earned cash.Back in 2007, Radiohead allowed their fans to pay what they wanted for their album In Rainbows, rather than set a standard cover price. Even long-established artists such as Prince has become involved in the marketing fanfare, the Purple Rain signer giving his latest recording away for free with the Mail on Sunday.
Now fans of the Kaiser Chiefs have been given their own unique opportunity to personalise their very own copy of the Yorkshire rockers new album. The Future is Medieval, which was released on Friday June 3rd, will only be on sale on the internet for a limited time and will allow buyers to select their own ‘versions’ of ten songs from the 20 listed.
Fans paying the £7.50 for the album will have the chance to select the songs, create a running order and a cover for their versions on the Kaiser Chiefs’ website and then download. Further to that, fans can create their own micro-site and sell their versions of the albums, for which they will receive £1 for each sale.
It is, no doubt, a clever and innovative marketing ploy that takes the download-only album release to a new level. The band explained in a launch statement that the intention is to “revitalise and subvert the industry standard”.
“It can re-engage the excitement and spontaneity of offering new music immediately to fans, allowing them to hear the record at the same time as media and critics alike and hopefully giving people a fun experience at being the Kaiser Chiefs A&R department,” the statement continued.