The combined efforts of Radiohead manager Brian Message, his company ATC, and management groups MAMA and Nettwerk Music have resulted in the new digital label, Polyphonic, which will allow artists to retain ownership of their music.
Adam Driscoll, the co-chief executive of MAMA Group, told the Telegraph: "We will do whatever is most effective to get an artist noticed. Giving an album away for free may get one million people listening to a new artist."
With over $20 million to fund its first year, Polyphonic is looking to compete with the major labels, and is offering the best of both worlds. A band gets the financial and managerial support from a label and keeps the copyright, as well as the full benefits of free online distribution.
Radiohead let people pay whatever they wanted for the digital download of In Rainbows, so we might see similar pricing from the new label. At this point, Polyphonic is representing a new type of label, already familiar with evolving methods of promotion and distribution. Whoever signs up will definitely be under my radar, and it will interesting to see whether Polyphonic can influence other labels to let artists control the rights to their music.
Adam Driscoll, the co-chief executive of MAMA Group, said: "We will do whatever is most effective to get an artist noticed. Giving an album away for free may get one million people listening to a new artist."
For new artists, Mr Driscoll said Polyphonic would probably offer a 50/50 profit sharing deal, but established artists would retain a bigger share.
