These days, it's only inevitable that music fans are going to share new music online. Now, British pop rockers Kaiser Chiefs have a plan to combat the problem: recruiting their own fans as salesmen in a pyramid-scheme-style release model.
The Wall Street Journal [via The Daily Swarm] reveals that anyone who goes to the band's website starting today (June 3) can purchase the new album, The Future Is Medieval, for £7.50 ($11.97).
You will then be given access to a unique promotional page with which you can attempt to hock the album yourself. Anyone who sells one will get a £1 commission. In other words, if you work hard on promotion, you can actually turn a profit with this album.
That's not the only thing that makes The Future Is Medieval unique. The LP doesn't actually have a set tracklist or album cover. Instead, fans can listen to samples of 20 tracks and chose their favourite ten to create their own customized album. Then, using images from the online shop, they can make an original album cover.
Of course, what's most brilliant about this is that if you want to get all 20 new songs, you're going to have to buy the album twice. The possible songs are listed in alphabetical order below. See a promotional video for the schedule at the bottom of this page.
The Future Is Medieval is available through Fiction Records. A more traditional CD release is planned for the UK later this month and North America in the fall. In the meantime, purchase your customized digital copy here, and if you feel up to it, try to make a few bucks in the process. You can see the top sellers at the Kaiser Chiefs' website.
The Future Is Medieval:
"Back in December"
"Can't Mind My Own Business"
"Child of the Jago"
"Coming up for Air"
"Cousin in the Bronx"
"Dead or in Serious Trouble"
"Fly on the Wall"
"Heard It Break"
"I Dare You"
"If You Will Have Me"
"Little Shocks"
"Long Way from Celebrating"
"Man on Mars"
"My Place Is Here"
"Out Of Focus"
"Problem Solved"
"Saying Something"
"Starts with Nothing"
"Things Change"
The Wall Street Journal [via The Daily Swarm] reveals that anyone who goes to the band's website starting today (June 3) can purchase the new album, The Future Is Medieval, for £7.50 ($11.97).
You will then be given access to a unique promotional page with which you can attempt to hock the album yourself. Anyone who sells one will get a £1 commission. In other words, if you work hard on promotion, you can actually turn a profit with this album.
That's not the only thing that makes The Future Is Medieval unique. The LP doesn't actually have a set tracklist or album cover. Instead, fans can listen to samples of 20 tracks and chose their favourite ten to create their own customized album. Then, using images from the online shop, they can make an original album cover.
Of course, what's most brilliant about this is that if you want to get all 20 new songs, you're going to have to buy the album twice. The possible songs are listed in alphabetical order below. See a promotional video for the schedule at the bottom of this page.
The Future Is Medieval is available through Fiction Records. A more traditional CD release is planned for the UK later this month and North America in the fall. In the meantime, purchase your customized digital copy here, and if you feel up to it, try to make a few bucks in the process. You can see the top sellers at the Kaiser Chiefs' website.
The Future Is Medieval:
"Back in December"
"Can't Mind My Own Business"
"Child of the Jago"
"Coming up for Air"
"Cousin in the Bronx"
"Dead or in Serious Trouble"
"Fly on the Wall"
"Heard It Break"
"I Dare You"
"If You Will Have Me"
"Little Shocks"
"Long Way from Celebrating"
"Man on Mars"
"My Place Is Here"
"Out Of Focus"
"Problem Solved"
"Saying Something"
"Starts with Nothing"
"Things Change"
