Laughing Boy wrote:
] ] Heavy-metal band Metallica, a vociferous opponent of
] ] Internet song-swapping sites, is turning to the Web as a
] ] way to encourage fans to buy the band's new music.
] ]
] ] Metallica, whose first album in six years is scheduled to
] ] be released on June 5, is offering exclusive music tracks
] ] online as well through a partnership with Speakeasy, the
] ] Seattle-based high-speed Internet access provider said.
] ]
] ] Customers who buy Metallica's new compact disc, St.
] ] Anger, will find a code inside the packaging allowing
] ] them to view, listen to and download exclusive,
] ] unreleased music tracks from a Metallica Web site.
]
] What I've been saying for years... want to encourage people to
] BUY your CD vs. download the tracks online? You have to give
] some "value added" as incentive. Granted, these "exclusive,
] unreleased music tracks" will appear soon on a P2P network
] near you, but this is a step in the right direction.
]
] Now start adding some "VA" that can not be pirated. Ideas off
] the top of my head... random drawings for concert tix, back
] stage passes, t-shirts and other swag, etc...

Yeah, but a lot of artists feel like that's 'paying for your fan base' and will be reluctant to do it. I'll just take the enhanced CDs that are coming out with video, lyrics, added tracks, etc. I'm digging Weird Al's new one with a whole lot of great extras!

RE: 'Anger' leads Metallica to the Internet