Trent Reznor just released Ghosts I-IV, a new 36-t...

Trent Reznor just released Ghosts I-IV, a new 36-track instrumental Nine Inch Nails album, under a non-commercial share-alike Creative Commons license. As he did with Saul Williams’s Niggy Tardust , it’s being released online with several pricing options. I love this new era of music where albums from favorite artists appear celestially with no advance notice. (via lessig)

Submitted by crazymonk on Sun, 03/02/2008 - 5:00am.

Comments (7)

Before the internet, I'd have no idea when new albums were coming out by my favorite artists. Then I'd use the internet to stay uber informed about up-coming releases. Now it seems like albums are just dropping with no notice. The internet first upped my anticipation time and now it has cut down on it.

The Rodenator | Mon, 03/03/2008 - 12:38am

True. For me, it's not just about the anticipation time. Nowadays, before an album is officially released, it gets leaked 4 months in advance, tracks show up in several mp3 blogs and music sites, and reviews will trickle in here and there. What I like about what Reznor has done with both Ghosts and (with Saul Williams) Niggy is that he is releasing albums so that you can have that moment of hearing the full album for your first time without it filtering through elite music circles first. It reminds me of the good 'ole days of that day when you buy a highly anticipated CD, bring it home, and listen to it with headphones straight through. It worked this way with Radiohead's In Rainbows as well. This model only really works with bands with built-in audiences, of course, but I'd like to see it happen more often.

crazymonk | Mon, 03/03/2008 - 12:36pm

CM, have you ever downloaded what you thought was a new album, only to be disappointed by something that has been misnamed? That is the worst.

The Rodenator | Mon, 03/03/2008 - 2:07pm

So, any reactions to the music? I like tracks 8 and 9 on Ghosts I.

Geoff | Mon, 03/03/2008 - 2:36pm

Yeah, that's happened before, Rodenator, but not in the past few years (especially when I was on oink).

Geoff, I'm not sure what to think yet. Overall, the quality isn't as high as earlier NIN instrumental tracks (A Warm Place, Leaving Hope) which I think has to do with an emphasis on rhythm over melody. But I generally like what I've heard so far, although I haven't associated that with actual track numbers yet.

crazymonk | Mon, 03/03/2008 - 2:59pm

He made at least $750,000 off of this:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080305-reznor-makes-750000-even-w...

Nice.

RumorsDaily | Wed, 03/05/2008 - 6:43pm

Maybe he'll release the actual numbers, like he did with Niggy Tardust.

crazymonk | Wed, 03/05/2008 - 6:49pm