Radiohead’s music distribution

Deciding how and where your music should live in the world is a choice every artist needs to make for themselves, and it’s something unique to every artist’s individual career. So, in this case study we’re examining the music distribution choices of Radiohead, to provide one example of how you might approach things.

December, 1991: Radiohead breaks through

In 1991, Radiohead is signed to EMI, one of the world’s largest major music labels of the time, after meeting an A&R rep in a record shop and handing them a demo. They sign a 6 album deal with EMI.

1993: Radiohead tours worldwide with the support of major label EMI

After signing with the majors, EMI helps Radiohead record their debut album Pablo Honey, which hits number 22 on the UK charts. The single “Creep” gradually begins to receive more and more radio airplay.

Off of the relatively modest initial success of this album, and with the help of international marketing support from EMI, Radiohead tours worldwide.

2007: Radiohead leaves the major label system (sort of)

Many albums later, after developing an international fanbase starting with what eventually became the hit single “Creep”, Radiohead leaves EMI after the last album in their contract has been delivered. Their seventh album In Rainbows marked an experiment in self-distribution of their music: this album was offered for sale direct-to-consumer on the band’s website, for a pay-what-you-wish price.

Also around this time, Radiohead signed with XL Recordings, who manages their current releases, but without a full transference of copyright ownership (i.e. a distribution deal). XL Recordings also helped Radiohead by purchasing the rights to their back catalog back from EMI.

For In Rainbows, Radiohead chose a combination of independent self-distribution and label-managed distribution: they did both, not one or the other.

2010’s-present: current events

This strategy of “mixed distribution”, doing both self-distribution and label-funded distribution, has continued into the present day. Radiohead still uses XL Recordings for help with the worldwide distribution of their albums and back catalog, but they also maintain their own website and email list, where they announce upcoming projects and music releases directly to their biggest fans. They maintain a free public library, a searchable and free master archive of their entire creative output, as well.

Was EMI’s major label contract with Radiohead a predatory deal?

My opinion: no.

EMI’s deal was a major label record deal, and it was typical of many deals made during that time period. But, it was also a time-limited deal, and while there were issues with control of the artists back catalog after the original record deal ended, those issues were eventually resolved. In this particular case, Radiohead was not signing their entire lifetime career and all of their future output over to a large corporation, and they were able to parlay their original record contract into even greater success working independently, after that initial contract ended.

It’s also important to give proper credit to EMI here: while Radiohead certainly deserves the credit for the largest majority of their own success, that success also didn’t happen inside of a vacuum. There’s a strong argument to be made that Radiohead would never have developed a worldwide fanbase without the leadership of EMI choosing to take a risky and expensive chance on them, early in their career.

How to balance music licensing and distribution decisions

Music licensing and distribution is a balancing act that’s individual to each artist. We always encourage strongly protecting your ownership rights to your own music around here, but it’s also wise to not be dogmatic about it. Let’s try to balance our short and long-term thinking as artists, when it comes to our distribution and licensing decisions.

Sometimes, you might come across a deal that’s not amazing in the short term, but could provide you the increased visibility and expanded fanbase needed to move back into self-distribution later on in your career.