Radiohead frontman's album is first paygated torrent in history

So you've got Radiohead, then you've got their frontman Thom Yorke. Then you've got a new album called Tomorrow's Modern Boxes made by Thom Yorke, a project he's releasing in collaboration with BitTorrent. This is the first paygated torrent in the history of the world and this album is the first solo release from Yorke in 8 years.

What's so special about a paygate? Nothing, on its own. The fact that Yorke is releasing a BitTorrent Bundle download with a gate on it is what's so special about this project. Just like the last Radiohead release, this record's release vehicle will get a whole lot more press than the album's contents.

"If it works well," suggests Yorke, "it could be an effective way of handing some control of internet commerce back to the people who are creating the work." Imagine U2's surprise when they don't win the next round in World's Most Noteworthy Music Release.

York went on, suggesting that this release format might "enabling those people who make either music, video or any other kind of digital content to sell it themselves."

As long as we're here, you might as well know – this album features one new music video and 8 new musical tracks.

Track Listing:

01 – A Brain In A Bottle

02 – Guess Again!

03 – Interference

04 – The Mother Lode

05 – Truth Ray

06 – There Is No Ice (For My Drink)

07 – Pink Section

08 – Nose Grows Some

The system this'll be released with is called "BitTorrent Bundle with paygates" It allows consumers to pay with a credit card or PayPal direct to BitTorrent – "the publisher covers the transaction fees and BitTorrent takes 10% after that."

This album is also available on vinyl – white vinyl, no less – for 30 pounds. And good luck finding it in the United States.

SOURCE BitTorrent