October 01, 2007

By By Andre Paine, London and Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

As expected, Radiohead has gone an unusual route for distribution of its seventh studio album, "In Rainbows." The set will be available for digital download from the band's Web site beginning Oct. 10, but with a twist -- fans can name their own price for the purchase. "It's up to you," reads a disclaimer on the checkout screen.

While pre-orders for the digital album have begun at the band's site radiohead.com, a traditional physical CD release of "In Rainbows" is also being planned for early 2008, according to a band's spokesman. It has not yet been confirmed which label will distribute the album, but EMI is believed to be one of the labels in the running for the job.

Radiohead is able to self-release their seventh album because they left their long-term label EMI in 2005. A special edition box set is also available to order, including a CD, double vinyl and a bonus CD as well as a hardback book. It will ship "on or before Dec. 3" according to the Radiohead Web site, although fans who pay ?40 ($82) for the "discbox" will also get the download version to listen to while they wait for the discs to be delivered.

"In Rainbows," produced by Nigel Godrich, is the follow-up to 2003's "Hail to the Thief," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200.

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