saddle creek

One-Dollar CD Download
By Allie Fernandes
Everyone knows you have to pay for music downloads if you want them the legal way these days but one label is changing that a bit. Nebraska indie record label Saddle Creek began selling downloads of the band Cursive’s newest CD, Mama, I’m Swollen, the Monday before it’s release date, March 10th. The amazing thing about the deal is that on the Monday it began, the price to download the entire album was only $1. Everyday after that point the price increased by one dollar until it reached the final price of $10 on its release date.
This unconventional method to selling downloads has been accepted well by Cursive’s fans that had already been anticipating the Nebraska band’s 7th studio album. Their previous album, Happy Hollow, received a perfect 5 out of 5 star rating by Alternative Press magazine when it came out in 2006 and rave reviews fro other critics. Since then, the band has changed drummers, thus giving them a slightly different sound. Fans have been awaiting the release of the album so that they would be able to hear the new sound and have something new from the band that they have not heard from in a while.
This type of album release may be one that only exists for indie labels such as Saddle Creek but one must wonder if it could spread. If the bands and labels are willing, other albums may begin to release their albums in similar fashions. It is a bit of a stretch but the idea of any artist beginning this type of bartering is one that people who would rather not spend a lot of money but want legal downloads can hope for. Albums for $1 may not be the most common way to sell music but, if we are lucky enough, may begin to happen more often.