At TMT, we’re all about the jokes. And yes, here in 2009, both the economy and the state of the old-school Record Industry model are ripe for ceremonious and symbolic cage-rattling, irreverent flouting, and semi-satirical marketing exploitation. But come on, people. A band paying the consumer to download their album digitally? Well, that’s just the kind of ridiculous thing that those VH1 I Love Nostalgia shows will devote an entire segment to when the 2009 show comes along (in 2010).
As part of a marketing campaign motivated by, among other things, a seeming desire to finally “get famous,” Philly-based indie rock band Officer Roseland is paying fans $1 to download their new, unfortunately titled, and woefully graphic-designed album, Stimulus Package, from their website MyStimulusPackage.org.
In case you were wondering, the album is being called “satirical” and supposedly skewers the commercialism of the recording industry -- and of American society at large -- “with a warped sense of humor that is the band's signature.” Blah blah blah. Anyway, upon visiting the site, the band offers fans two options: The first, labeled "TAKE," pays YOU $1 to download the album. The second, labeled "GIVE," donates that $1.00 to the charity Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, an organization that donates instruments to music programs that are already in place but lack the funding to maintain their equipment.
Okay, okay... I admit it. That whole donations thing is actually a really reputable thing to do. But come on, do we really have to resort to using the crippled state of the economy as a publicity scheme to sell our new products? And isn’t “giving things away” actually just harmful to the economy’s capitalism-based progress in the long run?? And, hey wait a minute; aren’t we just feeding this marketability anyway by posting a story about it and name-checking the band??? Aww, man. My head hurts; I think I’m going to go lie down for a minute and watch I Love the 90’s for the 16th time.
