Capitol puts a Radiohead skin on Aimster to sell Kid A

Capitol Records is promoting Kid A through Aimster, a newcomer among the file-swapping services, which lets people search for files and swap them with friends on their AOL Instant Messenger and ICQ buddy lists. Anyone downloading the latest version of Aimster's software is offered a Radiohead skin, a new look for the program, and Aimster's website carries a handful of Radiohead video blips until midnight, when a note on the promotional site says they come down.

Capitol belongs to the EMI Group, which with the other four major labels is suing Napster and Scour as businesses built on piracy. John Borland of CNET News.com calls the Aimster deal the first time a major label has openly teamed up with one of the swapping services.

No Radiohead songs are offered through Aimster under the deal. Kid A, due in American shops on 3 October, is already all over Napster.