Radiohead will sign a label for the In Rainbows CD, managers say

Radiohead's managers, Chris Hufford and Bryce Edge, said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday morning that the band will sign with a record company to get a CD of In Rainbows into the shops. Asked whether there would be a deal, Hufford said yes. We've got about seven days to sort it out. We tend to fly by the seat of our pants.¹

The band have been out of contract since Hail to the Thief completed their EMI deal in 2003. The download goes out from their website on 10 October at a price the buyer names, with no label involved. They expect it in the shops from January; there had been talk of March.

On Tuesday an EMI spokesperson had told Music Week the label was still discussing further plans with the band. On Thursday HMV's website listed a physical In Rainbows on Parlophone for 3 December, the day the band's site gives for the discbox to ship. HMV emailed subscribers offering pre-orders. Radiohead's management answered in a statement carried by NME that no partner and no release date have been decided, and that there are no plans for a standard CD before Christmas.

Hufford defended the £40 discbox, which holds the album on CD and two vinyl records, a second CD of extra songs, artwork and lyrics. £40 is huge value for money. How many drinks can you have for £40? Can you go out for a meal for that money?¹ He denies that the download spells the end of the record industry, and doubts that iTunes' 79p a track is right. Edge trusts people not simply to take the album for nothing. We're prepared to take a risk. If your music is great, people will then pay for it.¹