Radiohead - "In Rainbows" (A.T.O.)

First of all, major kudos to Radiohead for doing things their way. After their record contract expired, the band made In Rainbows available as a download on their personal website back in October on a pay-what-you-want basis with pretty stellar financial results. The physicalCD is coming out in America on the A.T.O. records imprint T.B.D. Records.

Musically, In Rainbows is another skillful but emotional collection of songs about the human condition, featuring the enigmatic words and soaring voice of Thom Yorke, who's quite possibly the best rock singer out there. The music is undeniably Radiohead, but with several twists that mark the group's continuing quest to try different things at every outing.

While the music will certainly hold up on its own, this album's ultimate legacy will probably be the events surrounding the release and distribution of it. It'll be hard to find anybody who doesn't fully appreciate Radiohead's will and imagination when it comes to performing, and you can now add those same attributes to their business sense.

Written by Dan Reed