The Daily Swarm

UPDATE – Billboard:

As expected, Radiohead has completed a deal with ATO Records Group for the U.S. release of its new album, “In Rainbows.” The album, to be released on the band’s own TBD Records imprint, will arrive Jan. 2, two days after being issued in the United Kindgdom by XL Recordings.

In recent weeks, ATO quickly emerged as the front-runner and most attractive U.S. home for Radiohead, who recorded for EMI until 2005. Among the draws was the presence of Phil Costello, Capitol’s former senior VP of promotion and marketing, who is now at ATO.

And although no official relationship with the band was announced beforehand, ATO has been working the Radiohead tracks “Bodysnatchers” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” to U.S. radio for the past couple of weeks.

As for the meaning of TBD Records, a spokesperson says, “we ran into trouble in trying to clear all previously discussed potential label names.”

UPDATE – Billboard:

Radiohead has set a Dec. 31 international release date for the physical version of its new album, “In Rainbows.”

The album will be released on CD and vinyl, followed by the single, “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” on Jan. 14. Formats for the single will be announced shortly.

Both album and single will be released outside the United States on XL Recordings. A spokesperson for the band said that details for the U.S. physical release are not yet finalized, although ATO/Side One Recordings is by far the front-runner to sign Radiohead there.

UPDATE – Billboard:

Radiohead has ended weeks of speculation by confirming it has struck a deal with British indie label XL Recordings for the physical release of its new album, “In Rainbows.”

The deal is expected to cover territories outside North America, leaving the band free to sign a separate deal there, but no further details have yet been made available.

A release date for the physical CD has also not been given, but sources suggest it will coincide with the Dec. 3 arrival of the “discbox” edition of “In Rainbows” available only from Radiohead.com. Others speculate it may not appear until next year.

UPDATE- New York Times:

The band, which stunned the industry this month when it let fans set their own price for the digital download of its new album, is close to a deal to release the CD version of the album domestically through a pact with the music complex headed by Coran Capshaw, the impresario best known for guiding the career of the Dave Matthews Band.

The band is expected to market the album internationally through the British label XL Recordings, according to people briefed on the band’s plans.

The independent labels appear poised to win a bidding war for the band’s album that had included suitors like Warner Brothers Records, Columbia Records and, at one point, Starbucks, whose corporate label has signed artists including Paul McCartney.

Under the proposed deal, Radiohead would license the album, “In Rainbows,” for a specified period of time but retain ownership of the recording.

Side One, a fledgling label being spun off from Mr. Capshaw’s management company, Red Light, would release the album domestically in concert with another of Mr. Capshaw’s companies, ATO Records.

UPDATE – Billboard:

ATO is seen as the front-runner and potentially most attractive home for Radiohead, who recorded for EMI until 2005, for numerous reasons. For one, Phil Costello, Capitol’s former senior VP of promotion and marketing, is now at ATO.

Further, Red Light Management has just launched a new offshoot label, Side One Recordings, in conjunction with ATO (Red Light owner/founder Coran Capshaw is also a co-founder/co-owner of ATO). The label’s first release is veteran U.K. electronica duo Underworld’s “Oblivion With Bells,” due Oct. 16.

Most ATO releases have been distributed in the U.S. by RCA, although some went through RED. The Nov. 13 release of David Gray’s “Greatest Hits” will mark the debut release by ATO as a fully independent, RED-distributed label. Side One Recordings is also distributed by RED.

UPDATE – HITS:

The most likely scenario has the band signing with Capshaw’s organization and releasing the album on the Side One label, headed by Will Botwin, who handles the day-to-day operation of Capshaw’s music division. Phil Costello, who has been tight with Radiohead and its management since the band’s early days, when he headed promotion at Capitol, will be in charge of marketing and promotion for the project.

The arrangement is said to be a 50/50 joint venture and will not involve a sizable advance—in keeping with what are expected to be only modest physical sales. What remains unclear is the term of the deal and the number of albums involved.

Domestic distribution will most likely be handled by RED, a known entity to Botwin from his time heading Columbia Records. Outside the U.S., EMI appears to have the inside track on distribution, primarily because of the band’s close ties to EMI U.K. veteran Tony Wadsworth, who signed them to Parlophone in 1992.

UPDATE – At Ease:

Radiohead managers Chris Hufford and Bryce Edge were interviewed at BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today‘ this morning, confirming a record deal for Radiohead’s new album ‘In Rainbows‘ will be signed within the next 7 days.

Chris Hufford said that the band are close to signing a record deal: “Ultimately, the band feel that this record, which they are incredibly proud of, deserves to be brought into the mass marketplace. That’s why we need a record company who have that infrastructure to deliver the CD. We’ve got about seven days to get it organised.”

Does this current plan, with consumers setting the price make any financial sense?

Chris Hufford: “It’s just another way of doing things and hopefully it will initiate artists and record labels to think about things a lot more and not just accept the status quo.”

From Hits:

BLIND ITEM TIDBIT: Our spies from across the pond have informed us that there’s a certain U.S. music executive, employed at a stateside-based management company/independent label, who has been diligently meeting with Radiohead and their handlers about a new American label arrangement, and that they’re close to making a deal. It would be a huge coup for the indie label in question if they manage to pull it off. We’ll keep you posted.

Paste:

Radiohead fans waiting patiently for the band’s next album may not have to wait too much longer – or they may.

First, the good news: Guitarist Jonny Greenwood confirmed to Paste that the album is done. The not-so-good news is that the band has no idea when fans will be able to hear it.

“We just had a meeting about that today,” said Greenwood on September 7. “We’re very relieved to have finished recording, now we have to decide what we should do with it.”

Radiohead completed its six-album contract with EMI with 2003’s Hail to the Thief and is currently unsigned. Can anyone say bidding war?