Marillion might not be a big name among rock fans any longer, but they’re hoping to increase their fan base by giving away their new album through file-sharing sites. All they ask for in return – in a pop-up box that appears before the download – is for your e-mail address so they could contact new fans with ticket offers and news.
The group believes its hardcore fans will still buy the CD when it appears next month. Keyboard player Mark Kelly told the BBC:
"People forget Radiohead were still number one in the album charts. They also say they weren’t very successful because they only got an average of £2 per download. But they wouldn’t have got £2 per sale from [record company] EMI, so in those terms it was actually a big success, and they still sold CDs."
Marillion has a track record of using alternative routes – in the past they’ve asked for subscriptions from fans to pay for album recording.
