Radiohead surprised many by announcing that their new album, “In Rainbows,” will be made available direct from the band as a digital file for everyone, everywhere, three months after recording it, and that it will cost whatever price the buyer wants to pay. 

It’s out today.

Fans can “purchase” two different editions of “In Rainbows” from the band’s Web site. The download-able MP3 version, which is DRM-free, can be purchased for whatever price you want to pay. A download code will be e-mailed to you shortly after registering.

For fans with an appetite for something tangible, the deluxe edition sells for $81 and includes the album in CD and vinyl, a bonus CD of new songs and a book of lyrics.

This drums up all sorts of questions in the already-teeming industry stew, about the future of recorded music, as the lads join another big name (Prince) in saying “thanks, but no thanks” to record labels.

Cynics are calling it just another marketing strategy. In our most recent podcast, Rommie Johnson and I discuss how already-established bands like Radiohead can afford to spit on the hand that feeds them – but what of unknown musicians?

There are already reports surfacing that the album will receive a proper compact-disc release on a label sometime in 2008. Until then, enjoy what may be the future of music, if Radiohead has anything to say about it.