Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has rejected the idea that the band ever intended to release their album In Rainbows exclusively online, claiming that to have done so would have been "stark raving mad". Discussing his band's decision to allow fans to pay whatever they liked to download their seventh album, which was released on CD this week, the singer said it was important for a band to have "an object" that represented their music.

Yorke told the BBC's Today programme: "We didn't want it to be a big announcement about 'everything's over except the internet, the internet's the future', 'cause that's utter rubbish." Yorke also claimed the suggestion that the album had been downloaded 1.2m times was "nonsense", but declined to reveal the actual figure.

Radiohead signed a UK distribution deal with XL Recordings, home to Dizzee Rascal and the White Stripes, shortly after the digital release of In Rainbows in October, but not before their decision to effectively give away their music for free ensured it was the musical talking point of 2007.

Referring to this, Yorke said: "We have a moral justification in what we did in the sense that the majors and the big infrastructure of the music business has not addressed the way artists communicate directly with their fans." Added Yorke: "In fact, they seem to basically get in the way. Not only do they get in the way, but they take all the cash."

__________________
Well, it was no Goodburger.

I downloaded In Rainbows, but I don't really feel like I "have" that album. I don't know if I'm alone in this, but if it's something that I really like, I feel the need to have the physical album in my hand - the artwork, lyrics, and just knowing that I can listen to it without a computer/ipod/mp3 player.

Oh I agree so much. Not only do I want to have the cd in my hand with artwork, but I want to add it to my beloved collection ( ) and stuff. I buy cds constantly, I don't feel like a real fan or that I really have it if I don't have the actual album.

It used to be like vinyl was the past and music lovers sticked to vinyl, but now its like CDS are the past and everyone just listens to stuff on iTunes!

yeah, i feel like this as well. i desperately want the box set, but it's soooo expensive.

thom yorke is the biggest waste of space ever born. listening to his voice is infuriating. How does he believe he has talent.. it's just gross!