Portishead not giving away anything

They're not giving the music away for free per se. Pay what you think should cost is what they're saying.

I agree with Portishead. The only people who can give things away for free are those who don't need money. Since Radiohead's filthy rich, fine, but imagine everyone demanding free (or "pay what you want") music. You'd basically be handing over the newly diversified music industry to the groups and musicians who've already made it. Economics is necessary for innovation, especially within any economic superstructure.

And this is an example where the economy allows for this kind of innovation. Radiohead is pushing an envelope (and I recognize that they are not the first to do this). I find Portishead's critique odd, considering they haven't released an album in quite some time. Smaller labels have been employing a similar technique by generating buzz for live performances. This will no more create an demand for free music than welfare creates a demand for free money or file sharing destroying the music industry. It will change the model, yes, as it should. We are past the deprecated model of the cd, bu that is another argument for another time. I think Portishead has the right to make their stance known, but for band who is hardly innovating much less creating music at this time, who cares?