Offspring Album Download Axed
September 25, 2000 -- As anticipated late last week, the Offspring, under pressure from its record label, has called off plans to make its new album, Conspiracy of One, available for free download a month before its commercial release on Nov. 14.
Two weeks ago, the Southern California punk act announced an extensive online promotional campaign to gear up for the record's release. First it planned to make "Original Prankster" available for download in MP3 format — at no charge — via www.offspring.com and a host of other sites. Then, in late October, the complete album was to be free for the taking.
Additionally, users who downloaded tracks would automatically be entered in a contest to $1 million, paid out of the band's own pocket.
Not so fast, cried the group's label, Columbia Records. "While the band has come up with a million-dollar idea for their fans, and we're excited about the contest, we have very real concerns when it comes to unsecured downloading of music and piracy on the Internet," said the label in a statement. "We're hopeful that we can arrive at a method that will protect everyone's rights and still maintain the integrity of the band's idea."
Now, according to a report in Monday's Billboard Bulletin, while the free single download and the sweepstakes will go ahead as planned, the album will remain off-limits until it's in stores. Well, unless you have Napster.
"The only people unable to post music on the Internet appear to be those who actually create it," Offspring manager Jim Guerinot told the trade rag HITS Friday.
Sony Music, Columbia's parent company, had initiated legal actions to put a halt to the band's download scheme and the million-dollar giveaway. The band's proposed breach-of-contract countersuit would have delayed the release of Conspiracy of One and prompted the cancellation of the tour scheduled around the album's release.
"The band feels that maintaining the integrity of this promotion, getting the record out, and being able to tour is more important than spending the next 12 months in court," added Guerinot in HITS.
The campaign hasn't been completely aborted, however. The single, and the million-dollar prize, will still be up for grabs online starting Sept. 29. Sony Music will reportedly share the e-mail database with the band for Offspring-related promotions only.
"We are trying to launch our album with promotions that are fan supportive rather than fan exploitative," said the band in a statement at the its Web site when the original promotion launched. "We feel that by giving them our music and letting them have back some of their money is a great way to show how much they mean to us."
The Offspring is notorious for its support of free downloads. "The Offspring view MP3 technology and programs such as Napster as being a vital and necessary means to promote music and foster better relationships with our fans," reads a statement at the band's site.