LONDON: British rock group Radiohead have drawn a mixed reaction from fans and fellow musicians with an experiment letting listeners decide the price of their latest album, reports said on Thursday.

Other artistes are said to be studying the novel sales strategy – labelled as a publicity stunt by some – of allowing fans to pay whatever they want for “In Rainbows,” which went on sale online on Wednesday. The hit art-rockers, already authors of six albums, drew widespread publicity when they announced earlier this month that that fans could decide the price themselves, saying “It’s up to you” on their website.

On Wednesday about a third of fans decided to pay absolutely nothing, according to The Times, citing a poll of 3,000 people who bought it from the website. “I chose zero, but maybe if I had a chance to chip in 10 bucks, after I hear it if it’s great, then I would,” said one identified fan from Australia, shortly after downloading the album.

The average price chosen was four pounds – half the typical album price on online music retailing leader I-Tunes of around eight pounds – although 67 people paid more than 10 pounds, according to the poll.

But the band’s managers were upbeat.—AFP