After the success of ‘Ghosts’ being released for free on Nine Inch Nails website in March, lead man Trent Reznor thanks his fans for their support by offering ‘The Slip’ free of charge, 2 months later. I have yet to listen to the record, but the reviews are sensational. Now if we can just get him to release Axl Roses ‘Chinese Democracy’ for nothing, the world might make complete sense again.

As an added bonus, a band you may not have heard of, The Rosebuds, have done almost the same thing. While the album content isn’t original, they’re definitely taking notes from Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails. Their 2007 release ‘Night of the Furies’ has been remixed, and their label, Merge Records is offering it on their website for nothing as well.

Now, I’m not one to complain, but what will this lead to? How many bands are going to start releasing albums for free before the music industry gets their head out of their rectum? While I am happy to download free music legally and share the love, I also know how difficult it can be as an artist to make ends meet. I wasn’t surprised at Nine Inch Nails giving their hard work away, but The Rosebuds album comes as a complete shock. If you enjoy ‘Sweet Beats, Troubled Sleep’ make sure you check out ‘Night of the Furies.’ I do own that album, and love it.

When you click on the album covers, you’ll be redirected to the respectable websites to download away. Let me know what you think about the albums, as I won’t get a chance to listen to these for a few days. I’m anxious to see which gem I should try first.