memo to trent reznor.

NIN has released a new record online. Ghosts I-IV.

Trent Reznor has done everything right. Free sample, ability to listen, increasing price scale based on how much you are willing to pay, with a physical product thrown in to justify each increasing price point. All of it an excellent deal. All of it profoundly attractive, in a really well designed web package.

But I've been trying to give him my money for 30 minutes, and I can't. I'm actually trying really hard to give him my money, $10, in return for some undoubtedly great music now, and what I expect will be an attractive package later. This will be, to be clear, the first physical CD I buy in about three years. If I can get the page to load. Which I can't.

When it comes down to it, every business model of music is in direct competition with piracy. And now I'm sitting here, actively trying to pay for music, and I can't.

I'm not looking to see if there's a torrent of Ghosts available. Mostly because I actually want the physical product. But I have to admit, I've got my credit card on my lap, and I'm still tempted.