When asked about the name-your-price model of selling downloads, Trent Reznor said, “Asking people what they think music is worth devalues music…This is your art! This is your life! It has a value and you the artist are not putting that power in the hands of the audience.”

We’re in rocky territory here.

On one hand, I agree with Trent.  This is my music.  I’ve poured my soul into it and it is valuable.  I deserve your dollars.

On the other hand,  I trust my listener.  As bandcamp points out on their blog, often pay-what-you-like models can elicit more money out of downloaders than fixed prices.

And if that ends up not being the case… meh.  In a changing and turbulent music industry, when it is common for CDs to be shared amongst friends and I can give you my whole music collection in 5 minutes via external hard drive, I would prefer that people at least visit my website if they’re going to steal my music.

And as an up and coming artist, I want people to have it.  I want my recent release to be an investment that boosts sales for my future releases.

But… the reality is that I really need money now.  I’ve tried all sorts of ways around it, but yeah… money is necessary.  So I am hoping that people will pay for their downloads.