Radiohead continues to take its own music industry path, with the news this morning that the U.S. release of its seventh album, In Rainbows, will come through a record label set up by the band -- TBD Records. As previously reported, the album will arrive at the very end of 2007 in international markets, with the U.S. release date two days later on January 2. (Please see my comment for updated status of this information.)

Of course, In Rainbows is more famous already for the stir it created when Radiohead announced in early October that the album would be available as a download-only for the time being. Fans who passed on the download will now have their chance to buy the CD. A spokesperson told Billboard that the meaning of TBD is attributable to the fact that the band and ATO Records, who are distributing the release "ran into trouble in trying to clear all previously discussed potential label names." Although it seems clear that a reference to the moniker "to be determined" would not be too far off the mark.

Radiohead may have been taking revolutionary steps with the release of In Rainbows so far, but this move is nothing new. Bands since the 1960s have created their own record labels: The Beatles and Apple Records, The Rolling Stones and their creative Rolling Stones Records label. Even their 1990s brethren have started labels to manage their own music -- Oasis started Big Brother Recordings in 2000. At least Radiohead is taking the necessary measures to keep control of their music and their label, or so it seems. The Beatles and the Stones may have not had issues with EMI managing their material, but Oasis has reportedly been unhappy with Sony BMG's control over its music and label.

As I continuously ruminate about the state of music, album sales, and the growth of online digital markets, how much consumers care about these topics is something I have not strayed too close to. I think it is safe to say that consumers do care, but I cannot say if it is to the degree with which I am fascinated and write about it.

I was reminded by a mentor and colleague a few days ago how easy the use of Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iTunes Store and iPod are if you are hoping to listen to only one song or a few songs, but not an album. Of course, that very dynamic is what I so often write about in my blogs about the death of the album, but who exactly is decrying the death of the album? No matter how much I write about that death, it is very apparent that those who are worried about the death of such a money maker are the labels and the industry.

The nice thing about iTunes and other digital stores is that if you are just browsing you can listen to clips of the songs. This is not a method of shopping that you can easily acquire at stores like Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) or Target (NYSE: TGT), although Best Buy is beginning to incorporate computer stations where you can make test runs of programs like Rhapsody and Napster. They hope you will then sign up for a subscription to that service through Best Buy. Browsing at stores like these only ever really entails looking at the product. If you know nothing about it, then you cannot know if it will be something you are happy to spend your money on.