New REM album available first on Facebook

by Rob Peters | March 11, 2008 at 08:15 am

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You can be the first kid on the block with the new REM album in March, a week before it hits stores. And it's not due to the magic of MySpace this time--it'll be streamed on Facebook via iLike.

With Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, the Charlatans, and now REM showcasing albums online before selling hard copies in stores, a new marketing model seems to be emerging. That is, get users hooked with online buzz then pray they'll buy the record later. It seems to be working.

Also, is MySpace already dead space?

It seems that illegal file-sharing sites won't be the only place to hear REM's new album ahead of its release next month. The band have announced that Accelerate, their 14th studio album, will stream online at Facebook and other sites from March 24, a week before it hits shops.
The band has inked a deal with iLike, a social networking widget that can be used in conjunction with iTunes, Facebook and other platforms. It's a way of sharing information with your friends about the music you listen to, but it also has streaming capabilities.

While REM are one of the first major acts to use iLike to debut an album, this isn't exactly a new idea for them. Back in 2004 they offered their Around The Sun album online before it was available in stores. However, MySpace was then the social networking site of choice and the one with whom they made a deal.

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