Nine Inch Nails know how to work the web and they know their fans well. Trent Reznor, with his band had released their latest album, The Slip, officially available online to be downloaded at nin.com.

The band Nine Inch Nails is known for their shenanigans on the web as they promote and distribute their music. Although Radiohead might not wish to repeat their give away stunt, but Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails look like they are embracing this new style of distribution.

They had faked the leak of their tracks on the internet before the actual release of their album Year Zero, part of their viral marketing stun. They release the album Ghost with several versions of it, a totally free version, the pay to download version, physical CD version, CD with extra version and the super-ultra-deluxe version with blu-ray disc. In the past the band also had release a Garage Band version of their tracks, free for other to remix.

This time with their latest album The Slip, they release the entire album all free to download, with several audio format to choose from. You could choose between high-quality MP3 files, FLAC lossless audio, M4A Apple lossless audio or in better-then-CD-quality high definition WAVE format. All DRM free.

The better and higher quality audio file sizes are big. They had choose to use bittorent as a method of distribution. Yes the same bittorent that the record industry is fighting against.

Bittorent is a technology, a tool. It has nothing to do with piracy. Get that straight.

If you are a true Nine Inch Nails fan you might already have The Slip on your playlist. If you had never heard of Nine Inch Nails, download and have a listen, it’s wont cost you anything. This is why this works. When musicians make their work available freely and not being controlled by some big soulless money making corporation, their music could reach more people.

Yes I do think musician could still make mad cash even if they release their entire album free online. Fans who support their musicians will buy the CDs, they collect them. If they are good, people will come to their gigs and concerts. Fans will buy merchandise.

Don’t fight the Internet and file-sharing, those could be your best tool to help you spread your music more.