Offspring Album Download Plan Squelched

09/22/2000 8:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

9/22/00, 8 p.m. ET - The Offspring's plan to release its entire new album, A Conspiracy Of One, as free downloads on its own website (offspring.com) has been squelched by its record company, Sony Music. But the band and label have found common ground, reports Hits Daily Double, agreeing to offer the album's first single, "Original Prankster," as a free download.

The announcement diverts legal action between the two parties, each of whom threatened to file suit over the promotion in New York on Thursday (September 21).

The label was "extremely happy" with the compromise, according to Hits. However, the band apparently doesn't share the feeling. "Obviously the band is very disappointed that they will not be allowed to challenge the Internet to its full potential," Offspring manager Jim Guerinot told the publication. "The hypocrisy of the Offspring being asked to observe a strict 55 mile-per-hour speed limit when the rest of the world is driving at 70 mph is staggering."

In the revised plan, fans who register to win the band's $1 million contest will have access to the free download of "Original Prankster." The promotion begins September 29. Conspiracy Of One will arrive in stores on Sony's Columbia Records on November 14.

-- Neal Weiss, Los Angeles

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