“Hello everyone. Well, the new album is finished, and it’s coming out in 10 days; We’ve called it In Rainbows.” Indie legend Radiohead left fans with an unexpected cryptic message on its website . . . and a marketing scheme even more offbeat.

In Rainbows will be available Oct. 10 only by download, blatantly eschewing online music monoliths like iTunes. And the catch: fans name their price, buying the album for as much as they think it is worth.

Radiohead, whose records are released to great critical and commercial success (the most recent record sold 932,000 copies as of January 2007), is without a record label. The message — posted by lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood on Oct. 1 — though somewhat abstract, suggests one thing: music industry moguls won’t be banking much off of this album.

They’ll make some money: On Dec. 3, Radiohead will release a two-CD, two-LP “diskbox” with extensive album artwork for £40 (roughly $81 USD).

Although this long-awaited album wasn’t due out until early 2008, Radiohead piqued fans’ interest with a string of mysterious website updates and a handful of black-and-white photos.

But now, after years of rumor and anticipation, fans suddenly have a title, a track list and only days to wait.

“Love from us all.”