Third Man Records : Freedom at 21 Balloon Launch

Always looking to experiment with nontraditional forms of music distribution, Jack White's Independent Label Third Man Records yesterday decided to use helium balloons to launch White's new song "Freedom at 21," off his upcoming Blunderbuss album. From the label's Nashville studios, the Third Man team attached the tune, imprinted on flexi-disc records, onto a handful of blue balloons. Although the launch was on April Fool's Day, it appears to be the real deal. Along with the record, postcards and instructions asking finders to submit pictures and information like location and date of the discovery, which will all be featured on a special website. According to the site, two balloons have been landed, in Hunstville Alabama and Flintville, Tennessee. The effort was environmentally friendly too. Biodegradable balloons with all natural twine were used. According to the Third Man Balloon site, statistics for such pushes aren't all that great, at a recovery rate of approximately 10%. But that would make the collectible even more sought-after in years to come. The balloon vehicle is reminiscent of Bioware Mass Effect 3's recent game drop from space, which ultimately ran into a few obstacles--namely, trees.

Third Man Records : Freedom at 21 Balloon Launch

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