Amanda Palmer to Roadrunner Records: "Please drop me!"

Amanda Palmer in typical garb.

As many of you are aware, a record contract can bring many things; fame, fortune, admiration, and so on. But, for a large percentage of signed artists, it usually brings creative struggles, misunderstandings, and debt. Such is the case with the Dresden Dolls’ frontwoman, Amanda Palmer.

In a bold statement, likely the result of months of heated combat with her label, Roadrunner Records (a subsidiary of WMG), Palmer fiercely declared her desire to be dropped from the label in her aptly titled song “Please Drop Me,” performed live in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on March 28th. The song, in which Palmer made no attempt to cover up its intended receiver, vocalizes a myriad of reasons why she wishes to be released from her contract, one of which being that she is, “tired of sucking corporate ****.” Palmer can even be heard asking an audience member filming the song to upload it onto Youtube as soon as they get home. She concludes the aria by rattling off a list of fellow Roadrunner artists which she says the label won’t miss her by having.

The incident stems from various creative differences which Palmer and Roadrunner have been very publically involved in, thanks largely in part to Palmer’s passionate blogging. The most notable disagreement came in the form of a problem Roadrunner had with Palmer’s exposure of her mid-section in the video for her single, “Leeds United” off her new album Who Killed Amanda Palmer? The problem the label had wasn’t the exposure itself, but rather her physical appearance in the video - suggesting that they digitally edit her “chubby belly” to appeal more to their male demographic.

Palmer, and hordes of her adoring public, vehemently criticized the label for its actions; most of them vowing never to purchase or even listen to any more Roadrunner-related music. While such incidents and interactions may be commonplace in the industry, Roadrunner hasn't exactly given reason for Palmer to be gleefully subservient. The label has put little to no effort into marketing her product. She has sunk over $80,000 of her own life savings (which she sadly says will never be paid back by the label) to record, promote, and tour to support her music, and she continues to do so to keep doing what she loves. Time will tell whether or not Palmer gets her wish and is ultimately dropped, but this situation has clearly left the music business with another black and blue mark on its already battered body.