The Charlatans have announced that they will make their next album a free download from the UK radio station XFM. Initially it will be just be a single released on Monday October 22 followed by the album early next year.

I would imagine that XFM have parted with a big pot of cash for the privilege, much in the same way as the Sunday Mail earlier in the year paid for the rights to give away the latest Prince album.

More information can be found at the XFM site here.