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Not until AFTER they had a body of music released through standard channels. The profit has always een on the tour, that's old news (actually it was the Dead that figured that out), but the albums/ CDs functioned as advertising for the tour. Without the album release there's nothing for the fans to hear before the concert so they actually will have some familiar songs to hear, there won't even be anyway for people to know the name of the band. CDs are the least profitable part of the industry, but they're the linchpin that holds it together, they're the loss leader that drives the tour and the memorabilia that make the real money. Getting rid of the CD is like taking gas away from gas stations, it's not a very profitable item for the gas station but without it you'll never buy anything else from them.