The reason it works for those specific groups is because of their fan base.
That's exactly the point.
I think you are trying to argue that people outside Loius CK's fanbase bought this because of the desire to prove people wrong. You might be correct in part, but that isn't the whole story.
Do you think that if Britney Spears tomorrow launched a similar "DRM free pay what you want" sale that and the "viral" element (news articles about how edgy it is) didn't exist she would have the success that these people have?
There are plenty of popular artists who have done similar things and had massive success. Lil' Wayne exclusively released (free) mix tapes between 2006 and 2008 which built his profile to the point that his next actual album sold more than a million copies in its first week of release, and gave him his first number 1.
Imagine there is a time when releasing music/video or any other form of media is done independently without a label and without DRM. Will people who release stuff in this way be hailed heroes and make sales because of of how they're selling? of course not. That's what is happening here with Louis CK. If the standard for publication and sale of media was what he was doing here we wouldn't even be having this conversation because nobody would be talking about it.
One option is to cater to your fans, to cultivate a large fan base, and then to offer them a convenient way to support you.
Another option is to cater to the whims of a production company, promote your record with late show appearances, cut into your profits with advertising and middle-man salaries, and then hope that a large faceless audience buys enough DRM-encumbered media to clear your advance.
The point is that it's a better experience all around to have that connection to your fans and to enjoy the fruits of your labor without having to compromise your ideals or give money to a bunch of people who added very little to the creative process. The world is a bit better when there is a direct connection between artists and their fans and when those fans care enough to want their favored artist to make a living and keep being able to focus on the craft.
That's exactly the point.
I think you are trying to argue that people outside Loius CK's fanbase bought this because of the desire to prove people wrong. You might be correct in part, but that isn't the whole story.
Do you think that if Britney Spears tomorrow launched a similar "DRM free pay what you want" sale that and the "viral" element (news articles about how edgy it is) didn't exist she would have the success that these people have?
There are plenty of popular artists who have done similar things and had massive success. Lil' Wayne exclusively released (free) mix tapes between 2006 and 2008 which built his profile to the point that his next actual album sold more than a million copies in its first week of release, and gave him his first number 1.