Anger at Prince free CD giveaway

 

Anger at Prince free CD giveaway

The music industry has reacted angrily at a decision to give away the new album by US musician Prince with a tabloid newspaper.

 

Planet Earth will be given free with a future edition of the Mail on Sunday.

 

The 10-track CD from Prince - whose hits include Purple Rain, Sign O' The Times and Cream - is not due to be released until 24 July.

 

Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association, said the decision "beggars belief".

 

"The Artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores," said Mr Quirk, referring to a period in the 1990s when Prince famously stopped using his name in favour of a symbol.

 

"It is an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career.

 

"It is yet another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music."

 

The practice of "covermounts" - where newspapers attempt to lure readers with DVDs and CDs - is used widely in the industry.

 

The Mail on Sunday's recent CD giveaways include Peter Gabriel, Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, UB40 and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.

 

Stephen Miron, the newspaper's managing director, said: "No one has done this before. We have always given away CDs and DVDs, but this is just setting a new level."

 

Out of business

 

Mr Miron declined how much the newspaper had paid to secure the deal.

 

He added that the newspaper was not out to put music retailers out of business.

 

"They are living in the old days and haven't developed their businesses sufficiently. We can enhance their business. They are being incredibly insular and need to move their business on," he said.

 

But HMV chief executive Simon Fox has said it would be "absolutely nuts" to give the album away for free.

 

The company revealed on Thursday that its profits had more than halved in the face of cut-price competition from supermarkets and online retailers.

 

The deal has also led to the UK arm of Sony BMG pulling out of the distribution agreement.

 

"Given the sheer number of copies we are talking about here it seemed the right thing to do for retailers to become exempt from the deal in the UK," said a spokesman for Sony BMG, the world's second-biggest music company.

 

Prince is due to play 21 concert dates in London later this year.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/6256732.stm

I couldn't give a t*ss, as Prince hasn't produced any decent recorded material in years.;)

Me neither.

 

Although a free CD by Prince would be good.

Me neither.

 

Although a free CD by Prince would be good.

 

I'm not even interested in a free one. I'm sure I wouldn't listen to it anyway.

A proper studio album would make a change from DVDs of movies nobody has ever heard of

A proper studio album would make a change from DVDs of movies nobody has ever heard of

 

I have no interest in any of them. The vast majority of what they give away is junk you wouldn't ever buy, anyway.;)

I know, what is the DVD they are giving away tomorrow?

 

A lot of them get put onto the ever growing pile of freebie dvds which i will never watch, but my parents will watch.

I know, what is the DVD they are giving away tomorrow?

 

A lot of them get put onto the ever growing pile of freebie dvds which i will never watch, but my parents will watch.

 

My parents have dozens which have never been watched, and probably never will be.

They got a DVD player in a deal when they got their new television, but have never used it.

I never get around to watching DVDs either. I never have time.;)

That's because you spend all your time online.

If Prince was down the end of the garden I'd shut the curtains... Feel sorry for the records store Fopp though, that was always a great place to while away a few hours.

Didn't Neil Young put his last album online for free?

 

You might not like Prince, but he has enough fans to sell out 21 nights at the O2

Didn't Neil Young put his last album online for free?

 

You might not like Prince, but he has enough fans to sell out 21 nights at the O2

 

He was always far better live than "recorded". People have always said he's one of the best performers around. However, it'll be his classic hits that people will want to hear, not any of his forgettable recent material.;)

That's because you spend all your time online.

 

No - I usually find more than enough to watch on TV when I'm not playing tennis or doing other things (including internet surfing).;)

Raise your hands if anyone here are Prince fans??? I, for one< am a HUGE Prince fan!! I have everything hes ever done commercially, and I have loads and loads of bootlegs going back 2 when he first started in 1978!! I have seen him live lots of times and I used 2 live near Minneapolis and we used 2 go 2 Paisley Park, his recording studio, 2 see him perform there many times!! Hes one of the TRUE musical geniuses!! Although I am not so much of a fan of what he does now!! I really admired his stance against the corporate music industry and for changing his name 2 the symbol and wrote "Slave" on his face in protest against his record label!!

 

By the way, I just cant believe that he is 50 now!! He looks so amazing!!!:):)

:dozey:

He should be shot.....:rolleyes:

I took a friend to see Prince at the O2 last September. We expected nothing more than to enjoy a few classic 'hits' and enjoy it, but I was so blown away, it was a mind-blowing gig, and turned me into a huge Prince fan on the spot. The guy plays guitar as well as Hendrix, is a virtuoso piano player, just incredible.

 

I wa slowly working my way through his back catalogue until I got distracted recently, and had just laid my hands on Parade, which is an extraordinary album. Sometimes it Snows in April is one of the saddest, most haunting and yet uplifting songs ever. Truly one everyone should hear before they die...

 

FixYou319, I don't suppose you have bootlegs of the shows from last September 12th or 19th? I had the brilliant quality boots from the shows I went to but my PC recently blew up and I've lost everything :(

lol, well I do like Purple Rain and some of Around the World in a Day, but apart from that I don't know much else.

I love Prince. I grew up listening to him, my mom adores him.

Purple Rain= classic.

Some people call him the "purple pain" because he's so difficult to work with.:rolleyes:

So Elvis is the "King"

There was a rock band called "Queen"

Theres this dude named "Prince"

 

Where the hell is the "princess"?

So Elvis is the "King"

There was a rock band called "Queen"

Theres this dude named "Prince"

 

Where the hell is the "princess"?

 

There was one. She had a hit with "Say I'm Your Number One". Check it out!!:D

There was one. She had a hit with "Say I'm Your Number One". Check it out!!:D

 

shes scarier than Prince!:stunned:

 

So where is "jester" than?

 

 

:jester:

^He doesnt count;)

Has anyone ever seen an interview with him, from the 80s? He's so strange :confused:

I still can't believe I got to see him perform live @ Coachella!! That's definitely one of the biggest highlights this year. :dance:

Aside from the "diva" attitude, he's an incredible musician and artist. Much respect.