Re: OT: you GO, Prince! Record industry in uproar
- From: fishandchips <Chippandfish@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 21:20:32 -0700
On Jun 29, 11:58�pm, Motzi Shem Ra <estuspir...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Prince to launch new album as free newspaper giveaway
Katie Allen, media business correspondent
Thursday June 28, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Prince is launching his new Planet Earth album as a free giveaway with
a national Sunday newspaper in a move that has drawn widespread
condemnation from music retailers.
The 10-track CD will be available free with an "imminent" edition of
the newspaper. Planet Earth will then go on sale on July 24.
"It's all about giving music for the masses and he believes in
spreading the music he produces to as many people as possible," said
Mail on Sunday managing director Stephen Miron.
"This is the biggest innovation in newspaper promotions in recent
times."
The paper will be ramping up its print run in anticipation of a huge
spike in circulation but would not reveal how much the deal with
Prince would cost.
One music store executive described the plan as "madness" while others
said it was a huge insult to an industry battling fierce competition
from supermarkets and online stores.
Prince's label broke off ties in the UK with the album in a bid to
appease music stores.
The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) said the giveaway
"beggars belief".
"It would be an insult to all those record stores who have supported
Prince throughout his career," ERA co-chairman Paul Quirk told a music
conference.
"It would be yet another example of the damaging covermount culture
which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music.
"The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour
like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record
Stores.
"And I say that to all the other artists who may be tempted to dally
with the Mail on Sunday." High street music giant HMV was similarly
scathing about the plans. Speaking before rumours of a giveaway were
confirmed, HMV chief executive Simon Fox said: "I think it would be
absolutely nuts."
"I can't believe the music industry would do it to itself. I simply
can't believe it would happen, it would be absolute madness."
Prince, whose Purple Rain sold more than 11m copies, also plans to
give away a free copy of his latest album with each ticket sold for
his upcoming string of concerts in London.
The singer had signed a global deal as well for the promotion and
distribution of Planet Earth in partnership with Columbia Records, a
division of music company Sony BMG.
A spokesman for the group said tonight that the UK arm of Sony BMG had
withdrawn from Prince's global deal and would not be distributing the
album to UK stores.
"We think it is the right thing to do in the difficult retail market,"
he said. "We are delighted Prince has come back to a major label but
this makes sense for the UK."
The Mail on Sunday, owned by Associated Newspapers, has built up a
reputation for music giveaways and this is not the first time it has
drawn harsh criticism.
It most recently clashed with musician Mike Oldfield over the giveaway
of his album Tubular Bells.
Still, the paper maintains that its covermount CDs of artists such as
Simply Red, Madness and Dolly Parton stimulate interest in music and
it has asked retailers to look at partnerships.
"The Mail on Sunday is the biggest distributor of albums in this
country," said Mr Miron. "We are saying to retailers we would be happy
to engage in dialogue."
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
Prince isn't giving away anything.....his fans gave their money thru
the years...just throwing out a bone.
.
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- OT: you GO, Prince! Record industry in uproar
- From: Motzi Shem Ra
- OT: you GO, Prince! Record industry in uproar
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