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Dwindling Fan Base I think the antics by Prince over the past year have begun to wear on even his most loyal fans. From the promise of a PR remaster, to the poor promotion of his new projects, to the silliness he pulled on FB, and to this ridiculous Hit, Run, and Hide Tour. Not to mention, how many of us want to shell out $150 to $300 to see the same show we've seen for the past few years with an inferior band? Why doesn't he have confidence in his new music? He claims to not look back, but all I hear at his shows are the 80's. He's ignoring almost 2 1/2 decades of his music. I love Prince, have followed him since 1982, and have been a hard-core collector since the mid-eighties. However, this past year has really annoyed me more than any other since I have followed Prince. I think he has peeled off another layer of his thin fanbase with all of the nonsense of the past year. I live in LA, so I know he'll play here because he plays here every year. This will be the first year I pass on one of his shows whenever it arrives. Prince is a freaking icon which makes the direction he's chose to go in even more disappointing. | |
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I agree Derrick...for instance, when Prince was in LA and Europe, I was hoping he would play anywhere in the midwest...i was willing to travel to Chicago, Ohio, anywhere....and a few weeks ago he played IN DETROIT, and i didn't even bother to attempt my chance at tickets. I live 1/2 hour away from downtown Detroit.
I haven't bothered to try to get any of his latest releases....The only one i can think of is THE EX'S FACE.
I still respect everything he has accomplished, and will continue to support (buy) anything he releases, but i'm done with going out of my way.
Also, because he is such an interesting person, i will continue to come to the org. You just never know with Prince. That is a blessing and a curse.
Thanks for the laughs, arguments and overall enjoyment for the last umpteen years. It's time for me to retire from Prince.org and engage in the real world...lol. Above all, I appreciated the talent Prince. You were one of a kind. | |
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derrick31 said: I think the antics by Prince over the past year have begun to wear on even his most loyal fans. From the promise of a PR remaster, to the poor promotion of his new projects, to the silliness he pulled on FB, and to this ridiculous Hit, Run, and Hide Tour. Not to mention, how many of us want to shell out $150 to $300 to see the same show we've seen for the past few years with an inferior band? Why doesn't he have confidence in his new music? He claims to not look back, but all I hear at his shows are the 80's. He's ignoring almost 2 1/2 decades of his music. I love Prince, have followed him since 1982, and have been a hard-core collector since the mid-eighties. However, this past year has really annoyed me more than any other since I have followed Prince. I think he has peeled off another layer of his thin fanbase with all of the nonsense of the past year. I live in LA, so I know he'll play here because he plays here every year. This will be the first year I pass on one of his shows whenever it arrives. Prince is a freaking icon which makes the direction he's chose to go in even more disappointing. If had a dwindling fan base no one would go to the Hit and Run shows. He keeps doing them and people keep coming. | |
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right, prince is the best, of course... Why do I care if he sells out shows? My fan experience is still not good. . those are small venues, i don't think it's that hard to sell out those shows because there are enough casual fans who will buy tickets. The fanbase that might be shrinking is the hardcore fanbase. | |
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fusk said: right, prince is the best, of course... Why do I care if he sells out shows? My fan experience is still not good. . those are small venues, i don't think it's that hard to sell out those shows because there are enough casual fans who will buy tickets. The fanbase that might be shrinking is the hardcore fanbase. So what old fans leave new ones come on board. I kind of wish people who cannot afford the tickets need to realize that is there problem not Prince's | |
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I hate to say it, but I agree with the post. I am bored with Prince at the moment. The setlists and lack of a coherent plan. I was all for this new band at first.Thought maybe this was a back to basics rock sound. And then he goes and put songs like boy trouble on the PL record. Its soft middle of the road rock music, that I never thought Prince would do. But i guess thats where his mindset is at the moment. with the band members religious beliefs. LIke the poster says, I will always be a fan and buy his new records etc. But to me , Prince, at the moment, is a shadow of the great artist that I love and admire. l |
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I've been saying for awhile now that Prince needs to do something BIG...something major!
Release the PR remaster set and announce a reunion tour with the Revolution
Things have been too quiet,too predictable,lately.The 3rdEyeGirl band doesn't interest me at all. | |
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He needs to do something that will really excite the fanbase!! | |
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. who mentioned ticket prices? (Edit: OP mention ticket prices, sorry!) . old fans leave and new ones come on board, sure, but is it good that old fans are leaving with a 'fuck this guy' attitude? [Edited 4/18/15 16:31pm] | |
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SoulAlive said: He needs to do something that will really excite the fanbase!! LOL no, he doesn't 'need' to do anything. Hard to believe I've been on the org for over 25 years now! | |
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laurarichardson said: So what old fans leave new ones come on board. I think this is definitely happening.. And I think Prince honestly does not care. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a conscious decision to alienate his hard core fans over the last bunch of years. Hell if I was an artist and had fans such as Prince does, who bitch and moan and criticise every single thing that he does, I'd be happy for those old fans to just drop off and acquire a new generation of fans who appreciate him for the legend that he is !! Why WOULDN'T he do that ?? Hard to believe I've been on the org for over 25 years now! | |
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Prince is a veteran artist.Generally,veteran artists don't really gain alot of new fans.The fans flocking to his shows are the same fans who have been onboard since the 80s. | |
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FunkyStrange said: laurarichardson said: So what old fans leave new ones come on board. I think this is definitely happening.. And I think Prince honestly does not care. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a conscious decision to alienate his hard core fans over the last bunch of years. Hell if I was an artist and had fans such as Prince does, who bitch and moan and criticise every single thing that he does, I'd be happy for those old fans to just drop off and acquire a new generation of fans who appreciate him for the legend that he is !! Why WOULDN'T he do that ?? He has to care to an extent if anything he does is some attempt at getting any reaction from listeners. I would rather have fans that nitpick and bitch over fans that love every single thing that comes out. That's so boring and uneventful. A fan is a fan, regardless. | |
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laurarichardson said: fusk said: right, prince is the best, of course... Why do I care if he sells out shows? My fan experience is still not good. . those are small venues, i don't think it's that hard to sell out those shows because there are enough casual fans who will buy tickets. The fanbase that might be shrinking is the hardcore fanbase. So what old fans leave new ones come on board. I kind of wish people who cannot afford the tickets need to realize that is there problem not Prince's New fans??? Are you kidding me? There really are very few, if any, new fans. You are funny  [Edited 4/18/15 18:35pm] | |
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Some of you need to check into reality.. ( and I'm not talking about the 'org' reality)
Dwindling fan base - for buying albums ? For sure , but that's the same for all artists Dwindling fan base - for live shows ? For which he is now a living legend in the general public's eyes ? No. I'd say at a rough guess, in the last ten years, between a third to half of prince audience members have never seen him before... Prince is acutely aware of this since he regularly asks questions like "who has never seen me before ?" Huge roar from the crowd, he's been doing his own vox pops for years on this topic. As hard core fans we have a different perspective than most, but to many of this new generation - this guy is a living legend and they will gladly fork out $150 to see him just on his live reputation alone. Damn, I can't believe me of all people is defending Prince lol [Edited 4/18/15 18:52pm] Hard to believe I've been on the org for over 25 years now! | |
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All these new fans all probably think hes a new artist that has just appeared on the scene over the past 10 years or so, and they dont realize that he has a LONG history going back 30+ years!!! I bet if we sat a new fan down and actually showed them what he was like and what he did music-wise, concert-wise and in general, career-wise, they would all be totally floored and gobsmacked!!!
Personally, I genuinely beleive that Prince has past his sell-by-date!! His music is VERY lack lustre and doesnt come anywhere near as close in terms of creativity, musicianship, edginess, and he definately has lost his funk and mojo!! He is trying too hard to stay relevant with a crappy new image(how I hate that afro) and he is DESPERATLY trying to keep his youth with working with the much younger 3rdEyeGirl, which I have never felt, cos he cant face looking at his birth certificate!! His ego has run amock!!
And, yes, he is now doing these Hit & Run shows cos that encourages mass excitement and ticket-buying fever to fill out smaller venues, because, lets face it, he knows himself that he cant fill out the massive arenas that he used to in his heyday!!! I doubt whether he could fill out Madison Square Garden, or the Staples Center in LA, anymore, and they are just 2 examples!!! He came over here to the UK last year to do impromptu club gigs and then an actual tour, but he only did the smaller cities like Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, he never touched London for an actual concert, cos he knew he wouldnt fill out the 02 or any other venue anymore!! To be perfectly honest, he could perform a gig near where I live(probably Southampton) and I wouldnt be bothered to go!!!
Prince has had his day!!! | |
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Here is a Bob Dylan quote for ya:"Just because you like my stuff, doesn't mean I owe you anything." | |
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SoulAlive said: Release the PR remaster set and announce a reunion tour with the Revolution Not to diss your opinion but THAT would be predictable. Personally I wish Prince would respect his legacy more and give us remasters with outtakes and vault tracks...that might garner some press and interest and even generate some new fans. He could use that as a springboard to releasing a new album that might get more success as a result. 'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything. | |
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PurpleSpirit319 said: He came over here to the UK last year to do impromptu club gigs and then an actual tour, but he only did the smaller cities like Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, he never touched London for an actual concert, cos he knew he wouldnt fill out the 02 or any other venue anymore!! To be perfectly honest, he could perform a gig near where I live(probably Southampton) and I wouldnt be bothered to go!!! I don't agree with his lack of ability to sell out arenas. Not sure he could pull a stunt like 21 nights at the O2 again, but the Prince brand is still strong enough to pull in casuals who want to hear the hits from one of the biggest stars of the 80s. I reckon he could do a sell out night at the O2 no prob (but not if he was only playing new stuff...then it would need to be the Indigo!) For most people Prince is now a legacy act with only a hardcore fanbase still remotely interested in new material. Oh and he did sell out the NEC in Birmingham, that's 12000 tickets in a matter of minutes...but it was clear most of the audience were only there for the classic tracks and hits (event though us hardcore went mental when he played Electric Intercourse). 'I loved him then, I love him now and will love him eternally. He's with our son now.' Mayte 21st April 2016 = the saddest quote I have ever read! RIP Prince and thanks for everything. | |
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The fan base has been dwindling since right after Purple Rain. His original demographic from his rise to fame and classic 80s period is aged somewhere between 45-50 years old. In realistic terms, we don't buy as many CDs as we did in our teens/20s/30s, don't buy as many "fan club" memberships, and our patience for new protege and backing bands is almost all but gone. We have families, jobs, mortgages and bills…all of which affect our music-buying decisions. We DO buy concert tickets, often at high prices and often for multiple shows. To approach this from another angle: there is a lot of goodwill that is missing from Prince's fan base. We're bitter, and feel jaded after several failed projects and fan clubs. His disdain for the Internet and large portions of his back catalog do not help either. |
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^Your first two lines are spot on! Says this 56-year-old fan, LOL. [Edited 4/19/15 13:44pm] | |
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Prince's fanbase isnt dwindling. He's BUILDING a fan base of people under 40, and he's doing it in a very old school way, going out and playing shows. He loves to play. Thats all he wants to do really and so what? | |
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HINT: it's perfectly okay to decide you had enough of Prince.
SECOND HINT: It's even more perfectly okay to not be bitter about it and hang around like you've been wronged by your lovah.
Because I know the value of his catalog, it doesn't matter to me if there are just 50 souls in the world that still realize the greatness of his work. | |
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Predictable? | |
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It's one of the few things that he's never done! fusk said:
. who mentioned ticket prices? (Edit: OP mention ticket prices, sorry!) . old fans leave and new ones come on board, sure, but is it good that old fans are leaving with a 'fuck this guy' attitude? [Edited 4/18/15 16:31pm] You did not mention tickets prices but many people on this board do and the wack thing is when the were 25$ people were bitching. I think most of the fans who are old 40 plus years old will keep following him and we can afford those tickets. I do not see how he is doing anything different then The Rolling Stones who charge more than $250.00. | |
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Se7en said: The fan base has been dwindling since right after Purple Rain. His original demographic from his rise to fame and classic 80s period is aged somewhere between 45-50 years old. In realistic terms, we don't buy as many CDs as we did in our teens/20s/30s, don't buy as many "fan club" memberships, and our patience for new protege and backing bands is almost all but gone. We have families, jobs, mortgages and bills…all of which affect our music-buying decisions. We DO buy concert tickets, often at high prices and often for multiple shows. To approach this from another angle: there is a lot of goodwill that is missing from Prince's fan base. We're bitter, and feel jaded after several failed projects and fan clubs. His disdain for the Internet and large portions of his back catalog do not help either. All of this is 100% right on! Really- I was there in the 80's and Prince wasnt that popular before or after "Purple Rain". Sure, a few hits with "Raspberry Beret" & "Kiss", but "Under the Cherry Moon" would have bombed even if it was good. By SOTT, nobody was buying the albums anymore. It was the media who was following this celebrity, more than the public at large. He turned off so many people with his Award show shenanigans with bodyguards, and his "We Are The World" no show, that the majority was turned off for good. He was too weird and unlikeable. There were 2 instances where the public was ready to re-embrace Prince: "Batman" & "Diamonds and Pearls"- but neither album was truly great, had lasting value, & noone bought the followups. Prince had a small hardcore fanbase, but most of us have grown up & dont have time for the weird behavoir and games and subpar releases that take work to track down. We have lives. And Prince doesnt want to share his past in a legacy release form or Youtube, so hes becoming a thing of the past. | |
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RodeoSchro said: ^Your first two lines are spot on! Says this 56-year-old fan, LOL. [Edited 4/19/15 13:44pm] I've never stopped purchasing his music or joining the fan clubs. I've been a fan since 1982, when I was 10 years old. I won't stop supporting him. But straight-up: numbers don't lie. There's another thread right now about a possible Prince streaming music service, and in that thread they estimate 1 Million subscribers worldwide. But the ones who bought either AOA or PE can only be measured in the thousands? IF album sales are the deciding factor of a fan base, then there's no disputing that. Granted, Spotify and piracy have probably contributed to the lack of sales, but still. Buyers have been dropping off somewhat steadily since his 80s peak. Prince, though, is one of the greatest live performers of our time. His legacy there is undisputed. So in that regard, his fan base is ever-growing and evolving. They're just not buying the albums... |
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Great post.
[Edited 4/19/15 20:26pm] | |
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This tends 2 happen when u surround yourself with an army of YES men/women instead of people who can help keep u out of bad business decisions. Prince is an army of one. FOOLS multiply when WISE Men & Women are silent. | |
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