The way that soundscan is no longer going to allow the "Prince Rule" of including concert ticket sales and CD distribution? It really burns me. When I see how the industry has treated some of the biggest giants of the music business Prince, Madonna, and MJ it really makes me wonder.

What really burns me is that Prince has found a way to capitolize on his fame and stardom and make his music commercially relevant (Now don't get me wrong I feel he is artistically relevant no matter what). I mean you had acts from Jimmy Buffet, to Van Halen, to the SOS Band, to KISS just to name a few all of whom could now be their own independent labels and all of whom could distribute major #'s without the need for the majors labels or distribution network and what did they do? They found a way to make that irrelevant.

I have watched and read over the past months about how some people feel that Prince cheated (whatever in the hell that means) but what do you call what the majors have done for years. I mean they screwed Madonna just recently. It kind of brings Prince's 'Slave' years into perspective. Now they see there is a way that they and by they I mean Soundscan, Nielson and Billboard can be made less relevant and they want to block that. I personally think that it would make them more relevant because they would cover everything but that is just my opinion.

Okay thanks for reading my vent I really do feel strongly about this though. DEATH to the MAJORS I scream out proudly and this next line might seem a little ironic after that last statement but I mean it just the same.

Peace

Now I hope you feel better

I can think of bigger issues to boil my blood over, other than multi-millionaires entering into uneven contracts.

Good point mate!

no, sorry, doesn't piss me off one bit.

I don't worry about Prince's business deals the same as I don't worry about the guy who lives three blocks and two doors down from me who I have never met either's business deals.

NouveauDance said:

Well of course there are bigger things but, when you think about it this really is a big deal. To me it is the same system that most of us complain about winning again. They stack the deck against you so the house always wins and you loose.

In this case that 'you' can be small independent artist that could use the Prince rule to make bigger waves in the industry without having to get caught up in the corporate system of the same tired radio schlock most of us get beat over the head with everyday.

I agree there are bigger fish to fry and on the surface this does look trivial. But to me I am see a bigger picture, maybe not the biggest picture but a big one none the less. I am tired of the big boys always winning and controling the way that art advances. I would love to see more counter culture heros like Prince succeed I really would and now it seems those odds have just gotten a little bit greater.

Peace

chiltonmusic said:

Man I know where you are coming from. Of course if looked at in perspective of the troubles of the World this is a non starter BUT this is "prince.org" and we do care about Prince to whatever extent or else we would not be here right?

I think you touch on the point that really matters - the new independent artists. Prince has made more money than any of us could ever dream of - good luck to him. He found a way to buck the system that was pure genius (quite why nobody has done this before is beyond me). Then the corporate system shut it down for other artists (but not Musicology ha ha ha)

In effect they are all just protecting their own asses.

If indepent artists and those who still sell out concerts worldwide (such as the Stones) were to do what Prince has done (or be allowed to) then the chart dynamics would change dramatically. Both of these categories of artist are not going to be told what to do (so easily) by the major labels. Obviously the majors want to control who they sign as a product and then protect their investment by fixing the charts and airplay (goes on all the time - after all the same conglomerates own the broadcast channels and the labels!)

I think everyone who supports artists and their freedom to create should be lauding Prince for the true genius he is (at least this time he made a decent business decision )