was for how much? I remember hearing it was the most lucrative deal an artist had signed in history at the time. Can't remember the details of it though...

If I recall it correctly he inked a deal with the Evil WB Empire for 100 million dollars at 10 million per album. He was supposily given a vice-president position, but we all know how all that ended up.

The one he signed in 1993 or there-abouts was bigger than recent industry contracts with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Janet Jackson, and others. It included a vice-president role where he could also sign his own artists. In less than a year, it seemed like all hell broke loose. Not sure why exactly, but Prince seemed to want outta that CONtract right away. Anyone have more specifics?

The 1993 deal was reported to be larger than the other deals struck around that time. It was Prince and his publicity team, rather than WB who placed the estimated value of the whole deal at $100m, which was made up of several agreements.

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It was reportedly $100 million, for what, 6 albums? Diamonds & Pearls sold 5 million and the contract was contingent on achieving that level of sales every album - but as the sales trailed off, the payments for each conseqent album were reduced accordingly.

Robbie Williams signed a contract for £80 million for 4 albums. Just shows how much profit record companies think they can make on reasonable selling artists, since from those 4 albums they expect to regain the £80 plus make a profit.

It sounded like a great contract at the time.It was worth over $100 million.Prince was to receive $10 million per album....he was given a Vice President role at WB...he was given funds for his Paisley Park Records label...and they even gave him funding to start another new label.


But there were some strings attached.A Prince album had to sell at least 5 million copies in order for him to continue receiving the $10 million payments (an unrealistic goal).In 1992/93,alot of money was poured into Paisley Park Records,but every album that came out flopped.More than $2 million was spent on promoting Carmen Elektra's album,and we all know how that turned out.


I think Prince should have negotiated a more realistic contract,instead of trying to top the mega-deals signed by Madonna and Michael Jackson....perhaps a 4-album deal where he would have received $5 million per album?

Snap said:

P realized the VP title was bullshit and just basically given to him so they can keep an eye on him and keep him close to WB headquarters because he had a tendency to go M.I.A. for weeks and months. P also wanted to release like an insan amount of material over a short period of time and WB didn't think it was wise because the public wouldn't be able to digest SO MUCH P shit in that short period, THAT'S when the relationship went sour.