Hi there, I'm new here so I apologise if I step on anyones toes.

I could do with a little help.

I'm currently studying for a Masters at Liverpool University and my dissertation topic concerns the ways in which digitisation is challenging the standard norms of marketing within the music industry.

I'm vaguely aware that, on a recent tour, Prince gave away copies of his latest CD to every one that attended the show, can somebody furnish me with a few more details?

I'm also interested to know what the real fans thought about this and whether the exercise was judged a success?

Thank you, in advance....

A.

Musicology tour, 2004. Prince gave copies of his album "Musicology" to everyone after showing their tickets to get in. These albums counted toward the Billboard sales and caused some concerns about this practice and Billboard changed the rules because of this.

As a fan, I liked it. The price of the cd was built into the price of the ticket, which was about $40 if I remember right. I'm sure someone else will have more info.

it depends on what you mean by "success". If you mean did it help his chart rating, then yes. But any true fan would have gone out and independently purchased the CD anyways. If you mean "success" as in it helped his "songs" climb higher on the charts, then no, it was not successful in this way.

If you can ask more direct questions, people may be able to better answer.

To me, as a long time fan, I could give a hoot about the CD at the concert, as I would have bought it anyways, but, I do admit, it was VERY convenient in that I did not have to go the store and purchase it. However, the lack of the CD jewel case, linear notes, etc. was a total bummer. The CD itself just came in a sleeve. And, since I attended multiple concerts,

I ended up with a few CD's, many of which I ended up giving away to people who would otherwise probably not have purchased it. This was a good marketing tool as it put Prince's music into the hands of someone who would not normally have purchased it, some liked it and will probably purchase his next album as a result, some were thankful for the album I gave them, but may not purchase the next one. So, I guess in some respects it was good, because it put the music into the hands of persons who would normally not have purchased it, and may be inclined to purchase it in the future. But, that only works if people who had not attended the concert were given copies by people who did


BTW...the cd's that were given out "before" the CD was made available to the general public (i.e, purchased off a store shelf) were NOT counted toward the record sales, only the albums given away at the concerts after it was commercially available counted toward the chart sales.

Prince made earlier forays into alternative marketing and distribution outside the main multi-national record company route.

His mail order and commerce website venture, as well as giving out a track for free, encouraging fans to copy it for each other as means of distribution.

Randomuser said:

Hi and welcome to the club

To answer your question about whether the excercise was judged a success I can only say from my own opinion. That, of course it was a success business wise. Only takes a genious to figure that, what he did out. Who else would have done it if it was not Prince

But, if an artist who was not already, say, intitled a legend was to have done what he did, giving away CDs at their concert and claiming them as sold CDs, I think this would have caused a bit more controversey than the little Prince got for doing it.

You dont use words like furnish on this website, dude.

Thank you for your answers, I'm sorry you thought my questions a little vague, I probably should have explained myself a little better.

As 'NouveauDance' stated, Prince made earlier forays into web-based marketing, it was these actions that really interested me and I have masses of information about this.

The giving away of the CD was just a minor aspect of the manner in which Prince has challenged the standard marketing practises but I was struggling to locate exact details regarding this. Hence my question...

One thing that does occur to me, is why he did this? If the advance copies, as Txladycat says, did not count towards the Billboard chart, then what was the thought process behind giving the CD away? Surely, most fans who attend the concert would have bought the CD anyway. Did you know, when buying the ticket, that the price included a CD?

(apologies for the word 'furnish' )

Randomuser said:

We knew we would get a Musicology CD if we attended the shows. But I think most were under the impression we got a "free" CD for attending. We did not know they would be counted as actual bought/sold CDs. And Personally, I would not have bought a CD anyway. I don't like Musicology, album. I only went to the concert because of it being the HITs and he was laying some to rest and would not be performing them anymore in concert.

Randomuser said:

one clarification...some of the CD's DID count towards the Billboard chart. Only the ones that he gave away at the concerts that were held prior to the Musicology CD being released for sale to the public didn't count. All other CD's given away after that did count. I think he was on tour for like a month before the CD was available commercially. It is an interesting question though as to "why" he did this. According to Prince, chart Billboard chart positions, awards, etc. don't "mean a thing". But, one would be led to believe the purpose behind it was for platinum status, etc.

The giving away of the CD's was a cleaver ploy to increase album sales, and it worked.

txladykat said:

Exactly!