3121 has been out for three months now and it isn't available for download at iTunes or even Prince's own website. There haven't been any additional singles for download either.

What is going on? This seems to be a step backwards for Prince, specially after he likes to promote himself as being on the edge of technology. He just won a Webby Award for the first album available on the Internet. Granted Crystal Ball wasn't downloadable at the time of release, but receiving an award for the use of the Internet as an alternative delivery system should prove it's a tool to use. So why isn't he using it?

When Prince signed with Universal, do you think it contained a "bricks and mortar only" window for so many months and then it'll be available via downloads?

Just because Prince "can" doesn't mean he "should" though, Musicology was for download, for whatever reason. But the deal he's done with Universal for some reason has meant 3121 isn't for download on his store. With regards to iTunes I imagine Universal wanted it, but I have a feeling Prince doesn't like using iTunes too much because of the royalties structure they have, from what I know its only slightly better to the artist than selling a CD, as Prince is all about control and the percentages, I feel that he avoids it unless he specifically wants something.

But yeah, you'd think with Musicology on his download store, 3121 would be. But I think Universal might have nixed that because it would have taken profits from them. Maybe a deal was struck or something. Who knows because we clearly haven't seen what was intended for the whole 3121 project.

I wonder if at somepoint in the future,when sales of 3121 the CD have completely bottomed out, the will re-launch the album on Itunes? It would give them a second stab at promoting the album and lift sales back up, especially if it was just before a tour kicked off. Just an idea. A bit like when films come out at the cinema, then there's a second round of publicity when it comes out on DVD.