What is in your opinion Prince Problem with the iTunes Music Store? Why is 3121 not in the store? did anyone know that?

as a mac user i was not willing to buy guitar through the 3121 site because i wasn't able to buy something from npgmc-store.

when i visited 3121 today there is this new liverecordíng in perfect quality. why the hell didn't he just put the best recordings of the vegas shows together and release it exclusiv on iTunes. it could be all so simple

what do you think

Mac Users can Purchase Guitar (s) Here www.fender.com/

Exorcist said:

In general, I agree with you.

Guitar isn't a good example, though. It was available as an unprotected MP3, which meant it could be played on iTunes and iPods without any complications at all - any Mac user could buy it and play it. Hopefully the days of DRM files through Prince's site are over.

He also charged $1.99 for it, which I think is more the issue. If he releases things through his own store, he can set his price - while I may not like it, it's fair enough - he's the seller. If he sold through iTunes, it would have to follow the 99c/song model (or the upcoming $1.29/song for unrestricted MP3s) - which means he wouldn't make anywhere near as much money, especially considering iTunes gets a cut.

As an iTunes user (and general supporter) it's frustrating sometimes that Prince doesn't fall into line, but I also respect him for doing what he wants to do, and not just buying into the corporate structure that iTunes/Apple is becoming more each day. It all reminds me of 2045: Radical Man.

My God....


Stop bitching!!!

good point BOOYAH with the corporate structure of apple. that would fitt into the prince picture...

but with the iTunes music store he would reach millions of people. i mean who besides the hardcore fans now about his new site? maybe 20.000 worldwide?

personal i have no problem with the price. i can imagin that the running of this kind of online system is verry expensive for just one song.

P2daP said:

I know right!

i bought GUITAR, i am a mac user. no problem.

dawntreader said:

Same here. It was a refreshing change from all the screwing around I had to do to get my downloads from the NPGMC.

trickster said:

Is it possible that the contract with Universal stipulates the album not be released via downloads until a set period of time? I think even Musicology was not available to iTunes until about a year after the initial release.

booyah said:

Yes, and Microsoft is just a small mom and pop shop.

not sure. then again, why not just buy the cd?

booyah said:

Actually, it will be unprotected AAC files, not mp3.

Anyway, Prince surely makes more PER SONG on his own, often quickly vanishing, sites... but the exposure that iTunes would provide him would most certainly equal more total money overall.

audience1 said:

I think that's highly unlikely, it is a long time now since 3121's release. Interesting to note it sold 500,000 in the US WITHOUT the addition of download sales, it might have done a lot better if available on Itunes or somewhere that counted. Musicology was available for download from the npgmc at the time, Prince kept it back for his own site to make the most money - but those downloads would never have been added to chart sales figures. I think this is all the usual Prince control freakness trying to control his music to the nth degree. Because at the end of the day, he could probably have made more money selling Musicology in bigger numbers on Itunes at the time even with the cut Apple takes than he got from selling it in smaller numbers on his own site.
[Edited 4/18/07 9:07am]

trickster said:

So on one hand, you are saying you don't think its good that Prince should make "Guitar" an exclusive on his own website.....

But the other hand, you are asking him to make stuff exclusive on Itunes?

P2daP said:

There will always be some going on.