bonedaddy said:

also, these big record companies have bigger 'over-heads'

Giving away a sampler CD would have been a much smarter idea imo than giving away the whole CD. Just the first 3 songs to get people intrigued to go out and buy the record but now they won't need to..

bonedaddy said:

also, these big record companies have bigger 'over-heads'

Some of this may be designed 2 DRIVE the actual sales price of cd's down. Why in the world is a 50 cent cd selling for $16.99?..... or more?

Graycap23 said:

Hi graycap.. may i just ask, are you sticking to your guns regarding the opening lines of the new album as mentioned on another post?

3121 said:

* yes. Why wouldn't I?.
[Edited 6/28/07 15:24pm]

bonedaddy said:

I have a feeling that Prince is NOT concerned with record companies making $$$ off of his work.

Graycap23 said:

so why would he want to drive the price of his own cd's down, when I know he takes a substantial slice of the 'pie'?

Prince does not ever do something for nothing. We are all going to end up with a ton of this CD each, getting them in newspepers, the shows, I just hope the pressing aint gonna be cheap thats whats worrying me.

courtesey of Wonder at HQ .Prince just has to be in a drama all the time!.

Prince giveaway an 'insult' to record shops

Katie Allen, media business correspondent
Thursday June 28, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


The Mail on Sunday's plan to give away Prince's new album for free has drawn harsh complaints from CD retailers with one executive describing it as "madness".



Music industry insiders say the newspaper is in talks with the pop star to issue his latest album as a free covermount.


The plan follows the Mail on Sunday's giveaway of Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells, which sparked a row with the musician over the effect on sales. Oldfield attacked music company EMI for agreeing to give away Tubular Bells in the paper, but the Mail on Sunday responded by saying it actually lifted the album's sales in the shops.


The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) made no secret today of its anger over the Prince plans, saying the rumour of a giveaway "beggars belief".


"It would be an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career," ERA co-chairman Paul Quirk told a music conference. "It would be yet another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music."


"If it turns out to be the case - and we're still trying to get to the bottom of it - The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores. And I say that to all the other artists who may be tempted to dally with the Mail on Sunday."


He went on to warn the music industry not to take record stores for granted.


"How can you expect record stores to support you if you then do deals which threaten the very basis of UK record retailing."


High street music giant HMV was similarly scathing about the plans.


"I think it would be absolutely nuts if Prince's album was given away by the Mail on Sunday," said HMV chief executive Simon Fox. "I can't believe the music industry would do it to itself. I simply can't believe it would happen, it would be absolute madness."


Prince also plans to give away a free copy of his new album with each ticket sold for his upcoming string of concerts in London. The singer had signed a global deal as well for the promotion and distribution of his new album in partnership with Columbia Records, a division of music company Sony BMG. A spokesman for the group said today that the UK arm of Sony BMG had withdrawn from Prince's global deal fearing damage to its relationship with retailers.


"We think it the right thing to do in the difficult retail market," he said. "We are delighted Prince has come back to a major label but this makes sense for the UK."


The Mail on Sunday could not immediately be reached for comment. The Associated Newspaper title has maintained in the past that its covermount CDs of artists such as Simply Red, Madness and Dolly Parton stimulates interest in music.














-----
Source: http://media.guardian.co....79,00.html

Prince does not ever do something for nothing. We are all going to end up with a ton of this CD each, getting them in newspepers, the shows, I just hope the pressing aint gonna be cheap thats whats worrying me.

GoldiesParade said:

surely he's already 'fucked over' Sony for the manufacturing (??)

bonedaddy said:

I'm talking about cd's in general. $16.99 per cd while the ave artist is making 40 cents a disk. Maybe this is why the music business is dying?

bonedaddy said:

But newspaper CDs are a cheap bit of plastic wedged in between two stiff peices of card.

Graycap23 said:

Verifycation purpurses. can u remind me what it is again, please?

3121 said:

???? no? yes?

I think that it would be a good guess that the in-store version is going to have added material.
The hints dropped though, is that this is some interactive stuff to shove in the PC. Maybe an extra track or two, viseo or remix

calldapplwondery83 said:

If I was in the music business and the only way I could get people to listen to my new cd was by giving it away, I think I'd have to accept the adjective "desperate" being applied to me.

Has it been verified that the newspaper will contain an actual CD, or a voucher for the CD? Just curious . . .

mkaye8 said:

What? Are you serious? Have you never gone to a free concert in a park, or was given a free CD by some underground band or artist that isn't signed yet the album was killer? It's about the music!!! And I thought the record industry was messed up!! I forgot, the record industry thrives on people like this.

I dont think Prince is concerned on how many copies he could sell .


For him , the money maker is doing live shows. Why try to push a CD , sell 500,000 and make $7 a cd. at the same time making money for record compnies and record chains.


He can tour for a summer and make 90 million.

3121 said:

Erm, not wanting to be rude and I've had my own digs at people who constantly claim to be in the know and are also constantly proved wrong, but...

Can't we drop this? This thread is about Planet Earth being dropped in the UK by Sony BMG. It'd be a shame if every single thread turns into a dig against the 'in the know' brigade. We've done it already.
Again, not wanting to be rude.

Klyph said:

Yeah I promote lots of shows and records each year. The band that sells the album to their fans is WAY MORE RESPECTED than the band that just gives them away. Underground artists today need every penny they can get to survive. When you throw your art to everyone's wall it just gets painted over by the majority of those who DON"T give two craps. When I first heard this CD, I instantly thought this is a lot better than the last two. This could actually sell 250K to 500K and if it did that it would set a nice precedent for older artists. These artists could continue to thrive in an unpredicatable environment. Now hearing this news just nullifies the ole timers trying to make money and the new comers desperate to make money. Next Prince Sells Entire Catalog to Bestbuy. Can't buy a hard copy but you can download every album for $29.99 (for a limited time). Music is becoming worthless. If you know anyone who is very talented, tell them not to waste their time because they will never get paid expecially when major artists give away their art for free.
[Edited 6/28/07 21:48pm]

Prince does not ever do something for nothing. We are all going to end up with a ton of this CD each, getting them in newspepers, the shows, I just hope the pressing aint gonna be cheap thats whats worrying me.

The U.K.is so stupid, he does not need them!!