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Thread started 07/02/07 7:39am

Mars23

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Universal Music Group declines to renew contract with iTunes.

Now before you freak out, this does not mean Prince will immediately disappear from iTunes. He has so many deals that have floated around something will obviously remain. However this does mean that Universal can pull any music they want at will from iTunes, Here's the story: http://www.nytimes.com/20...al.html?hp
[Edited 7/2/07 7:44am]
Studies have shown the ass crack of the average Prince fan to be abnormally large. This explains the ease and frequency of their panties bunching up in it.
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Reply #1 posted 07/02/07 8:02am

coltrane3

This is worrisome. I was looking forward to more Prince music on itunes.

I hope the "industry" isn't plotting (or at least trying) to majorly f*** with Prince because of the give-away thing.

Many have said in the past few days that the traditional record companies are "irrelevant." That's true in the sense that they can't completely keep someone like Prince from releasing music. I mean, he could just sell it on his webstite if he wanted.

But, they can make him disappear from mainstream retailers, mainstream commercial websites, and to a lesser extent radio. So, casual fans would be affected.
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Reply #2 posted 07/02/07 8:12am

krayzie

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Reply #3 posted 07/02/07 8:14am

Mars23

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coltrane3 said:

This is worrisome. I was looking forward to more Prince music on itunes.

I hope the "industry" isn't plotting (or at least trying) to majorly f*** with Prince because of the give-away thing.

Many have said in the past few days that the traditional record companies are "irrelevant." That's true in the sense that they can't completely keep someone like Prince from releasing music. I mean, he could just sell it on his webstite if he wanted.

But, they can make him disappear from mainstream retailers, mainstream commercial websites, and to a lesser extent radio. So, casual fans would be affected.


It is nothing to do with Prince or any other artist. The dispute is between Universal and iTunes over pricing. The music is being used as a hostage, but not to punish any 1 artist.
Studies have shown the ass crack of the average Prince fan to be abnormally large. This explains the ease and frequency of their panties bunching up in it.
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Reply #4 posted 07/02/07 8:15am

coltrane3

Mars23 said:

coltrane3 said:

This is worrisome. I was looking forward to more Prince music on itunes.

I hope the "industry" isn't plotting (or at least trying) to majorly f*** with Prince because of the give-away thing.

Many have said in the past few days that the traditional record companies are "irrelevant." That's true in the sense that they can't completely keep someone like Prince from releasing music. I mean, he could just sell it on his webstite if he wanted.

But, they can make him disappear from mainstream retailers, mainstream commercial websites, and to a lesser extent radio. So, casual fans would be affected.


It is nothing to do with Prince or any other artist. The dispute is between Universal and iTunes over pricing. The music is being used as a hostage, but not to punish any 1 artist.


Thank's for the clarification. I shouldn't jump to conclusions.
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Reply #5 posted 07/02/07 8:20am

Mars23

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coltrane3 said:

Mars23 said:



It is nothing to do with Prince or any other artist. The dispute is between Universal and iTunes over pricing. The music is being used as a hostage, but not to punish any 1 artist.


Thank's for the clarification. I shouldn't jump to conclusions.


No worries, I thought Universal was yanking all their music before I read the whole article.
Studies have shown the ass crack of the average Prince fan to be abnormally large. This explains the ease and frequency of their panties bunching up in it.
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Reply #6 posted 07/02/07 8:20am

krayzie

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I think in a short term, ALL the electronics companies that sell digital players will replace the major labels. It's obvious. They are in dominant position now. They control the music industry.
It won't suprise me if Apple decides to create their own record company.
Ipod has replaced the CD. Apple will replace the major labels.


Steve Jobs is a bright man, he knows that this is not in Apple's interest to deal with Universal.

He knows that young people get music for free everywhere on internet anyway.

Apple doesn't make money on itunes, they make money on Ipods.
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Reply #7 posted 07/02/07 8:21am

Genesia

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The only Prince album distributed by Universal was 3121 -- and that's never been for sale on iTunes.
We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves.
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Reply #8 posted 07/02/07 8:24am

Mars23

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Genesia said:

The only Prince album distributed by Universal was 3121 -- and that's never been for sale on iTunes.


Yes, but Universal manages the rights to his back catalog.

http://new.umusic.com/New...NewsId=350
Studies have shown the ass crack of the average Prince fan to be abnormally large. This explains the ease and frequency of their panties bunching up in it.
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Reply #9 posted 07/02/07 10:32am

jtfolden

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Universal is just trying to play hardball, and they will eventually loose. iTunes is the 3rd largest retailer of music (the list includes both physical and digital retailers), ahead of Amazon and behind only Best Buy and Walmart.
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Reply #10 posted 07/02/07 10:35am

jtfolden

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Mars23 said:

Genesia said:

The only Prince album distributed by Universal was 3121 -- and that's never been for sale on iTunes.


Yes, but Universal manages the rights to his back catalog.

http://new.umusic.com/New...NewsId=350


publishing/administration rights... not to how/where CD's get sold. That's WB.
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Reply #11 posted 07/02/07 12:20pm

emesem

jtfolden said:

Universal is just trying to play hardball, and they will eventually loose. iTunes is the 3rd largest retailer of music (the list includes both physical and digital retailers), ahead of Amazon and behind only Best Buy and Walmart.



It will be hard to still be the #3 retailer without 30 odd percent of the product. At the end of the day "Itunes" has its position because of hardware. If universal can educate people that Itunes is not the only way to get songs on your Ipod, they can flex some market share muscle.

Conversely this will hasten what ultimately will happen in this industry. Apple, Rhapsody and who ever else survives will just become labels themselves. But Im not convinced that they really want to be on the hook for large superstar unrecouped advances.
[Edited 7/2/07 12:21pm]
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Reply #12 posted 07/02/07 12:56pm

jtfolden

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emesem said:

It will be hard to still be the #3 retailer without 30 odd percent of the product. At the end of the day "Itunes" has its position because of hardware. If universal can educate people that Itunes is not the only way to get songs on your Ipod, they can flex some market share muscle.


I think given the players and current conditions in this market, Universal would be hurting themselves more than than iTunes.

Also, Universal has no easy, one-click solution to getting tracks onto the iPod - and certainly not unless they remove DRM entirely.
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Reply #13 posted 07/02/07 1:00pm

IstenSzek

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prince has his own online music store anyway. he should just release his
new music on there.

and regarding the back catalogue it's about time he sorted something out
with whatever record exec he has to sit down with.

this childish sulking on both sides is only wilting his catalogue when,
in all probability, they could both be making a lot of money and get a
lot of exposure out of remastering those old albums with some new cuts
like outtakes or alternates added and some cool artwork et all.

forget about mp3's, squeeze out your legacy while you still can and do
it in the best possible quality.

it continues to amaze me that someone who bitches as much about music
as prince can sleep at night knowing that there's a means to have his
music in stores in a much much better quality and yet simply deny the
options open to him to get it out there.

i'm sure that in negotiating remasters of his past albums he could do
some more deals with them in regards to getting some of those albums,
or songs back from them or the option to at least buy them or trade 4
a percentage of the profit in the remasters etc etc etc.

but no. nothing. the mp3's and wavs on itunes are still the same crap
quality as the old albums so who gives a flying fuck if they will not
be up any longer.
and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #14 posted 07/02/07 1:03pm

Illustrator

I've never used iTunes.
Will this affect the iPhone that today's kids like so much?
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Reply #15 posted 07/02/07 1:14pm

IstenSzek

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Illustrator said:

I've never used iTunes.Will this affect the iPhone that today's kids like so much?


neither have i. i think it's a waste of time and money.

it may be good to download a few individual tracks but
entire albums i don't know.

i just don't like the whole set up of itunes.
and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #16 posted 07/02/07 10:24pm

Raze

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btw, Universal only distributes 1 Prince album (3121) and it's not even certain that they even have a claim on that one anymore, especially when it comes to downloading outlets.


Universal only handles Prince's publishing. 3121 was a one-off with them as a distribution deal. The availability of Prince music on iTunes is probably not affected in any way shape or form by this.
"Half of what I say is meaningless; but I say it so that the other half may reach you." - Kahlil Gibran
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