so the record shops are not happy that prince has given his new album to a newspaper in the uk ???...he is now basically a freelance musician with no link to the music biz as it is now...other than getting his music out....if the record shops have a problem...its with the record companies who have been giving music away to newspapers for a good number of years now....prince has just taken it the next step with this new album....
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it makes sense to an artist like prince to do this...he would have propably sold around 100,000 copies in the uk of this album...not bad but well down on what he used to sell in this country....so getting around 2 million copies of his new album out there to people who would never have listened to it and with a good chance he will gain a lot more new fans and some older ones who last bought a prince album in the 80s...record shops should see the bigger picture and see this may well generate MORE sales as people check out his back catalogue...
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i think this is a brilliant move by prince...i dont think its a good idea for all artists to give their music away like this but it suits prince at this stage of his career...he makes millions from concerts and his back catalogue...and lets be honest...the internet has changed how the music biz works and it has to wake up and realise this...prince has always been at the forefront of musicial freedom and this is the next step....
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now all he needs to do is give his 1000 songs in the vault away and we will all be happy

The Record Shops are upset because there not getting a piece of the Money Pie. Thats the only reason. Its about money. Period. All of that "We Have Supported Prince" mess is bullshit.

Its a business & they put Records on shelves 2 get PAID. They don't give a F%$K about the Artists. Its about Money. Prince had found away 2 go around them & I'm happy 4 him. Its inspirational 4 a Musician like myself honestly.

I don't believe people who wouldn't buy it will even listen to it

I still have sealed copies of newspaper given CDs and DVDs

Bob...if you´re out there, let me see you dance !

No, seriously, interesting thread because up to now I wondered how Prince would even remotely benefit from this but you´ve pretty much hit the nail on its head.
I also don´t understand all the hoopla about the record stores being pissed... I mean, he already wanted to do this in 1994, when he wanted to give away The Undertaker as a free gift with Guitar Player magazine, right ? So why all the fuss all of a sudden ? Just because they considered him washed up in 1994 ?

( Not that he´s really that much of a commercial draw these days but his position is lightyears ahead of those early 90s days, IMO). Why didn´t they complain back then ? Remember it was only WB who stopped the free release of The Undertaker, and some rare, original copies sell for a lot of money on Ebay these days.

I´m actually quite surprised that Prince hasn´t been threatened physically up to this point. He sure agitated a lot of people in the business and took a stance and made folks realize that there are alternative ways etc.etc.

Maybe he´s too slick and smart to be some conspiracy victim...some thuggish or more simple minded musicians would have already fallen into some sort of trap by now. Despite all the boycotts, Prince is still standing and smiling all the way to the bank. Respect !

PANDURITO said:

Yeah but a brand new album from a serious artist is different. If for example U2 or Springsteen had a new album coming out you may not buy it in the shops but if it came free in the paper you'd be more liable to try it then say another free music to listen to while driving in your car cd.
These giveaways have been getting better recently, Duran Duran live made me go out and buy Notorious, then there was 10CC live (classic stuff) and Tubular Bells, which I admit I haven't listened to yet but I'm sure I will next time I watch the Exorcist.

Do you really think Prince cares about the damned record stores in the UK? He's making his money anyway and then he's coming home

i think the business is just trying to go out with a bang. i've been to many a record shop that carried little to no Prince. if anything, perhaps these idiots should try to negociate a deal with the paper, or just lay off it and love the music. lordy.

Prince wrote the music he should be able to do as he feels is right!!

so what if only 1 in 4 people listen to it ???....that will still be 5 times more than he would have sold in the uk anyway .... he cant lose out of it...