http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/h...901255.stm


Reviews: Prince's Planet Earth


Prince has already announced 21 concerts in London this summer
The first reviews of rock star Prince's latest album, which was given away free with a Sunday newspaper in the UK, have been fairly positive.

The star's decision not to charge for copies of Planet Earth was criticised by the record industry, although it is available both online and in shops in other countries.

Here are extracts from some of the UK's music critics:

THE GUARDIAN - Caroline Sullivan

It is not up to the standard of the albums produced during his 1980s high-water period - Purple Rain, 1999 and Sign 'O' the Times - but it is by no means terrible...

[However] had it not been for the hype, Planet Earth would have slipped out almost unnoticed, as many of his recent albums have done...

While Prince will never entirely be written off - his gigs are still considered the gold standard of live performance - his 46th album will mostly be remembered for the hype surrounding the means of release.

Read this review in full

THE TIMES - Steve Jelbert

Prince smears bombastic lead guitar over several tracks, notably the crass eco-ballad of the title track (which unexpectedly resembles Barry Manilow's Could it Be Magic at one point).

Guitar borrows from U2's early fumblings, yet possesses a bouncy charm while the short, sweet All the Midnights in the World is as elegant as Stevie Wonder.

Less effective is the run-of-the-mill R'n'B of the interminable Future Baby Mama, surely testament that talking women of child-bearing age into bed takes Prince much longer these days...

Planet Earth is too good to be so lightly sold. And, ironically, many copies of Planet Earth will end up right there - in landfill.

Read this review in full

MOJO MAGAZINE - Danny Ecclestone

[The track Guitar is] the nominal first single (if he still had a record deal) and an undeniable blast.

This streamlined rocker cheekily takes its guitar line from U2's early anthem I Will Follow - seriously, The Edge could sue - while echoing the vocal melody of Prince's own Parade-era smash Girls and Boys, with a hint of Robert Palmer's yuppie favourite Addicted To Love...

While [the album] doesn't recapture the form of his 1980s imperial phase - only a fool would expect that - Planet Earth does at least show that Prince remembers what made him great in the first place.

Which surely bodes well for those 21 London shows...

Read this review in full

MAIL ON SUNDAY - Bobby Friction

The Mail on Sunday, which gave away the CD, asked BBC Radio 1 DJ Bobby Friction to review each song.

[The track Planet Earth is] brilliant anthemic rock - and Prince is back on his guitar! The fans have been waiting for this for 20 years.

This is a real mix - it's got the funky bass, cheesy-in-a-good-way keyboards, and that screaming Purple Rain guitar.

[Resolution is] happy psychedelic pop - that hippy, 70s sound is big on this album. It shows you've got a bit of everything.

He's back to the top of his form in every field.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/h...899478.stm

Newspaper gives away Prince CDs

Prince is also giving away the album at his concerts
Around three million copies of Prince's new album, Planet Earth, have been given away with the Mail On Sunday.

The promotion is believed to be worth about £250,000 to the musician, whose hits include Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret and Money Don't Matter 2Night.

But the giveaway has angered retailers, who called it "an insult" to high street record stores.

It also dealt a blow to Prince's record label, Sony BMG, which has shelved plans to release the album in the UK.

'Speculation business'

Planet Earth has had largely positive reviews, with The Times saying it was "too good to be so lightly sold".

The US pop star also plans to give away copies to fans attending one of his 21 concerts at London's O2 arena next month.

Prince at the Super bowl
Prince has sold more than 80m records worldwide
That means it will reach many more listeners than the artist's last album, 3121, which only sold 80,000 copies in the UK.

"It's direct marketing and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now," said the Minneapolis musician when asked why he was giving the CD away.

"Prince has done this because he makes most of his money these days as a performing artist," the Mail on Sunday's editor, Peter Wright, told BBC Five Live.

"He's got a fantastic series of concerts coming up at the O2 Dome and this is a way of telling people what he's doing."

Wright confirmed that the newspaper had paid Prince for the licence to produce the CD, and had paid to press and distribute it, but hoped to make money by selling extra copies of the paper and extra advertising.

'Beggars belief'

Nonetheless, the deal has sent shockwaves through the record industry, with the Entertainment Retailers Association being particularly vocal about their dissatisfaction.

Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the organisation, said the decision "beggars belief".

"The Artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores," said Mr Quirk, referring to a period in the 1990s when Prince famously stopped using his name in favour of a symbol.

However, music chain HMV has decided to stock Sunday's Mail, even though chief executive Simon Fox previously called the giveaway "absolutely nuts".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/h...900792.stm


Prince album set free on internet
Mail on Sunday with free Prince CD
The Mail on Sunday paid to licence, press and distribute the CD
Copies of Prince's latest album have flooded the internet after being given away with a newspaper in the UK.

Planet Earth is easily accessible to fans around the world - despite plans for a full commercial release in countries including the US.

The album is freely available to download after an estimated three million copies of the CD were distributed with the Mail on Sunday.

Hundreds of the CDs have also been put up for sale on auction site eBay.

Planet Earth is not being sold in record shops in the UK because of the Mail on Sunday promotion.


Since he wants to get his music out to as many people as possible, I ripped the CD and uploaded it
Blogger
But it is still due to be sold as normal elsewhere, including a release in the US and Canada on 24 July.

One blogger who posted the full album on the web wrote: "Seeing as it was free anyway... we decided to stick it up here for anyone who didn't get it.

"This seems to be the way forward. With the music being free, the artists make their money from merchandising and touring, and the digital revolution may yet be the downfall of major labels. No harm in our book!"

Another person who put the album online wrote: "Since he wants to get his music out to as many people as possible, I ripped the CD and uploaded it."


Prince
I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now
Prince
It comes amid the music industry's efforts to persuade fans not to download music from unlicensed, unofficial sources.

The newspaper giveaway has already angered record shops, who say music should not be regarded as a cheap, disposable commodity.

A spokesman for Sony BMG, who are releasing the Prince album around the world, said the situation was "obviously not good for us".

"The perception of intellectual property being 'free' is a problem we share with other businesses including TV, radio, film, magazine, newspaper and gaming companies among others," he said.

"At present no action is being taken to remove files that I know of."

'Direct marketing'

Planet Earth has had largely positive reviews, with The Times saying it was "too good to be so lightly sold".

But The Guardian's critic wrote: "While Prince will never entirely be written off, his 46th album will mostly be remembered for the hype surrounding the means of release."

The US pop star also plans to give away copies to fans attending one of his 21 concerts at London's O2 arena next month.


Globally, he felt that the best way to get his new album best distributed and marketed was by working with a major label again
Sony BMG spokesman
That means it will reach many more listeners than the artist's last album, 3121, which sold 80,000 copies in the UK.

"It's direct marketing and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now," said the Minneapolis musician when asked why he was giving the CD away.

Sony BMG's spokesman said Prince had been without a record deal for some time and so was free to do the deal with the Mail on Sunday in the UK.

"But it is interesting that globally, he felt that the best way to get his new album best distributed and marketed was by working with a major label again," he said.

The Mail on Sunday's editor, Peter Wright, told BBC Five Live: "Prince has done this because he makes most of his money these days as a performing artist."

Mr Wright confirmed that the newspaper had paid Prince for the licence to produce the CD, and had paid to press and distribute it, but hoped to make money by selling extra copies of the paper and extra advertising.

Thanks for collecting those articles, Hamster.

The reviews were kind of what i would expect they would be (rating the album 3 out of 5 stars, reviewers being a bit dissapointed with the middle - R&B - section of the album)

Riverpoet31 said:

It's okay if you seperate the two flows of the albuym a bit.

HamsterHuey said:[quote]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6899478.stm

Newspaper gives away Prince CDs

Prince is also giving away the album at his concerts
Around three million copies of Prince's new album, Planet Earth, have been given away with the Mail On Sunday.

The promotion is believed to be worth about £250,000 to the musician, whose hits include Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret and Money Don't Matter 2Night.

But the giveaway has angered retailers, who called it "an insult" to high street record stores.

It also dealt a blow to Prince's record label, Sony BMG, which has shelved plans to release the album in the UK.

'Speculation business'

Planet Earth has had largely positive reviews, with The Times saying it was "too good to be so lightly sold".

The US pop star also plans to give away copies to fans attending one of his 21 concerts at London's O2 arena next month.

Prince at the Super bowl
Prince has sold more than 80m records worldwide

Is this accurate?, I always heard 60 million.

MajesticOne89 said:

I havent got the faintest idea, basically.