First off, I apologize if this is covered somewhere else, but I searched all last night and this morning and couldn't locate an answer (even checked prince's defunct myspace page). I bought the album Xpectation years ago from the npgmusicclub back when it actually was a website and I misplaced the files on an old HDD for the longest time. I found the wma files last night but unfortunately I can't play them anymore. I'm assuming that's because they are no longer supported. Would that be correct? I'm assuming that because of all the talk recently about yahoo and wal-mart thinking about not supporting their files anymore.

I would be very much appreciative if someone might be able to fill me in on what I can do to play these files again, or at least point me in the right direction of an answer. I guess I should have known better, but I wanted to support the artist.

Thanks!

bigjilm said:

You might be out of luck...

I had the foresight to rip Xpectation to CD, as well as NEWs, when they came out at the end of year 2, but the NPGMC files that were available for sale as singles, like Silver Tongue, Magnificent and Glass Cutter, I can't hear anymore.... I'm lucky enough that my current mp3 player had the files transferred when the DRM was still active, but that was a few years ago, and it's getting old. I since transferred the files back onto my PC and they will not play anymore, the player remembers that they are DRM. grrr.

Anyway, you might be out of luck. Sorry. Thank Prince and his sudden anti-internet change of heart despite being such a pioneer in the early days.

yeah, I had a feeling that was going to be the answer I received. I did burn them to cdr back when I got them, but I have long lost that cdr. That's pretty unfortunate that it's happened like this. Does anyone know if this issue was ever addressed by prince/npgmusicclub back when it's doors were shutting? 'Cos I never received an email from them regarding it. Shoot, I never received an email from them regarding anything, including the fact that they were shutting their doors. I attempted to access the website one day and it was gone. Then I found out about the myspace, but never got around to asking prince to be my "friend".

Also, does anyone know of a way to contact ANYONE in the prince camp regarding this issue? I'll even send a snail mail if I had an address. (And I can't go back to any of the cd's I own(ed) as all the cases were damaged in a house flood. I actually still have (most of) the cd's I bought back in the day, but the liner notes/jewels cases are what got damaged.)

I have the same exact problem (I'm sure a lot of people do). Those DRM WMA files you have on your harddrive are useless. There is nothing you can do to get them to play. The DRM licenses have expired and there is no way to renew them, since there is no Prince website anymore.

This is one of the main arguments against DRM -- that the music is "controlled" in a sense by the license holder.

I would hold onto those files - as useless as they are right now - and see what happens. He could reopen an online store or website and honor those files someday . . . ***wishful thinking***

I have faith that my iTunes Store purchases will be playable for a long, long time!

yeah, yer probably right. I'm glad I've only purchased one other drm set of files.

It certainly is pathetic how he's been acting lately regarding the internet and his fans, or he likes to them, friends. I've a bit more respect for my friends.

Makes me not want to support his endeavors anymore.