Despite the fact that the org is the most insatiable, bitch and moan "fan" site i've ever been a part of, i'm wondering if the recent/upcoming flurry of purple activity registers as "good promotion" to you all?

4 Outdoor Leno appearances
3 SAME DAY concerts with 3 different bands
2 Recent media/fan "house parties" & Website previews
Gradual, Suspenseful, Website unveiling
Exclusive media listening party
Oscar Concert
Target Distribution Press Release
Official Website Press Release
Media coverage by: LA Weekly, Wall Street Journal, Newsweekonline

What else am i missing? Haven't seen any Target commercials or web activity (but i don't go to their site or watch much TV).

So Even if the albums don't turn out to be what you want, how would you grade/rate this level of pre-album visibility/activity from a promotion standpoint?

i'm going to the bar

would anyone like a drink?

my shout.

well he's certainly putting his best foot forward in getting word out.

target has a short, non sound, flash file for the new album that links
you to the pre-order page.

there was also a videoshoot for a target commercial feat prince and bria
but it hasn't been on tv yet, at least no reports showed up yet.

in december prince gave 4 tracks to that radiostation to play them so i
would count that as early promotion, creating a buzz.

the mplsound.com website, which featured 2 prince songs and a bria song.

datdude said:

Certainly promotion helps but more to the story.

Exclusives hurt sales!! having a new album in a limited number of retail stores usually beats down the numbers - Unless its Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart so far has done the best at promoting exclusives.

Yes it does come down to being good promotion. He even went to that indy radio station previous to all of this to give snippets to Steve Jones of all people.

Remember folks were complaining about the LACK of promotion for his last two releases and how he did not seem to care about them?

I think he feels strongly about this project and probably plans to tour on them.

I think he has come with a most interesting ways to promote thes project and website this time.

Willy Wonakified with the 3 fans to his house, going to a credible indy radio station, remaining with his find Leno for more promotion, letting a major sstore carry it as friendly priced exclusive (Target), 3 Nites in LA for the local fans. Man, we fail ot recognize the breadth of it all.

Fuck NIN

but the best promotion of all would be if he would actually tour some
of this material.

not just one or two songs in an otherwise static setlist that has not
changed all too much in the last 4 or 5 years.

he should include at least 5 new songs and also keep throwing in the
other "new" songs like musicology, 3121, fury, the word, etc etc.

then play 6 big hits during the show to keep the whole thing from
becoming too strange for casual listeners.

complete and true to original versions of when doves cry, little red
corvette, glam slam, cream, gold etc. and some more songs that he's
not done live in a while or which he does sometimes and always end up
being crowd favorites like calhoun sq, dolphin, beautiful strange etc.

what i'm trying to say is that he should do less covers and do
more new material, drop some of the over played hits in favour of a
few hits he hasn't done live too many times and include some more of
his stronger back catalogue "rarities".

even the new fans that jumped on board during the musicology era have
heard his recent setlist and old hits more than enough times. time to
spruce things up a bit.

IstenSzek said:

He will. This has all been pre-release promotion.

Prince has me sold...I'm sleeping in "Target's," parking lot on the 28th.

xlr8r said:

Steve Jones from USA Today (formerly of Black Beat?). He's a long-time supporter so P probably felt his response would be positive even if he isn't on a "credible indie station"

xlr8r said:

i hope so! that would be cool. kinda like the ONA tour.

i loved how a big part of that show was focused on the
new album. and the rest of those setlists was awesome
too.

datdude said:

No. Steve Jones of the seminal punk band, The Sex Pistols.