Prince: One day left...and excitement's at fever pitch over star's new CD

There's just one day to go to the greatest pop giveaway in newspaper history…

And it’s clear millions of fans are every bit as excited as we are about Prince’s new 20TEN album – available FREE and EXCLUSIVELY with Saturday’s Daily Mirror.

Our unbelievable offer has made headline news across the globe – from Argentina to Australia and from Japan to the US, where it has featured on top TV networks such as CNN and ABC.

Meanwhile, the superstar’s fans have gone crazy with anticipation on internet forums and Twitter over what 20TEN will sound like.

Many devotees from all over the world have sent phonelines at the Mirror’s offices into meltdown as they try to find out how they can get their hands on a copy.

If you’re in the UK, there’s only one way to grab the year’s most awaited CD – by buying a copy of tomorrow’s Mirror for one of more than 2.5 million copies of the album we are giving away free.

Remember that 20TEN will be available for one day only and cannot be bought in shops or downloaded anywhere. Earlier this week the reclusive star, 52, told of his delight at his historic collaboration with the Mirror.

He said: “I am very proud of the album. It’s great it will be free to your readers in the newspaper.” Because of his ongoing battles against internet abuse, he has banned YouTube and iTunes from using any of his music and has even shut down his own official website.

He said: “The internet’s completely over. I don’t see why I should give my new music to iTunes or anyone else. They won’t pay me an advance for it and then they get angry when they can’t get it. The internet’s like MTV. At one time MTV was hip and suddenly it became outdated.”

Some of the pop genius’s celebrity fans have been lucky enough to hear a sneak preview of the album. And they have given it a unanimous thumbs-up. England soccer ace Rio Ferdinand gushed: “He’s got that real Midas touch. I’ve got most of Prince’s albums so I was excited to play this. It’s one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long while, a really top set of tracks.

“It’s gonna be my album of the summer. Prince has definitely brought the funk back.”

Rapper Tinchy Stryder added: “It’s normally lyrics that catch me first on a record but with this it was the music and beats. That’s where I could hear the genius in Prince.”

Pop star Craig David admitted he had listened to 20TEN over and over. He said: “I’d love to collaborate with Prince. Being in the presence of someone who has greatness and writes great songs would be totally inspiring.”

Gavin McLaughlin, editor of Prince fan forum MoQuake.com, told how his site’s 35,000 fans could hardly wait for Saturday’s super offer. He said: “Since the announcement about the Mirror giving away the album I’ve been inundated with emails from people desperate to get their hands on it. It’s such an innovative approach to give away his album to all the fans.

“I’m hoping it’s going to be one of his classics. I’m really keen to hear his new material and I know hundreds of thousands of fans are on the edge of their seats for Saturday.”

DJ Johnny Vaughan was one of them – and likened the star’s talent to divine inspiration.

He said: “Prince is like the Pope. The Pope has Papal infallibility as he is a conduit for God. Prince is a conduit for the funk. He’s not human, he’s like an element, like fire.”

The star’s stellar career certainly bears that out. He has sold a staggering 100 million albums worldwide and won seven Grammy Awards.

In addition he has produced 10 platinum albums and had more than 30 Top 40 hits.

The celeb verdicts

LA ROUX ON PRINCE

I CAN’T remember exactly when I first became aware of Prince, but the second I knew about him I became fascinated by him as an icon – it’s that sexless thing.

I love that there’s nothing subtle about his tracks sex-wise. It’s not filthy, he just plays with it in a fun way.

I saw Prince perform at the 02. It was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. The best track on his new album is Beginning Endlessly. The synth sounds like modern RnB but it’s the chord progression and start I really like.”

JOHNNY VAUGHAN OF CAPITAL FM BREAKFAST SHOW

PRINCE is like the Pope. The Pope is a conduit for God, while Prince is a conduit for funk. He’s like our link with the Harlem Apollo or the old days.

It’s all here in this album. He’s one of the few whose music is genius, but whose words are poetry as well. No one else has got the capacity to serve up something that is unmistakably Prince, but also undeniably new.

He’s got such a distinctive sound. It’s his best album for years.

CRAIG DAVID ON PRINCE

I’VE been listening to the album several times since I’ve had it as I believe good tracks grow on you. There are some great songs on the album.

Being a big Prince fan, there’s been such iconic songs throughout the years. This album sounds like it’s been lifted straight from the 80s. Future Soul Sound is a really nice song – it’s very much in the vein of old-school Prince. Also Sticky Like Glue, which is a straight-up 80s record. The songs from the album will translate really well live.

RADIO 2 LEGEND KEN BRUCE

THE Purple One is no stranger to putting on a show and 20TEN shows his ability to appeal to a wide audience.

Sea of Everything is a ballad straight from the Prince stylebook. The final track is a joyous show-closer, Tonight I Love

Everybody and Everybody Loves Me.

Choosing to distribute the CD this way is a typical masterstroke; he has millions of fans but wants to reach more. If you’re an existing admirer, you’ll love it. And if you’ve never really “got” Prince, this may just convert you.

He then moves effortlessly to a does-what-it says-on-the-tin Future Soul Song, an easy soulful sound where Prince uses his lower vocal register to great effect, matched with heavenly harmonies in a number which can trace its roots back to the likes of Thom Bell and Linda Creed.

It’s not all love and celebration though; things turn darker with the classic rock beat of Act of God, a pin-sharp rebuke to the greed of bankers for causing misery to those below them on the financial food-chain.

Sea of Everything is a ballad straight from the traditional Prince stylebook and the final track is a joyous show-closer Tonight I Love Everybody and Everybody Loves Me, a sentiment which doesn’t sound boastful, just plain true.

Choosing to distribute this CD this way is a typical masterstroke; he has millions of fans already but wants to reach more. If you’re an existing admirer, you’ll love it. And if you’ve not really ”got” Prince before, this may be just the thing to convert you.

20Ten shows him in celebratory mood, with the feel-good opening track, Compassion, followed by a love song, Beginning Endlessly, all militaristic drums.

RADIO 1’S SCOTT MILLS ON PRINCE

I’M a massive Prince fan and have been ever since I can remember. As a kid doing hospital radio I was always playing his stuff, like Raspberry Beret. The production on his tracks was incredible and they’ve all aged really well.

He’s a brilliantly odd character and a bit of an enigma. The album sounds like early Prince. Compassion is a stand-out track, it’s a great opener. Everybody Loves Me is a real singalong track and Walk In The Sand is nice too – he breaks into a bit of that falsetto he’s famous for.

TINCHY STRYDER ON PRINCE

Because I write, it’s normally the lyrics that catch me first. With this album it was the music and the beats.

That’s where I could hear the genius in Prince and in this album. The way he uses and plays all the instruments, the way he produces and arranges everything – the way the songs are structured. Even the track order showed a genius was at work. Two tracks really stand out for me: Compassion – the first track, sets the tone for the record and I also like Future Soul Song, it feels real laid back.

RIO FERDINAND

Music is almost as important to me as football, in fact the two go hand-in-hand.

I’m into hip-hop, garage and soul, but Prince has got to be one of my biggest idols.

He’s got the Midas touch – everything he produces is an instant classic. When you see him perform, it’s amazing.

He plays an unreal amount of instruments and whips the audience along with him.

I’ve got most of Prince’s albums but 20Ten is one of the best I’ve heard in a long while. The opening track, Compassion, got me hooked, all synths and fast-paced beats. Sticky Like Glue is pure funk – one of the coolest numbers on the album.

The last track, Everybody Loves Me, is all handclaps and super cheerful lyrics. It’s like some big ego thing.

Maybe I should play it to the guys before we hit the pitch.

It’s gonna be my album of the summer. Prince has definitely brought the funk back.