I have a few of these sets....the Chaka Khan one and the Bootsy Collins one I would prefer to have proper remasters (with liner notes,rare photos,etc) but I guess these will have to do.The price is great.

It's a little strange to include three great albums and then include Lovesexy and especially Diamond & Pearls which is good but nowhere near the level of the first three albums. Perhaps it's a way to keep the price down or something.

peter430044 said:

It's a little strange to include three great albums and then include Lovesexy and especially Diamond & Pearls which is good but nowhere near the level of the first three albums. Perhaps it's a way to keep the price down or something.

The WB can't include the first three like that. Prince got those masters back now.....

funkylust said:

80spfantwp said:

Am I missing something obvious here by wondering, 'how can SOTT not be included...?'

Probably cause its a double and doesn't fit into their box set format neatly. They would have selected Prince single CD albums as it looks like you are getting more albums and value for your money. Its a marketing thing.

And as for the tracked Lovesexy version inclusion, the more I think about it, that tells me that Prince really had no involvement in this coming out. Someone at Warner just did it as a budget rebundle. From memory it was Prince who insisted on Lovesexy being released on CD as one track 'as originally intended' so the listener was 'encouraged' to listen to the whole album. Like a concept album. Its a trip he wanted you to go on. Now Warner releases it tracked cause he isn't around approving everything!

Milk that catalogue Warner, milk it. But if you really want me to buy the catalogue again, release all albums again on 180 gram vinyl (the rest of them) and all CD albums as 2 cd remastered and a massive fuck off box set with everything. THen you will be cashing big time. Also releases everything on itunes. Pink Floyd and U2 just did that. The Wall Immersion edition. Can you imagine a Lovesexy Immersion Edition?! Fuck me.

for memory they did the exact same thing with the michael jackson collection boxset and left out history as it was 2 discs, in general 2disc sets are generally a no go, however i don't understand why they couldn't include it, they could just create 2 separate sleeves or create a gatefold sleeve for SOTT, it's deffinitely an essential prince album that should be included in the collection for casual music listeners, which is what the box set is aimed towards...

tossing whether i should buy it, $20 is not bad and if i didn't have all the albums then i would buy it, although i have been trying to find the standard cover of diamonds and pearls, hmmm.. sinced it's been pulled i feel more inclined 2 buy it, they are fully stocked at JB, although i don't like how they are made from cheap cardboard.....

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I'll save my money 4 the remaster versions that Prince will have in a few years......

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

peter430044 said:

It's a little strange to include three great albums and then include Lovesexy and especially Diamond & Pearls which is good but nowhere near the level of the first three albums. Perhaps it's a way to keep the price down or something.

The WB can't include the first three like that. Prince got those masters back now.....

By first three albums I meant the three albums I mentioned earlier in the sentence; the ones that are included in the box set: 1999, Purple Rain and Parade.

O I C........

BobGeorge909 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I'll save my money 4 the remaster versions that Prince will have in a few years......

That money gon' collect a lot of interest...

I stopped waiting for Prince remasters.It may not happen in our lifetime.

I'd love to have D&P on vinyl

nursev said:

I'd love to have D&P on vinyl

It's quite common and can be found easily.

TheDigitalGardener said:

nursev said:

I'd love to have D&P on vinyl

It's quite common and can be found easily.

You don't say

nursev said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

It's quite common and can be found easily.

You don't say

There are a number of good to excellent condition copies on ebay right now for not a lot of money.

TheDigitalGardener said:

nursev said:

You don't say

There are a number of good to excellent condition copies on ebay right now for not a lot of money.

Ain't no way in hell I'd buy something I already have.

peter430044 said:

It's a little strange to include three great albums and then include Lovesexy and especially Diamond & Pearls which is good but nowhere near the level of the first three albums. Perhaps it's a way to keep the price down or something.

D&P makes perfect sense because it was Prince's 2nd best selling album. (Right?)

Better question is, why is Lovesexy included but not ATWIAD? So random. I mean that one sold what, 3 million copies? Also contained two Top 10 hits for the guy.

Or hell, why is Controversy excluded either? Or if you're WB and you don't want to blow your Prince prime load in one package and want to stretch it out for another such album box, why not Prince or For You? If you're just padding it. Love Symbol would actually be appropriate too.

RRA said:

peter430044 said:

It's a little strange to include three great albums and then include Lovesexy and especially Diamond & Pearls which is good but nowhere near the level of the first three albums. Perhaps it's a way to keep the price down or something.

D&P makes perfect sense because it was Prince's 2nd best selling album. (Right?)

Better question is, why is Lovesexy included but not ATWIAD? So random. I mean that one sold what, 3 million copies? Also contained two Top 10 hits for the guy.

Or hell, why is Controversy excluded either? Or if you're WB and you don't want to blow your Prince prime load in one package and want to stretch it out for another such album box, why not Prince or For You? If you're just padding it. Love Symbol would actually be appropriate too.

Wb can't do anything with those anymore. Prince owns those now...

RRA said:

peter430044 said:

It's a little strange to include three great albums and then include Lovesexy and especially Diamond & Pearls which is good but nowhere near the level of the first three albums. Perhaps it's a way to keep the price down or something.

D&P makes perfect sense because it was Prince's 2nd best selling album. (Right?)

Better question is, why is Lovesexy included but not ATWIAD? So random. I mean that one sold what, 3 million copies? Also contained two Top 10 hits for the guy.

Or hell, why is Controversy excluded either? Or if you're WB and you don't want to blow your Prince prime load in one package and want to stretch it out for another such album box, why not Prince or For You? If you're just padding it. Love Symbol would actually be appropriate too.

That's probably it. D&P sold more than for instance Sign O' The Times. On the other hand, SOTT is regarded as a masterpiece. So the question is, which is most marketable today?

Regardless, I would rather see a package with a strong focus on quality. If that's the same as making a little less profit so be it, but of course I realize that WB doesn't think that way.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

RRA said:

D&P makes perfect sense because it was Prince's 2nd best selling album. (Right?)

Better question is, why is Lovesexy included but not ATWIAD? So random. I mean that one sold what, 3 million copies? Also contained two Top 10 hits for the guy.

Or hell, why is Controversy excluded either? Or if you're WB and you don't want to blow your Prince prime load in one package and want to stretch it out for another such album box, why not Prince or For You? If you're just padding it. Love Symbol would actually be appropriate too.

Wb can't do anything with those anymore. Prince owns those now...

Prince doesn't own anything. Transfer of ownership copyright law is 35 years. Just do the math. Ok, I'll help you. 1978 plus 35 = 2013. This applies to Masters ownership for most recording artists, but it is dependent on what was in the orginal contract. Certain Language in the contract could actually prolong ownership to Warners for the masters.

The thing that makes me laugh, is that these masters that Prince and Warners have been bickering over have lost much of their value. Prince's career has been up and down. 2004 would've been the logical year to do something about them when he was at least a little hot, and people were still buying cds.

Prince likely owns For You in 2013, but won't own a high selling album(1999) until 2017. Cd sales are low in 2012, and will be much lower in 2017. Even download sales are not all that impressive.

Save for Prince slapping tons of outtakes on them, there is hardly a market for remasters.

In 2017, a Prince fan born in 1970 will be approaching 50. Older people typically buy less music. We also live in a world where radio and media have nearly ignored older artists going younger and younger. Try hearing a Prince song on oldies radio that isn't Raspberry beret, LRC, LGC, PR, and WDC. It's hard to find. On R&B radio you might get Do Me Baby or I Wanna Be Your Lover. Sadly, R&B oldies radio plays weak ass New Edition related songs MUCH MORE than Prince.

stillwaiting said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Wb can't do anything with those anymore. Prince owns those now...

Prince doesn't own anything. Transfer of ownership copyright law is 35 years. Just do the math. Ok, I'll help you. 1978 plus 35 = 2013. This applies to Masters ownership for most recording artists, but it is dependent on what was in the orginal contract. Certain Language in the contract could actually prolong ownership to Warners for the masters.

The thing that makes me laugh, is that these masters that Prince and Warners have been bickering over have lost much of their value. Prince's career has been up and down. 2004 would've been the logical year to do something about them when he was at least a little hot, and people were still buying cds.

Prince likely owns For You in 2013, but won't own a high selling album(1999) until 2017. Cd sales are low in 2012, and will be much lower in 2017. Even download sales are not all that impressive.

Save for Prince slapping tons of outtakes on them, there is hardly a market for remasters.

In 2017, a Prince fan born in 1970 will be approaching 50. Older people typically buy less music. We also live in a world where radio and media have nearly ignored older artists going younger and younger. Try hearing a Prince song on oldies radio that isn't Raspberry beret, LRC, LGC, PR, and WDC. It's hard to find. On R&B radio you might get Do Me Baby or I Wanna Be Your Lover. Sadly, R&B oldies radio plays weak ass New Edition related songs MUCH MORE than Prince.

Boo Boo Prince has started getting his masters back one by one two years ago.He already has the first three..

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Boo Boo Prince has started getting his masters back one by one two years ago.He already has the first three..

Well, if I'm wrong, which I could be, it sure is nice that Prince is trying to make sure he puts his remasters out when people buy music even less. Not to mention, if he keeps taking his time, many of his fans will actually be dead when he decides to do it. Dead people usually account for 0 percent of music buyers.

stillwaiting said:

NouveauDance said:

SOTT is also a big pull for noobs and casuals on it's own, might as well sell it standalone than in a budget pack.

SOTT is my favorite album, and has sold around 800,000. 550,000 in 1987, and 250,000 from 1988-2011. After year one, that's around 10,000 a year. Since double albums counted as sales of 2 units to the RIAA, SOTT is platinum, but has not been a big seller. Considering how great it is, it hard to believe. A remaster would be great for the die hards, but the casual fans....not so likely. With CD sales in decline, and even download sales in decline, it's not going to happen. I'll be the first person to be happy about saying I'm wrong if it does happen, but Cds have been remastered since around 1994 or so, and I just can't see it.

SOTT did sell a million back then it wasnt counted as a double lp ,neither was 1999 even though was considered a double lp most double lps had to be double in all its formats i think(not too sure) SOTT had 2 cds and2 vinyl but was on one tape.199 was 2 vinyl and 1 cd and1 tape.but it was counted as 1 unit .

khemseraph said:

stillwaiting said:

SOTT is my favorite album, and has sold around 800,000. 550,000 in 1987, and 250,000 from 1988-2011. After year one, that's around 10,000 a year. Since double albums counted as sales of 2 units to the RIAA, SOTT is platinum, but has not been a big seller. Considering how great it is, it hard to believe. A remaster would be great for the die hards, but the casual fans....not so likely. With CD sales in decline, and even download sales in decline, it's not going to happen. I'll be the first person to be happy about saying I'm wrong if it does happen, but Cds have been remastered since around 1994 or so, and I just can't see it.

SOTT did sell a million back then it wasnt counted as a double lp ,neither was 1999 even though was considered a double lp most double lps had to be double in all its formats i think(not too sure) SOTT had 2 cds and2 vinyl but was on one tape.199 was 2 vinyl and 1 cd and1 tape.but it was counted as 1 unit .

No it wasn't. The Tape was above the normal 8.98/9.98 list price zone for one unit. Anything 12.98 or above for cassettes was treated as a double album. (You may have found it at 10.99 or 11.99, but the list price was 12.98/13.98...just look at old copies of Billboard. SOTT is his masterpiece, but just try finding somebody at your job that owns it. You'll find a few that own 1999 or Purple Rain, but SOTT did not sell well. Had Prince not released anything after Purple Rain, and saved Kiss as the lead single with U Got The Look as the follow up, it might have moved 3 million or even more. The main reason Prince did not want to tour the US, was that he was pissed that it did not sell. For Lovesexy, he just changed his mind, and toured anyway, and the tour was not a success in the USA, it just broke even, after production costs.

stillwaiting said:

khemseraph said:

SOTT did sell a million back then it wasnt counted as a double lp ,neither was 1999 even though was considered a double lp most double lps had to be double in all its formats i think(not too sure) SOTT had 2 cds and2 vinyl but was on one tape.199 was 2 vinyl and 1 cd and1 tape.but it was counted as 1 unit .

No it wasn't. The Tape was above the normal 8.98/9.98 list price zone for one unit. Anything 12.98 or above for cassettes was treated as a double album. (You may have found it at 10.99 or 11.99, but the list price was 12.98/13.98...just look at old copies of Billboard. SOTT is his masterpiece, but just try finding somebody at your job that owns it. You'll find a few that own 1999 or Purple Rain, but SOTT did not sell well. Had Prince not released anything after Purple Rain, and saved Kiss as the lead single with U Got The Look as the follow up, it might have moved 3 million or even more. The main reason Prince did not want to tour the US, was that he was pissed that it did not sell. For Lovesexy, he just changed his mind, and toured anyway, and the tour was not a success in the USA, it just broke even, after production costs.

Lies! His album not selling blockbuster sells is not his reason not to tour. Its a reason he should have toured .He did later regret going against his managers request to tour.

SOTT did sell. It just wasn't a multi million seller. Only mistake was the second single choice. "If was Ur Girlfriend". But the double album itself had three top ten singles. That is not a flop..Prince does have a quirky way of doing things & not listening 2 people. But that is what makes him who is a genius...

Whether his albums sold millions or not. Every album Prince put out up until 1993-94 had a top ten hit. That is not bad at all. For an artist that had already been in the business over 15 years at the time. Give him some credit boo boo.....

I still argue that SOTT wasn't included because (1) it was a 2 CD album, and (2) you need a "great" Prince album for another bargain priced album boxset.

Here's my suggestion for that, with the Prince albums still in print:

Dirty Mind

Controversy

Around the World in a Day

Sign O'The Times

How many times am going 2 have 2 explain this? The WB can't bundle Prince's first three albums anymore. Those albums r in Prince possession now..

Picky Picky Picky. OK then.

Around the World in a Day

Sign O' The Times

Batman

Graffiti Bridge

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Lies! His album not selling blockbuster sells is not his reason not to tour. Its a reason he should have toured .He did later regret going against his managers request to tour.

SOTT did sell. It just wasn't a multi million seller. Only mistake was the second single choice. "If was Ur Girlfriend". But the double album itself had three top ten singles. That is not a flop..Prince does have a quirky way of doing things & not listening 2 people. But that is what makes him who is a genius...

Whether his albums sold millions or not. Every album Prince put out up until 1993-94 had a top ten hit. That is not bad at all. For an artist that had already been in the business over 15 years at the time. Give him some credit boo boo.....

Give him some credit boo boo? This is coming from someone who praises Shelby, but agrees that Lovesexy is a weak album in this set? SOTT is one of my favorites, but it sold under a million. Those are the facts. Most musicians I know who are Prince fans love most of his albums, have a deep love for Lovesexy and SOTT, and also share my opinion that his live shows since 2006 have been a joke.

The fans who love Tony M, and love Shelby warming up the crowd are in either two groups:

1. The fans who love every single move Prince makes, including loving him more for shitting on them for Crystal Ball, Lotus Flow3r website, etc...

2. The fans who love the pop albums like D&P, but can't stand serious music like Lovesexy and Lotus Flow3r(the Lotus Flow3r disc, not MPLSound).

I deal in truth. I honestly love every single Prince album, but admit New Power Soul and D&P are not his best work. MPLSound is the only one I am not crazy about, but I still like most of it.

I like or love most of his tours from 1980-1990, but from 1991-2001, he seemed to lose focus. From 2002-2004 he had a great comeback. From 2005-now...he's back to being lazy again.

1987-88 was his peak in my opinion, but the Controversy Tour was pretty damn good too. Back then he either played the song like the record, or played it better than the record.

Take a song like Let's Go Crazy. That's one song he's screwed up with Saxophone parts, a complete loss of lyrics, and ridiculous Go Go Go Chants detracting from the original song. It hasn't been played like the 1984-85 tour other than a brief period on the weaker 1997-98 tours.

It seems too many Prince fans think his later albums suck, but he's still this incredible live performer. It's the other way around. The albums are still very good to great, but the live shows can be really lacking. It's like people are brainwashed to think that his new material stinks, but his concerts are great no matter what he does.