ludwig said:

BlackCandle said:

Some one may have already suggestedthis, but is it possible Prince released Planet Earth and 20TEN through the Newspapers precisely to get out of his publishing contract? Scuppering Universal as he did Warner Bros with his last few WB albums? [Edited 8/4/12 3:27am]

A PUBLISHING DEAL IS NOT A RECORD CONTRACT!

He didn't say or imply it was. Just comparing the two.

I don't think he did any such thing tho' towards UMPG. I wouldn't be surprised if they were basically in agreement with it.

Probably made them more money too.

Tremolina said:

10 million dollars = less than 1 million albums, so a lot actually...
In contrast 1 million dollars = less than 100000 albums, pretty much the standard Prince album sales these days as a "free man"...
But anyway, the point is not about money, but just about the fact that not only has he failed to get more $$$ (leaving aside concerts, which have nothing to do with having a record deal or not) but his supposed freedom has not generated more music, even less so high quality music (as others have said, the vault remains basically as closed as it ever was), and he has even managed to fall into ignorance and irrelevance, which is truly amazing for an artist of his dimension.

DrD said:

Tremolina said:

^how many albums have sold 10 million or more over, let's say the last decade?

A few maybe?

And how much does a major make on you and your freedom with a 360 deal, in return of their million dollar advances? A WHOLE LOT MORE than you ever would maybe?

Freedom is worth a lot, especially when you are already loaded with money.

10 million dollars = less than 1 million albums, so a lot actually... In contrast 1 million dollars = less than 100000 albums, pretty much the standard Prince album sales these days as a "free man"... But anyway, the point is not about money, but just about the fact that not only has he failed to get more $$$ (leaving aside concerts, which have nothing to do with having a record deal or not) but his supposed freedom has not generated more music, even less so high quality music (as others have said, the vault remains basically as closed as it ever was), and he has even managed to fall into ignorance and irrelevance, which is truly amazing for an artist of his dimension.

I thought you meant 10 million copies. In general most recording artists/groups don't make more than 15 cent on a dollar. That's 1.5 million dollar, but only after all the costs including their advances have been recouped. Which is often times never. And then they still don't own anything they created. By contrast Prince owns it all and still makes a million dollar advance or 2.

I also don't agree with your opinion that he has become irrelevant since gaining his freedom. Musicology was his big comeback, plus the R&R hall of fame and Superbowl. Hardly 'irrelevant'.

Tremolina said:

DrD said:

Tremolina said: 10 million dollars = less than 1 million albums, so a lot actually... In contrast 1 million dollars = less than 100000 albums, pretty much the standard Prince album sales these days as a "free man"... But anyway, the point is not about money, but just about the fact that not only has he failed to get more $$$ (leaving aside concerts, which have nothing to do with having a record deal or not) but his supposed freedom has not generated more music, even less so high quality music (as others have said, the vault remains basically as closed as it ever was), and he has even managed to fall into ignorance and irrelevance, which is truly amazing for an artist of his dimension.

I thought you meant 10 million copies. In general most recording artists/groups don't make more than 15 cent on a dollar. That's 1.5 million dollar, but only after all the costs including their advances have been recouped. Which is often times never. And then they still don't own anything they created. By contrast Prince owns it all and still makes a million dollar advance or 2.

I also don't agree with your opinion that he has become irrelevant since gaining his freedom. Musicology was his big comeback, plus the R&R hall of fame and Superbowl. Hardly 'irrelevant'.

True he is not irrelevant to everyone (certainly not to us!) but to younger generations he is, which is somewhat amazing when you start thinking that he influenced so heavily so much of existing black music today. But his attitude and inability to listen to and collaborate with others (how can it be that he has never worked with Questlove for instance, his No1 fan, fantastic drummer and very creative producer?) has been such that few people in their 20s even know who he is, not to mention know his music...

DrD said:

Tremolina said:

I thought you meant 10 million copies. In general most recording artists/groups don't make more than 15 cent on a dollar. That's 1.5 million dollar, but only after all the costs including their advances have been recouped. Which is often times never. And then they still don't own anything they created. By contrast Prince owns it all and still makes a million dollar advance or 2.

I also don't agree with your opinion that he has become irrelevant since gaining his freedom. Musicology was his big comeback, plus the R&R hall of fame and Superbowl. Hardly 'irrelevant'.

True he is not irrelevant to everyone (certainly not to us!) but to younger generations he is, which is somewhat amazing when you start thinking that he influenced so heavily so much of existing black music today. But his attitude and inability to listen to and collaborate with others (how can it be that he has never worked with Questlove for instance, his No1 fan, fantastic drummer and very creative producer?) has been such that few people in their 20s even know who he is, not to mention know his music...

I don't think you can state that as fact. It may be your perception, but mine is different. For example, here on the org alone are quite a few teenage Prince fans active. Besides, Prince height of popularity was in the 80's and therefore in the 90's his music was also rendered 'irrelevant'. But he isn't and never will be, at least not to those who appreciate true music by true musicans. To them he is a legend whether they truly like him or not. That he should be working with questlove only confirms that.