There were the several songs being released as we approached release of Art Offical Age and Plectrum Electrum, so I feel there was a nice handful of music to enjoy during the release-day anticipation period. There was really no need for me to preorder.

Secondly, the packaging for Art Official Age was crushed inside the envelope that I opened Monday. The CD was not broken however. One of my favorite memories of buying all of my Prince albums on release day was getting to run into my record store and look at the racks and racks of the new album, and then carefully selecting which one I wanted to buy. It was just for fun, but I loved to pick the one in best conditiion, fewest corner bends, etc etc, because I feel that the way the music is packaged is also important.

So I am extremely dissatisfied with how Prince chose to deliver his music. I assume he values the music. I would also think he values the presentation of his music, because he has some beautiful pictures on the sleeve. I especially adore the gorgeous psychedelic picture on the inside flap!

But I'm left confused why Prince would just throw the CD in an envelope and not care if it gets crushed. It is crushed and the spine is crinkled. In one respect, it appears Prince is all onboard for digital music and might say that a physical copy is a waste of precious resources, so as many of us have done, he cut back on packaging costs. Anyway, I am disapointed and I wish I knew who to ask for a replacement. The music is fine, and that's what some might say is more important. But Prince is also about 'the look' and that is what is fun about his world along with his music, in my opinion, or to me at least.

I am glad Plectrum Electrum did not get damaged.

I am also a spotify listener, so I can enjoy the albums on there. So all in all, if Prince went lite on the packaging, why even do it if he doesn't protect it upon shipping. Plus, as I mentiioned above, I have always loved the 'rekka stow' experience. We don't really have those rekka stow's in America anymore, but I have now learned my lesson. Next time I will enjoy the online availability of albums like these, and at a later time go into a used record store and buy physical copies I can choose myself.

dewmass said:

Along the same lines, I was disgusted that Prince delivered my CDs just after 1pm when I needed milk for a nice cup of coffee. I appreciate Prince likes me to download his music, but I have chosen to receive physical copies and he wasn't in any way bothered how desperate I was for a brew and delivered them tardily. Disappointing [Edited 10/1/14 15:51pm]

All complaints can be submitted to the help desk @ Lotusflow3r.com

I agree, Prince has conciously used cardboard sleeves for most of his albums since the Rainbow Children since 2001. The ones on the new albums were very flimsy and the spine and cover already had creases on mine and every album in the stack had the same problem. The discs were fine.

.

I can't understand why they use this flimsy cheap packaging. So what if a few plastic trees have to die to make a proper jewel case for the CD. The albums ince Lotusflow3r don't even have the tray for the disc any more, merely a pouch to slide the disc in and out.

.

The AOA cover was creased, but Plectrum Electrum was okay, due to the booklet making the spine a bit thicker. Some shops put extra plastic wrap on them for security reasons like JB Hifi and this was very hard to use and I found it nearly warped the discs.

.

[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

.

Very heavy plastic applied by Record store (JB's Hifi)

.

[img:$uid]http://i1081.ph.../img:$uid]

Visible crease on the back of AOA cardboard album sleeve. This was taken before I had even played the record.

It's environmentally green, get over it, you're living in the green age now.


Granted there's plastic wrapping around it, but you can't win them all.

I totally understand why it's not environmentally friendly to use a plastic case...but my problem with Prince is that he uses the absolute cheapest, most flimsy paper/cardboard, and therefore the cases visibly start to disintegrate as soon as you take off the shrink wrap (and as stated above, sometimes before that).

I mean, does anyone have a Planet Earth or 20TEN CD that isn't a total mess? I keep mine in ziploc baggies at all times, and the "hologram" type thing on Planet Earth is completely unglued and the color on 20TEN is fading.

3121 and Musicology were cardboard, but they were substantial enough that they didn't immediately start to degrade (although, sadly, they will never last more than a few years with any kind of heavy rotation).

My Jenny Lewis and St. Vincent CDs that I bought this year (2 of the few physical copies I've felt the need to own, rather than just digital) are also in digipaks, although they are much more like the Musicology/20TEN variety.

As for the fact that AOA has no booklet, and the only credits are on the back: that's just laziness, and to me it shows a lack of love on Prince's part for his music. Which is strange.

Morningsong - How the hell is a paper case green. Its made out of cardboard or in Prince's case 60gsm paper, both true products that may be from unsustainable resources. Plastic on the other hand is man made material that has been around for 100 years or so. The earth has no natural resource stocks of natural plastic If anything cardboard packaging is more waissome. And beside if plastic is so evil, explain the outer wrappings of it.

.

Everyone else I agree. I don't know about the Americas and Europe, but here in New Zealand, 99% of all CD's have hard plastic cases, I don't see any cardboard ones except Prince and a couple of other artists. Plastic cases are king here and that includes all main priced items and especially budget CD's of which there are lots.

.

At the Warehouse (Kiwi Walmart) they have crates full of CD's ranging in price from 50 cents to about $7 or $10. Most are either popular albums from the 60s to 90s or even budget mixtures like 20 Country and Western Hits, and the best hits of Abba played by the Gino Marinello Orchestra, 20 Zither Favourites and of course numerous budget compilation albums. Even if its 50 cents, it has a case. This year I bought several greatest hits albums and CD's and none cost over $10 and all were in plastic cases.

.

The only cardboard sleeves seen, were on CD singles popular until 2005, very rarely can you buy CD singles (As in one or two songs rather than an album) and even then about 1/4 had them, the rest had a plastic case that was slightly thinner than Album cases. So Prince is definitely being a cheapass with this flimsy and near useless packaging!!!!

.

Although I will say, all my Prince albums before these ones are in Good condition as they are stored well and I have seldom opened them much, mostly just to burn the albums. Surprisingly the albums to Planet Earth look fresh, but the Lotusflow3r pack has faded slightly and the 20Ten is on a very rough cardboard sleeve (It says for Promotional use only). My best looking one is the Rainbow Children, mainly as its barely been touched given how crappy the contents are.

[Edited 10/1/14 21:51pm]

Im not a collector. I dont really care for the packaging on CDs. I havent purchased a physical CD for years. I love me some digital.

My copies of his CD's are all mint. They get opened, looked at once or twice, put on my iPod, then stuck on the shelf forever more.

Yeah, the packaging for AOA just SUCKS. I was really shocked that Prince decided NOT to include a booklet. AOA resembled a cheap CD single and even the digipak for '20Ten' seems stronger. As with all of the fragile digipaks Prince (and other artists) have released during the past decade, I make digital copies then store them in jewel case sleeves, which are an affordable way to protect CDs.

im pissed he didnt include lyrics to AOA