It's disrespect to the other artists and engineers on the albums not to detail and identify their contributions. And even with the album lyics, I still scr3wUp the words. Cut the fans some slack.

Jesus, really?

Disrespectful to the other artists/engineers? Gimme a break. They were (likely) well compensated for their time and efforts, there's no clause that says 'you will be mentioned and your work and skill acknoledged in a small booklet tucked inside the CD' in that contract.

What is this obsession with having to know every little last detail. Because we live in the 'information age', I guess.

Get over it already.

There is no booklet with Art Official Age.

This has happened millions of times before on albums throughout the ages.

It was a choice that was made.

That's it.

Listen to the album, like it/don't like it.

Move on and/or make your own booklet.

Rimshottbob said:

Jesus, really?

Disrespectful to the other artists/engineers? Gimme a break. They were (likely) well compensated for their time and efforts, there's no clause that says 'you will be mentioned and your work and skill acknoledged in a small booklet tucked inside the CD' in that contract.

What is this obsession with having to know every little last detail. Because we live in the 'information age', I guess.

Get over it already.

There is no booklet with Art Official Age.

This has happened millions of times before on albums throughout the ages.

It was a choice that was made.

That's it.

Listen to the album, like it/don't like it.

Move on and/or make your own booklet.

No, this never happened before on a non indie release. Not only there is no booklet, the disc is packaged with a very cheap digipack. A pure thievery for the casual buyer.

"A pure thievery" = absolute nonsense.

"this never happened before on a non indie release" = absolute nonsense.

Rimshottbob said:

"A pure thievery" = absolute nonsense.

"this never happened before on a non indie release" = absolute nonsense.

Except with Prince, I can't see a major release without booklet and jewel case.

17 euros for an album that has no jewel case, and no booklet is a thievery. That is not nonsense. What the point in buying a physical copie, especially in this day and age when you're tempted by illegal download, if you have not the advantage of a physical copie ? The booklet is a way to prolong the universe of an album, it's not useless. You can't make people pay for an album with no booklet the same price of an album with a booklet. Results : no one is buying it.

That is also pure thievery that many complains about the lack of glue on the carton of the album, that make it unsticked.

I do miss CD booklets and reading liner notes.

Time was when every major artist release would come on two sides of vinyl, with little more than cover art and a (n often badly-written) blurb on the rear sleeve over-praising the genius of the enclosed album, or just sales images of other product by the label or the artist...

This was the norm, because it was understood that the MUSIC (and MAYBE the cover art, as an extension of the mood of that music) was the reason for the album. Any additional material was a ADDITIONAL, a bonus.

These days there's an incredible sense of entitlement amongst folk, behaving like little more than pure consumers, demanding this and that... I want all, I want it all, NOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!... thinking they know the market inside out, like less info lessens sales, and all that ridiculous nonsense.

Just because labels release deluxe editions and additiona and alternate takes of every last fart by any artist, no matter how useless or trivial they may be, that don't make it a good idea.

My last word? Art Official Age comes without a booklet. Get over it.

Rimshottbob said:

Time was when every major artist release would come on two sides of vinyl, with little more than cover art and a (n often badly-written) blurb on the rear sleeve over-praising the genius of the enclosed album, or just sales images of other product by the label or the artist...

This was the norm, because it was understood that the MUSIC (and MAYBE the cover art, as an extension of the mood of that music) was the reason for the album. Any additional material was a ADDITIONAL, a bonus.

These days there's an incredible sense of entitlement amongst folk, behaving like little more than pure consumers, demanding this and that... I want all, I want it all, NOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!... thinking they know the market inside out, like less info lessens sales, and all that ridiculous nonsense.

Just because labels release deluxe editions and additiona and alternate takes of every last fart by any artist, no matter how useless or trivial they may be, that don't make it a good idea.

My last word? Art Official Age comes without a booklet. Get over it.

Yes and it didn't help the terrible sales. This kind of packaging is what makes people dowload illegally. That's not worth buying it.

RODSERLING said:

No, this never happened before on a non indie release. Not only there is no booklet, the disc is packaged with a very cheap digipack. A pure thievery for the casual buyer.

Bullshit. This is just false. Especially in today's market. But, even going back a couple decades there were albums in jewell cases that had only a single card slid in the front that did not open into a booklet.

I want a booklet too, but, to say that this is the only non-indie release to not get a booklet is ridiculous. To keep saying it over and over again is asinine.

djThunderfunk said:

Rimshottbob said:

Time was when every major artist release would come on two sides of vinyl, with little more than cover art and a (n often badly-written) blurb on the rear sleeve over-praising the genius of the enclosed album, or just sales images of other product by the label or the artist...

This was the norm, because it was understood that the MUSIC (and MAYBE the cover art, as an extension of the mood of that music) was the reason for the album. Any additional material was a ADDITIONAL, a bonus.

These days there's an incredible sense of entitlement amongst folk, behaving like little more than pure consumers, demanding this and that... I want all, I want it all, NOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!... thinking they know the market inside out, like less info lessens sales, and all that ridiculous nonsense.

Just because labels release deluxe editions and additiona and alternate takes of every last fart by any artist, no matter how useless or trivial they may be, that don't make it a good idea.

My last word? Art Official Age comes without a booklet. Get over it.

Could you just please quote an album that was released with no jewel case and no booklet ? And I'm not even talking about the lack of tracklist behind. I never saw an album so light than AOA.

Not only lyrics, but a descrption of each song, similar to how Prince described all the crystal ball tracks int he liner notes, would be incredible.

I'm not at home so I borrowed a case of CDs from a friend's car, mostly classic rock today, all old stuff so all of these have jewell cases.

The Greatest Of The Guess Who, BMG/RCA 1988 - folded cover but blank on the inside, so, that's not "booklet".

Judas Priest Sad Wings Of Destingy, also BMG/RCA 1983? - folded cover but with pictures of other CDs available on the inside, also, not a booklet.

Black Sabbath Greatest Hits, UK import 1987 - card only, doesn't even fold

Plus, a bunch of these (Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, others) are single folds with nothing but a repeat of the tracklisting inside. No further notes or artwork.

These are just CD reissues of previously released albums as opposed to a new release by a mega artist, sure, but, they don't have "booklets".

I would love a booklet with extensive liner notes and lyrics and pictures and artwork, etc... It is added value that I always appreciate. That said, it is not something that comes with every CD prior to AOA. It is added value that is also added expense in the production of a CD therefore understandable why some CDs don't have them.

Yes it sucks. No it's not unheard of.

[Edited 11/28/14 7:49am]

RODSERLING said:

Rimshottbob said:

Time was when every major artist release would come on two sides of vinyl, with little more than cover art and a (n often badly-written) blurb on the rear sleeve over-praising the genius of the enclosed album, or just sales images of other product by the label or the artist...

This was the norm, because it was understood that the MUSIC (and MAYBE the cover art, as an extension of the mood of that music) was the reason for the album. Any additional material was a ADDITIONAL, a bonus.

These days there's an incredible sense of entitlement amongst folk, behaving like little more than pure consumers, demanding this and that... I want all, I want it all, NOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!!!... thinking they know the market inside out, like less info lessens sales, and all that ridiculous nonsense.

Just because labels release deluxe editions and additiona and alternate takes of every last fart by any artist, no matter how useless or trivial they may be, that don't make it a good idea.

My last word? Art Official Age comes without a booklet. Get over it.

Could you just please quote an album that was released with no jewel case and no booklet ? And I'm not even talking about the lack of tracklist behind. I never saw an album so light than AOA.

You asked me the exact fucking question 2 days ago! What is wrong with you?

so where does one acquire offical lyrics to AOA?

TwiliteKid said:

warning2all said:

An artist of his stature should have better packaging and a booklet. These things impact sales & are part of the message and experience of a new release. To wrap AOA in a flimsy cardboard makes the whole production feel cheap

Prince has been engaging in half-assed, on-the-cheap, mediocre business practices ever since the Crystal Ball fiasco of 1997.

That he actually help from Warner Bros. this time around, and still released an inferior product (i.e. no booklet or liner notes; lukewarm & uninspired music) is baffling. Anyone who does not see this Warner Bros. arrangement as a quick way or him to re-acquire his masters, is blind. That's ALL this deal was for him. If it wasn't, why did he remove all social media accounts relating to these albums already?

Oh wait, that's right: Prince doesn't lie in the past. He's "thinking forward". Meaning, these albums are already yesterday's news in his mind.

Right...

Maybe if we're lucky, he'll launch a new website with "access" to 3-4 demos that he re-recorded the lyrics on. It will only cost $129.99 or a "lifetime membership". In this instance - like all of his other "websites with exclusive content - he doesn't mean your lifetime, but only the lifetime that the website is live on the server. One word for that: shady!

The man is still an amazing live musician. But if you can't see what he's all about these days, then you have not been paying attention.

It's a shame to see a great talent, approaching his sixties and making bland music that tries to win over Katy Perry and Lady Gaga fans. In 1987, I imagined by now he'd be a modern-day heir to Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Cecil Taylor, Duke Ellington, electric-period Miles Davis or Sun Ra. Instead, there is a supreme talent who seems to have lost his way: on the right road, heading in the wrong direction.

Rimshottbob said:

Jesus, really?

Disrespectful to the other artists/engineers? Gimme a break. They were (likely) well compensated for their time and efforts, there's no clause that says 'you will be mentioned and your work and skill acknoledged in a small booklet tucked inside the CD' in that contract.

What is this obsession with having to know every little last detail. Because we live in the 'information age', I guess.

Get over it already.

There is no booklet with Art Official Age.

This has happened millions of times before on albums throughout the ages.

It was a choice that was made.

That's it.

Listen to the album, like it/don't like it.

Move on and/or make your own booklet.

Engineers and artists need credit. Their work is their resume. What is the benefit of engineering for Prince, (aside from the one-time pay) if you can't hold the experience up as an example of your work? I don't think a call to Paisely Park would be answered and if it was I doubt anyone who would answer would be in a position to verify employment.

There's nothing wrong with giving credit. It's just professional courtesy.

steakfinger said:

Engineers and artists need credit. Their work is their resume. What is the benefit of engineering for Prince, (aside from the one-time pay) if you can't hold the experience up as an example of your work? I don't think a call to Paisely Park would be answered and if it was I doubt anyone who would answer would be in a position to verify employment.

There's nothing wrong with giving credit. It's just professional courtesy.

THIS! Doesn't necessarily have to be in a nice booklet, but should at least be in the gatefold.

djThunderfunk said:

TwiliteKid said:

djThunderfunk said:

THIS! Doesn't necessarily have to be in a nice booklet, but should at least be in the gatefold.

Except it is: "Recorded and mixed at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN by Joshua M. Welton, Prince and Chris James."

So, there you go. Problem solved! We can put this whole thing to rest now, right?

luvsexy4all said:

so where does one acquire offical lyrics to AOA?

Who would want them in the first place?

Shockedelicus said:

luvsexy4all said:

so where does one acquire offical lyrics to AOA?

Who would want them in the first place?

i think the album is a turkey but i still do

TwiliteKid said:

RODSERLING said:

Could you just please quote an album that was released with no jewel case and no booklet ? And I'm not even talking about the lack of tracklist behind. I never saw an album so light than AOA.

You asked me the exact fucking question 2 days ago! What is wrong with you?

Because you were unable to ask me. I want somebody to quote a major release with no booklet, no tracklist outside, and no jewel case.

Even Planet Earth had a better packaging, with the 3d thing.