Aerogram said:

It definitely overshadowed the masterful accomplishment that Art Official Age really is.

When's the last time you saw your otolaryngologist?

KingSausage said:

warning2all said:

2014 has shown The market has dried up and there isn't public demand for any new material, much less protégée releases. He's a live nostalgia act now. Sales tell the tale. Time for the remasters

Yup. Couldn't agree more.

Marrk said:

laurarichardson said:

EvilAngel said:

Aerogram said:

It definitely overshadowed the masterful accomplishment that Art Official Age really is.

When's the last time you saw your otolaryngologist?

Right after you saw your proctologist.

KingSausage said:

Now that it appears Prince is finished with the two new albums, there's no tour and no real videos, and they've both dropped from the charts, I think we can start doing some reflecting. I think AOA is one of his strongest efforts since his classic era. To me it was his best since TGE. But Plectrumelectrum was weak as shit. Prince put all of his focus on 3EG and Plectrumelectrum. He could have focused on AOA. For example, the SNL appearance was mostly 3EG focused. The Yahoo live shitstream was too. Could AOA have been a success if it had been the only new album and Prince actually gave it his focus (for what that's worth...)? Did he waste an opportunity to maximize the appeal of AOA by spending too much time and effort on PLECTRUMELECTRUM and 3EG?

*

I think that no matter what Prince does he's only going to sell a limited amount of units because of the generation gap and Prince's inability to create that perfect one-dimensional record that so many people want. Yes, Prince could have generated more sales with more promotion, but, given the fact that Prince has never "out-sold" his peers in any consistent manner, there are too many factors to try and say that his focus on 3EG and PlecElec are the reason for AOA not selling more. Besides, a good number of people on this site continue to say that AOA is a bad album so if his own "hardcore" fans aren't feeling it...

*

I just think we are in an era/time of Prince trying to find a balance between making and distributing music in a way that doesn't cause him to take a financial loss. I'm not saying that he doesn't want a gain, but he's clearly not interested in playing the game as it now exists. As such, it seems that Prince's "hardcore" fans seem more concerned with the general public's reaction to Prince's music than Prince is. I really like AOA and PlecElec and don't know how it's been killed if someone who likes it has the ability to have it. Of course, your point seems to be that Prince has managed to limit the ability of others who may have also liked it to gain access to it. To that I can only say that it seems that Prince isn't interested in doing whatever must be done to increase the opportunity for those people to access it. It's anybody's guess as to why his batshit crazy ass has done this, once again. Yet, I prefer simply to charge it to his being "batshit crazy" and be happy that I was able to access both albums.

*

I'm just glad that Prince is no longer in a position where he must sell a ton of records to be able to release another record. And while he may not be able to generate new fans or get a mass audience to purchase his new music, ironically, the internet does allow him to make his new work accessible to those who are already hip to his genius, and that seems to be enough for him based on what he's willing to do to market his new music. So, I think that we can only speak in terms of his actions "killing" AOA if we think that he desired mega success for AOA. And, the problem is that none of us--his "hardcore" fans--can agree on what defines success or mega success.

KingSausage said:

I think it was simply poor management decisions by Prince, probably blinded by the thought of getting his Masters early (despite him previously claiming he already had them 2 years ago).

If he'd released PE at the end of March, through kobalt and prior to the WB deal, he would have probably sold twice as many in the UK alone than he did worldwide.

He could have then waited 6 months and released, and promoted AOA with Warner.

Whichever way you look at it, AOA flopped because of lack of promotion from the artist. It was clear it was a distribution deal with WB, so the cost to promote falls to the artist, not the distributor.

It looks like Prince has thrown his toys out of the pram again because nobody would Promote his album for free and it became another coaster.

It was shitty shit shit...that sold like shit. lol

laurarichardson said:

Scarfo said:

It was shitty shit shit...that sold like shit. lol

It must suck to have two good ears and no taste lol

vainandy said:

If u guys hate Prince and his music so much, why do u hang around the Org. Its been rumored that he shut down his other social media sites because of all the negativity and that seems to be the majority of what goes on here. P is old, outdated, not with it, songs no good, not what he used to be, yada yada yada. I for one still enjoy what he has to offer, and I think AOA AND PE are TWO of his best CD's. If any of u naysayers can write, produce, and distribute better music then do so and let us go on your fanpage and talk crap about it!

Don't assume that we all agree that AOA was a better album than PE. We don't. I don't. I think PE is a better and a more cohesive album. Its closer to his live persona and a more interesting project. For 30 years I've not enjoyed all of his music but I do support what he's trying to do and with 3EG he is showing how benevolent he can be. If AOA has not sold as well as some of you think it should have, it's most likely because of lack of promotion. That and the god-awful opening track!

Aerogram said:

Scarfo said:

It was shitty shit shit...that sold like shit. lol

It must suck to have two good ears and no taste lol

lol, you tell me?

calciumpaul said:

Don't assume that we all agree that AOA was a better album than PE. We don't. I don't. I think PE is a better and a more cohesive album. Its closer to his live persona and a more interesting project. For 30 years I've not enjoyed all of his music but I do support what he's trying to do and with 3EG he is showing how benevolent he can be. If AOA has not sold as well as some of you think it should have, it's most likely because of lack of promotion. That and the god-awful opening track!

Actually I 'm going to partly contradict myself - Prince should have not released them at the same time but spent longer on AOA to improve it. So in that sense PE might have damaged AOA in my opinion.

laurarichardson said:

Marrk said:

Yup. Couldn't agree more.

But the people buying it do not agree.

Just not enough for a record company to seriously invest resources in promotion and support. Kind of sad.

KingSausage said:

laurarichardson said:

-/ Well today it is number 7 on the Rnb chart so more than 3 copies were sold. If any of one thinks with cd sales being at an all time low and at Prince's age he is going to sell CDs like Taylor Swift you are smoking crack. I am glad he selling music to his base and wearing that fro so all you black culture haters just sit back and choke on it. [Edited 12/2/14 21:02pm]

I actually love AOA and think it's his best effort since TGE. So kindly your "black culture hater" charge and cram it 7' and 13" up your ass. You can't just make a claim like that about people. "Black culture hater"? WTF. [Edited 12/3/14 14:36pm]

[Edited 12/4/14 7:59am]

[Edited 12/4/14 8:32am]

I think you need to rephrase that so that it's the other way around, because anyone with any understanding of Prince's music the last two years knows how much he fronted this and how happy the music made him. It is PlectrumElectrum that is the superior album, far superior than Art Official Age (I like a good deal of the album, it's just that the turd that is "This Could Be Us" should be "Fallinlove2nite" or "Groovy Potential." But what I'm still surprised at is how few people have picked up on the true intent of Art Official Age. With the exception of the above-mentioned song, the whole album has that dated-on-purpose (sorry, timeless doesn't cut it) feel to it. In a sense, he made the kind of album that some of the more pretentious "fans" would call "his best effort since" this or that. Prince doesn't record efforts, he records albums. Art Official Age is a necessary album, if for no other reason than the Andy Alo contributions, but it's just not a great album. In the end, people are going to really wish they hadn't snubbed PlectrumElectrum, because it really is as good as this decade of music will get to a rock group of its type. I was most surprised with how Art Official Age all of a sudden just came up and was being announced as being released on the same day. But I think PlectrumElectrum was supposed to get released last year, and we would be seeing this album get its own place on the shelves. PlectrumElectrum will be talked about in a few years just like The Rainbow Children was talked about when it came out. Hell, people are still talking about the Carmen Electra album, and it is one of my least favorite protege projects ever released by any artist. Mark my words, PlectrumElectrum is a sleeper.

[Edited 12/12/14 21:16pm]

[Edited 12/12/14 21:16pm]

Se7en said:

I kind of think that Prince couldn't release PE without AOA. He could not share that much attention with 3EG, especially after 4 years since the last album. Part of him was screaming "hey look at me too". Nobody outside of die-hard fans cares about (or really follows) 3EG. Even if the album was amazing (which it isn't), it still comes across as a side project like solo NPG albums. AOA, on the other hand, is a Prince album. It joins a storied discography and will sell more just because it's a Prince album. To answer the question directly though: I don't think focus was really placed on either project after they were released.

I get that point of view. This is not the 80s heydey, when everything he touched was gold. Exodus is still my top favorite side project, and I don't know if that album charted anywhere on the US charts.

It's a Prince album. That ensured it wasn't going to sell all that many albums, honestly.
Prince always sells a lot his first week, due to his fans. But, the sales drop off significantly

after the first week. The general public just doesn't care.

AOA would have sold the same amount with or without PE.

The ablum is not that good, my fellow Prince fans.

KingSausage said:

Now that it appears Prince is finished with the two new albums, there's no tour and no real videos, and they've both dropped from the charts, I think we can start doing some reflecting. I think AOA is one of his strongest efforts since his classic era. To me it was his best since TGE. But Plectrumelectrum was weak as shit. Prince put all of his focus on 3EG and Plectrumelectrum. He could have focused on AOA. For example, the SNL appearance was mostly 3EG focused. The Yahoo live shitstream was too. Could AOA have been a success if it had been the only new album and Prince actually gave it his focus (for what that's worth...)? Did he waste an opportunity to maximize the appeal of AOA by spending too much time and effort on PLECTRUMELECTRUM and 3EG?

Dude, you need a different hobby. I think it's funny how you write this like you're some authority or something. "Reflecting?" Squrlfriend, pleeze! I'm too busy grooving on Plectrumelectrum to follow you down the rabbit hole on your "reflecting." I repeat, squrlfriend, please. This dressing down brought to you by the folks at radio station STFU.

7teenz said:

What everyone seems to be missing is that for him it's about having a list of firsts. Period. Regardless of commercial success his idea of success is being the first artist to do....That is why he doesn't care about chart positions and sales. He would rather be the first artist to sell more tickets for his Essence show-more then Beyonce. He is arrogant and wants to keep putting feathers in his cap. He was the first artist to have a number one movie, soundtrack, and single at the same time. That's what he get's off on. Sure if the music sold more that would be gravy, but it is not his goal. That is why he does these stunts such as perform three different show with three different bands in one night. You all will drive yourselves crazy trying to figure out why he sucks at promoting his work. It's not his job. His job is to be able to have a list of firsts rattled off when he receives some sort of lifetime achievement award. He doesn't care that the Cd's have fallen down or off the charts. He wants to brag that he had a number one rock and r&b album at the same time. 3121 was just as successful even if it was only number one for one week. He can still say that he has x amount of number one cds. He's not that difficult to figure out and neither are his actions. They are all calculated.

This post deserves some more love.

Strive said:

7teenz said:

What everyone seems to be missing is that for him it's about having a list of firsts. Period. Regardless of commercial success his idea of success is being the first artist to do....That is why he doesn't care about chart positions and sales. He would rather be the first artist to sell more tickets for his Essence show-more then Beyonce. He is arrogant and wants to keep putting feathers in his cap. He was the first artist to have a number one movie, soundtrack, and single at the same time. That's what he get's off on. Sure if the music sold more that would be gravy, but it is not his goal. That is why he does these stunts such as perform three different show with three different bands in one night. You all will drive yourselves crazy trying to figure out why he sucks at promoting his work. It's not his job. His job is to be able to have a list of firsts rattled off when he receives some sort of lifetime achievement award. He doesn't care that the Cd's have fallen down or off the charts. He wants to brag that he had a number one rock and r&b album at the same time. 3121 was just as successful even if it was only number one for one week. He can still say that he has x amount of number one cds. He's not that difficult to figure out and neither are his actions. They are all calculated.

This post deserves some more love.

YES. I agree withthis...Prince is way more interetsed in doing things that arent expected, and I don't freaking blame him. Following everyone elses path, is just that, and Prince in no way EVER has wanted to walk a well-worn path. I dont get why that's so hard to see, he's ALWAYS been that way. I LOVE HIM FOR IT.

The fact he can take 3 practically unknown female musicians and make anyone pay attention AT ALL, is AMAZING. Seriously. Think about that.

Prince is a freaking HERO TO ME. He walks where no one else dares to and he challeneges everyone to keep up. He makes amazing everyday to us fans, and I think thats forgotten alot here.

Evene percieved failures aren't REALLY. PE & AOA were both huge RISKS. I find it exciting nd inspiring to watch someone who could simply play by the rules easily, but yet DOES NOT. Things could be much easier for Prince but he chooses differently.

This man makes me reach for the impossible EVERY DAY. I've accomplished 75% of it so far because of the example he sets. Stop the freaking whining! /rantover/ so sorry I had to let it out lololol

terrig said:

Strive said:

This post deserves some more love.

YES. I agree withthis...Prince is way more interetsed in doing things that arent expected, and I don't freaking blame him. Following everyone elses path, is just that, and Prince in no way EVER has wanted to walk a well-worn path. I dont get why that's so hard to see, he's ALWAYS been that way. I LOVE HIM FOR IT.

The fact he can take 3 practically unknown female musicians and make anyone pay attention AT ALL, is AMAZING. Seriously. Think about that.

Prince is a freaking HERO TO ME. He walks where no one else dares to and he challeneges everyone to keep up. He makes amazing everyday to us fans, and I think thats forgotten alot here.

Evene percieved failures aren't REALLY. PE & AOA were both huge RISKS. I find it exciting nd inspiring to watch someone who could simply play by the rules easily, but yet DOES NOT. Things could be much easier for Prince but he chooses differently.

This man makes me reach for the impossible EVERY DAY. I've accomplished 75% of it so far because of the example he sets. Stop the freaking whining! /rantover/ so sorry I had to let it out lololol

I think I'm going to start keeping a list of orgers I want to talk to, and put you on the list. These haters are a real drag, and I'm all out of energy for them.

I get it....in his hey-day, he was known as Prince ...but now in career death, his name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson. His Name is Robert Paulson.

terrig said:

Strive said:

This post deserves some more love.

YES. I agree withthis...Prince is way more interetsed in doing things that arent expected, and I don't freaking blame him. Following everyone elses path, is just that, and Prince in no way EVER has wanted to walk a well-worn path. I dont get why that's so hard to see, he's ALWAYS been that way. I LOVE HIM FOR IT.

The fact he can take 3 practically unknown female musicians and make anyone pay attention AT ALL, is AMAZING. Seriously. Think about that.

Prince is a freaking HERO TO ME. He walks where no one else dares to and he challeneges everyone to keep up. He makes amazing everyday to us fans, and I think thats forgotten alot here.

Evene percieved failures aren't REALLY. PE & AOA were both huge RISKS. I find it exciting nd inspiring to watch someone who could simply play by the rules easily, but yet DOES NOT. Things could be much easier for Prince but he chooses differently.

This man makes me reach for the impossible EVERY DAY. I've accomplished 75% of it so far because of the example he sets. Stop the freaking whining! /rantover/ so sorry I had to let it out lololol

Really? Since TRC every Prince album has sounded exactly like what I'd expect from him.

TASKAE said:

I think you need to rephrase that so that it's the other way around, because anyone with any understanding of Prince's music the last two years knows how much he fronted this and how happy the music made him. It is PlectrumElectrum that is the superior album, far superior than Art Official Age (I like a good deal of the album, it's just that the turd that is "This Could Be Us" should be "Fallinlove2nite" or "Groovy Potential." But what I'm still surprised at is how few people have picked up on the true intent of Art Official Age. With the exception of the above-mentioned song, the whole album has that dated-on-purpose (sorry, timeless doesn't cut it) feel to it. In a sense, he made the kind of album that some of the more pretentious "fans" would call "his best effort since" this or that. Prince doesn't record efforts, he records albums. Art Official Age is a necessary album, if for no other reason than the Andy Alo contributions, but it's just not a great album. In the end, people are going to really wish they hadn't snubbed PlectrumElectrum, because it really is as good as this decade of music will get to a rock group of its type. I was most surprised with how Art Official Age all of a sudden just came up and was being announced as being released on the same day. But I think PlectrumElectrum was supposed to get released last year, and we would be seeing this album get its own place on the shelves. PlectrumElectrum will be talked about in a few years just like The Rainbow Children was talked about when it came out. Hell, people are still talking about the Carmen Electra album, and it is one of my least favorite protege projects ever released by any artist. Mark my words, PlectrumElectrum is a sleeper.

[Edited 12/12/14 21:16pm]

[Edited 12/12/14 21:16pm]

Couldn't agree more - well said.