April 18, 2014 Warner Bros. Records and Prince announced that the Purple Rain album will be re-released in a remastered deluxe version in time for the 30th anniversary of the album and movie. The albums he recorded for Warner Bros. Records from 1978-1996 currently are licensed through NPG Records/WB to iTunes, Spotify and other streaming sites and two new studio albums were released in September both of which were part of Prince's new deal. What hasn't materialized is the Purple Rain remastered digital deluxe edition of Prince's best selling album. It was never made clear what would be included but what are people's thoughts one year later?

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6062423/prince-deal-with-warner-bros-new-album-coming

[Edited 4/17/15 20:34pm]

bashraka said:

April 18, 2014 Warner Bros. Records and Prince announced that the Purple Rain album will be re-released in a remastered deluxe version in time for the 30th anniversary of the album and movie. The albums he recorded for Warner Bros. Records from 1978-1996 currently are licensed through NPG Records/WB to iTunes, Spotify and other streaming sites and two new studio albums were released in September both of which were part of Prince's new deal. What hasn't materialized is the Purple Rain remastered digital deluxe edition of Prince's best selling album. It was never made clear what would be included but what are people's thoughts one year later?

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6062423/prince-deal-with-warner-bros-new-album-coming

[Edited 4/17/15 20:34pm]

In my dreams, it's because there's so many outtakes to remaster.

In my nightmares, it's because Prince wants to mask and dub his old stuff to sanitize it.

I'm over it.It's not gonna happen.Would have been great,though.Oh well...life goes on

I am so sad it did not happen......

It would have been the best thing in Prince world in decades....

bashraka said:

http://www.billboard.com/...bum-coming

^ still.... thanks for the link!

I bet that,if it had been released,it wouldn't have been what we all wanted anyway.No previously unreleased bonus tracks.That's why I'm not too disappointed.

^ http://www.mynewsdesk.com...hip-986847

.

.

EG

ElGorillos said:

is this topic becoming the #1 repeat thread?

I don't care.

Only if the 'remaster' alos has unheard matrerials.

Remasters and re-issues coming out left to right (see Kylie Minogue's first 4 albums recently) so this is definitely because of Prince...

I take it P got his half of the deal (control over his older material)...but WB somehow got screwed on the other half.

Probably just lost interest in it. It's happened before, it'll happen again. Still kinda :/ though.

When you look back at it, Prince never remastered anything, nor was ever enthusiastic with any remastered hits projects...

Warner Brothers tried to get a Best Of package since 1991 but later got the Hits/The B-Sides in 1993 after paying Prince $1 Million to stay out of the project, with only Prince being involved in the cover photo shoots.

He had no input in The Very Best Of or Ultimate Prince as well...

Why is he so against remastered and hits projects... Lets be honest that's the stuff that will make him money besides touring since his albums don't sell anymore...

Plectrum is his second lowest selling album of all time, only behind N.E.W.S. which only sold 30,000 copies...

Also didn't he send some Ceast and Desist for supposed interviews with the old Purple Rain cast for the 25th Anniversary Purple Rain DVD release??

According to Funkenberry the remasters will come at the same time as the apocalypse.

Please, WB, help us!

feeluupp said:

When you look back at it, Prince never remastered anything, nor was ever enthusiastic with any remastered hits projects...

Warner Brothers tried to get a Best Of package since 1991 but later got the Hits/The B-Sides in 1993 after paying Prince $1 Million to stay out of the project, with only Prince being involved in the cover photo shoots.

He had no input in The Very Best Of or Ultimate Prince as well...

Why is he so against remastered and hits projects... Lets be honest that's the stuff that will make him money besides touring since his albums don't sell anymore...

Plectrum is his second lowest selling album of all time, only behind N.E.W.S. which only sold 30,000 copies...

He gets even less money for those. At least under traditional recording contracts. Under his new deal with WB, you would think his cut would be larger. But with the collapse of cd sales, and rise of streaming, recording artists are seeing a smaller payout for the albums themselves than ever before. So in short, the incentive for remasters isn't very lucrative right now.

feeluupp said:

When you look back at it, Prince never remastered anything, nor was ever enthusiastic with any remastered hits projects...

In 2010 the P&B Podcast crew went to New York and met Prince. They had an episode on it and they said when mentioning any remasters to him he said that "the first six albums have already been remastered" (paraphrased). Something like that, I can't remember all of it but that part was interesting to me. But was he telling the truth? Was he lying just to see the reactions of them? Lord only knows.

I believe the best thing to do is accept that it's not being done and it will never be done.

First of all, the current situation pretty much confirms that.

Second, if you accept that it will never be done and by some miracle it is, think of how happy you will be!

thedance said:

PurpleSkipper58 said:

feeluupp said:

When you look back at it, Prince never remastered anything, nor was ever enthusiastic with any remastered hits projects...

In 2010 the P&B Podcast crew went to New York and met Prince. They had an episode on it and they said when mentioning any remasters to him he said that "the first six albums have already been remastered" (paraphrased). Something like that, I can't remember all of it but that part was interesting to me. But was he telling the truth? Was he lying just to see the reactions of them? Lord only knows.

Prince wasn't lying. They were released on vinyl only. They were also up on HDTracks and Pono.

[Edited 4/20/15 12:00pm]

CandaceS said:

I take it P got his half of the deal (control over his older material)...but WB somehow got screwed on the other half.

Precisely not and I think this is why P is blocking everything from happening, because he still sees himself as a "slave". The only thing P got outta the deal is legal ownership of the masters under exclusive, compulsary licence to WB. This means he makes a lot more money on sales but he technically has no more control over rerelease that before, in the sense that he still has to go thru WB and negociate with them regarding content, promotion, etc.

So yeah WB got screwed because they didn't get their part of the deal, but I think P purposedely signed a deal he wasn't happy with in order to make a step towards his real purpose: complete freedom from any record company. When and how he'll have this and what will happen then... We'll need a few more years before we know I fear...

It's like the joke about the dog finally catching the car it's chasing. OK, you got it, now what do you do with it?!

.

He has been free from record labels for many years now. And with the internet at his disposal. All of which makes it possible to do exactly what he claimed he wanted to do: release music whenever he wants, as soon as possible after its creation.

.

But what have we received? Not that much in terms of quantity. And, I'd argue, a lot less in quality. Meanwhile, he continues to obsess over the ownership and/or control of his earlier work?