Were any songs serviced to radio? It seems like they just tossed "Breakdown" on iTunes but I didn't see it get any radio adds? "This Could B Us" did fair on Urban AC but Prince usually does get a song on UAC on his own. WB as a major label should have been able to get Prince on mainstream R&B. They could have done one of those radio deals that are popular these days. It worked for MJ's "Love Never Felt So Good". I have a feeling this is why things seemingly went downhill in the relationship. In comparison WB went all out pushing Adam Lambert's "Ghost Town" single (and it only made it to #64 on the Hot 100). Because of interest from his fans on a Queen website I tracked that record from day one. There were ads taken out in trades. A video. A big league push. Anyone have any insight on this? I wasn't paying attention when AOA came out. (Footnote: "Breakdown" deserves it's place in the Prince HOF)

[Edited 12/2/15 15:54pm]

[Edited 12/2/15 15:55pm]

Warners did what they could... Released several "music" videos from the SNL performance on YouTube, as well as preview clips before the album, as well as the Good Morning America promo with 3EG announcing the album...

It seems like Warners tried to push the album the best they could but it was obvious PRINCE did very little to help promote it... Beisdes the slump of sales in the music industry, which recently has just seen its highest sales ever with artists like Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, The Weekend, One Direction, Drake and Adele making sales history selling over 3.8M in her first week...

AOA was actually a very moderate hit, for the fact that PRINCE virtually did no promotion besides the SNL performance, in an age of social media, he had very little relevance on YouTube, Twitter, etc... It actually sold moderaterly average world wide with estimated total sales over 270K world wide.

Plectrum was a terrible flop as well as HitnRun making those two albums his lowest selling albums ever, even sold less than N.E.W.S.

Seems like relations between Prince and Warners were not too good leading up to the release of it. FunkNRoll could have been a sizeable hit, but not having a proper video didn't help. U

jjam said:

Seems like relations between Prince and Warners were not too good leading up to the release of it. FunkNRoll could have been a sizeable hit, but not having a proper video didn't help. U

We can only speculate... Remember that summer before AOA was the announcement or re-signing with Warners and a new Purple Rain re-master...

I'm speculating and probably will get chewed by the bored orgers who have nothing better, but if I had to completely speculate...

I would have to say, Warner's allowed Prince 2 release 2 albums AOA and Plectrum Electrum at the same time in agreement to issuing a Purple Rain re-master/deluxe addition. Prince agreed, remastered the album, with no new additions, no bonus material, and Warners rejected releasing the Purple Rain remaster without any new material...

After that with the second week sales being low and plectrum falling off the Top 50 in the second week and after the SNL performance, all momentum for promotion was lost and it became just one of many Prince albums he released with little lasting impact for his musical and artistc legacy...

jjam said:

Seems like relations between Prince and Warners were not too good leading up to the release of it. FunkNRoll could have been a sizeable hit, but not having a proper video didn't help. U

For P to have a sizeable hit, it would have to be MASSIVE and something unheard of. NOT some run-of-the-mill tune like FunkNRoll.

His time us over, as a "hit" star.

Nothing wrong with that. It happens to the best. Madonna, U2, Rolling Stones, etc.

feeluupp said:

jjam said:

Seems like relations between Prince and Warners were not too good leading up to the release of it. FunkNRoll could have been a sizeable hit, but not having a proper video didn't help. U

We can only speculate... Remember that summer before AOA was the announcement or re-signing with Warners and a new Purple Rain re-master...

I'm speculating and probably will get chewed by the bored orgers who have nothing better, but if I had to completely speculate...

I would have to say, Warner's allowed Prince 2 release 2 albums AOA and Plectrum Electrum at the same time in agreement to issuing a Purple Rain re-master/deluxe addition. Prince agreed, remastered the album, with no new additions, no bonus material, and Warners rejected releasing the Purple Rain remaster without any new material...

After that with the second week sales being low and plectrum falling off the Top 50 in the second week and after the SNL performance, all momentum for promotion was lost and it became just one of many Prince albums he released with little lasting impact for his musical and artistc legacy...

Who's the bored Orger again? I'm counting two people

Remember that Prince was NOT promotiing before AOA, so the lack of marketing effort from his part pre-existed any chart numbers.

Also remember that Prince did not appear in the BCW video, which also did not feature him on the cover (duh!). He did the FixUrLifeUp and the (rather well done) Screwdriver lyric video, Sounds to me like he was ready to use his image to promote others (3EG, Josh), but not to purely promote himself as in the old days.

There's probably more than one reason at play, but I think Prince won't go back to being the cocky self-promoter he was either for religious reasons or because making music is no longer his main financial lifeline, just an artistic/reputational one. He maintains his art and his brand and doesn't worry about giving Taylor a run for her money -- and he can basically do this forever -- all without "plauing the game" (which he might find unappealing in many ways including spiriual ones).

Aerogram said:

feeluupp said:

We can only speculate... Remember that summer before AOA was the announcement or re-signing with Warners and a new Purple Rain re-master...

I'm speculating and probably will get chewed by the bored orgers who have nothing better, but if I had to completely speculate...

I would have to say, Warner's allowed Prince 2 release 2 albums AOA and Plectrum Electrum at the same time in agreement to issuing a Purple Rain re-master/deluxe addition. Prince agreed, remastered the album, with no new additions, no bonus material, and Warners rejected releasing the Purple Rain remaster without any new material...

After that with the second week sales being low and plectrum falling off the Top 50 in the second week and after the SNL performance, all momentum for promotion was lost and it became just one of many Prince albums he released with little lasting impact for his musical and artistc legacy...

Who's the bored Orger again? I'm counting two people

Remember that Prince was NOT promotiing before AOA, so the lack of marketing effort from his part pre-existed any chart numbers.

Also remember that Prince did not appear in the BCW video, which also did not feature him on the cover (duh!). He did the FixUrLifeUp and the (rather well done) Screwdriver lyric video, Sounds to me like he was ready to use his image to promote others (3EG, Josh), but not to purely promote himself as in the old days.

There's probably more than one reason at play, but I think Prince won't go back to being the cocky self-promoter he was either for religious reasons or because making music is no longer his main financial lifeline, just an artistic/reputational one. He maintains his art and his brand and doesn't worry about giving Taylor a run for her money -- and he can basically do this forever -- all without "plauing the game" (which he might find unappealing in many ways including spiriual ones).

I agree with you...

I also feel he wanted to release Plectrum or a 3EG album a lot earlier, hence why we got all those music videos for Rock and Roll Love Afair, Live out Loud, Screwdriver, etc... Which I believed was rumoured for a release with Kobalt music but never fell threw, so it was apparent he was shopping around the 3EG album a lot earlier with AOA but guess had to wait for the Warners contract so he could release them both. But regardless as usual the promotion with Prince and for the 3EG album, the timing was just off, over a year with BCW video but no album... Typical Prince.

Prince does what he wants to do. I'm not even convinced that he's bothered anymore about having a big hit. If he was, Fallinlove2nite would have been available after the New Girl episode (in which it was featured) was aired. So bizarre business decisions seem to be the norm for him these days. That track is by far the most commercial AND catchy thing he's done in years and would have been his best chance of having another crossover hit.

Thank you...

callimnate said:

jjam said:

Seems like relations between Prince and Warners were not too good leading up to the release of it. FunkNRoll could have been a sizeable hit, but not having a proper video didn't help. U

For P to have a sizeable hit, it would have to be MASSIVE and something unheard of. NOT some run-of-the-mill tune like FunkNRoll.

Yes.

There were video adverts ALL OVER the London Underground - that ain't pocket change.

I agree!

I constantly saw posters all over London.

You certainly couldn't miss this release.

PR was also in loads of music publications.

Obviously Prince also did the Hit N Run tour.

But very little TV or other typical promotional activity.

Warners certainly have nothing to feel guilty about!!!!!!!

jjam said:

Prince does what he wants to do. I'm not even convinced that he's bothered anymore about having a big hit. If he was, Fallinlove2nite would have been available after the New Girl episode (in which it was featured) was aired. So bizarre business decisions seem to be the norm for him these days. That track is by far the most commercial AND catchy thing he's done in years and would have been his best chance of having another crossover hit.

.

It's not because he's an idiot that he isn't greedy. HNR isn't an artistic statement, it was Prince trying to get some of that EDM money, for instance.

Aerogram said:

feeluupp said:

We can only speculate... Remember that summer before AOA was the announcement or re-signing with Warners and a new Purple Rain re-master...

I'm speculating and probably will get chewed by the bored orgers who have nothing better, but if I had to completely speculate...

I would have to say, Warner's allowed Prince 2 release 2 albums AOA and Plectrum Electrum at the same time in agreement to issuing a Purple Rain re-master/deluxe addition. Prince agreed, remastered the album, with no new additions, no bonus material, and Warners rejected releasing the Purple Rain remaster without any new material...

After that with the second week sales being low and plectrum falling off the Top 50 in the second week and after the SNL performance, all momentum for promotion was lost and it became just one of many Prince albums he released with little lasting impact for his musical and artistc legacy...

Who's the bored Orger again? I'm counting two people

Remember that Prince was NOT promotiing before AOA, so the lack of marketing effort from his part pre-existed any chart numbers.

Also remember that Prince did not appear in the BCW video, which also did not feature him on the cover (duh!). He did the FixUrLifeUp and the (rather well done) Screwdriver lyric video, Sounds to me like he was ready to use his image to promote others (3EG, Josh), but not to purely promote himself as in the old days.

There's probably more than one reason at play, but I think Prince won't go back to being the cocky self-promoter he was either for religious reasons or because making music is no longer his main financial lifeline, just an artistic/reputational one. He maintains his art and his brand and doesn't worry about giving Taylor a run for her money -- and he can basically do this forever -- all without "plauing the game" (which he might find unappealing in many ways including spiriual ones).

.

Oh please, dude is probably pissed as hell right now that Adele is selling millions of records and trying to call WBR execs to bitch about his records merely selling a few thousand copies and how that is their fault.

.

He bitched all Summer 2014 about WBR not releasing his AOA soon enough and about the 3EG record not gettign released. Then there's the announcement and suddenly zero promotion happens. It's clear as fuck that two things happened: his insistence of releasing two records at the same time caused some contractual adjustments which he didn't like; and the release announcement probably coincided with some contractual milestone that came down to something like "the cheque cleared".

B

[Edited 12/7/15 21:48pm]

BartVanHemelen said:

jjam said:

Prince does what he wants to do. I'm not even convinced that he's bothered anymore about having a big hit. If he was, Fallinlove2nite would have been available after the New Girl episode (in which it was featured) was aired. So bizarre business decisions seem to be the norm for him these days. That track is by far the most commercial AND catchy thing he's done in years and would have been his best chance of having another crossover hit.

.

It's not because he's an idiot that he isn't greedy. HNR isn't an artistic statement, it was Prince trying to get some of that EDM money, for instance.

So he was after lots of EDM money but spent his promotional time giving the credit to his co-producer and didn't do a single thing to Prince it up, like not even the slightest dance video or anything ike that?

Yeah, Prince was really after making loads of money from EDM.

BartVanHemelen said:

Aerogram said:

Who's the bored Orger again? I'm counting two people

Remember that Prince was NOT promotiing before AOA, so the lack of marketing effort from his part pre-existed any chart numbers.

Also remember that Prince did not appear in the BCW video, which also did not feature him on the cover (duh!). He did the FixUrLifeUp and the (rather well done) Screwdriver lyric video, Sounds to me like he was ready to use his image to promote others (3EG, Josh), but not to purely promote himself as in the old days.

There's probably more than one reason at play, but I think Prince won't go back to being the cocky self-promoter he was either for religious reasons or because making music is no longer his main financial lifeline, just an artistic/reputational one. He maintains his art and his brand and doesn't worry about giving Taylor a run for her money -- and he can basically do this forever -- all without "plauing the game" (which he might find unappealing in many ways including spiriual ones).

.

Oh please, dude is probably pissed as hell right now that Adele is selling millions of records and trying to call WBR execs to bitch about his records merely selling a few thousand copies and how that is their fault.

.

He bitched all Summer 2014 about WBR not releasing his AOA soon enough and about the 3EG record not gettign released. Then there's the announcement and suddenly zero promotion happens. It's clear as fuck that two things happened: his insistence of releasing two records at the same time caused some contractual adjustments which he didn't like; and the release announcement probably coincided with some contractual milestone that came down to something like "the cheque cleared".

You've been bitching for two decades with a chip on your shoulder you can see from space and now you're imagining Prince is terribly jealous of Adele?

It's called demonizing.

Did Warner Promote Art Official Age? YESSSSS... Did Prince promote Art OFfical Age? Technically yes, because he did do ONE tv appearance, sloppy and angry as it was. The way I recall Prince history, he does the obligatory ONE appearance, which is probably a contractual necessity, when he feels the label is not doing it's part.

I feel Warner promoted AOA too much, for my taste, because I knew it was going to be a bad album and I just wanted the nightmare to play out under the public's radar. But there were billboards everywhere, to the point that it seemed curious how they were going to promote ANOTHER Prince proudct in short order (Purple Rain) and IIRC, Prince actually wanted 4 albums released in 2014, before he went diva.

BTW, Good on WB for not releasing PR, without extras and featuring, what is probably a shoddy remastering by Prince and CO up a Pussy Palace Paisley Park.

Ego101 said:

Imagine how many times Prince has been in meeting's with label executive's in the past 20 years telling him-

"People just aren't buying Albums like they used to Prince"..

BartVanHemelen said:

Oh please, dude is probably pissed as hell right now that Adele is selling millions of records and trying to call WBR execs to bitch about his records merely selling a few thousand copies and how that is their fault.

The Adele 25 thing is an anomaly. Album sales are shocking these days. You have to remember that she has extreme cross-demographic appeal and her album's been mainly bought by people who buy one CD a year.

funksterr said:

Did Warner Promote Art Official Age? YESSSSS... Did Prince promote Art OFfical Age? Technically yes, because he did do ONE tv appearance, sloppy and angry as it was. The way I recall Prince history, he does the obligatory ONE appearance, which is probably a contractual necessity, when he feels the label is not doing it's part.

I feel Warner promoted AOA too much, for my taste, because I knew it was going to be a bad album and I just wanted the nightmare to play out under the public's radar. But there were billboards everywhere, to the point that it seemed curious how they were going to promote ANOTHER Prince proudct in short order (Purple Rain) and IIRC, Prince actually wanted 4 albums released in 2014, before he went diva.

BTW, Good on WB for not releasing PR, without extras and featuring, what is probably a shoddy remastering by Prince and CO up a Pussy Palace Paisley Park.

If it was a contractual necessity, why was he doing it when he "feels the label is not doing its part"?

Whatever...

Aerogram said:

funksterr said:

Did Warner Promote Art Official Age? YESSSSS... Did Prince promote Art OFfical Age? Technically yes, because he did do ONE tv appearance, sloppy and angry as it was. The way I recall Prince history, he does the obligatory ONE appearance, which is probably a contractual necessity, when he feels the label is not doing it's part.

I feel Warner promoted AOA too much, for my taste, because I knew it was going to be a bad album and I just wanted the nightmare to play out under the public's radar. But there were billboards everywhere, to the point that it seemed curious how they were going to promote ANOTHER Prince proudct in short order (Purple Rain) and IIRC, Prince actually wanted 4 albums released in 2014, before he went diva.

BTW, Good on WB for not releasing PR, without extras and featuring, what is probably a shoddy remastering by Prince and CO up a Pussy Palace Paisley Park.

If it was a contractual necessity, why was he doing it when he "feels the label is not doing its part"?

Whatever...

HUH?? I think he only does the minimum, (one tv appearance) when he feels the label is only doing the minimum on their end.

Not being on any video network like Vevo or Youtube hardly doesnt help much if at all, or get the people going with the old hits first

funksterr said:

Aerogram said:

If it was a contractual necessity, why was he doing it when he "feels the label is not doing its part"?

Whatever...

HUH?? I think he only does the minimum, (one tv appearance) when he feels the label is only doing the minimum on their end.

So he does the minimum until he feels the label is also doing next to nothing, THEN he does something but only because it's a contractual obligation and he's kind of a dick.

In essence, you're saying he's trolling his own label and I'm supposed to believe you're not projecting.

Whatever...

Aerogram said:

BartVanHemelen said:

.

It's not because he's an idiot that he isn't greedy. HNR isn't an artistic statement, it was Prince trying to get some of that EDM money, for instance.

So he was after lots of EDM money but spent his promotional time giving the credit to his co-producer and didn't do a single thing to Prince it up, like not even the slightest dance video or anything ike that?

Yeah, Prince was really after making loads of money from EDM.

.

He credited his co-producer because Prince thinks he's hip with the kids.

.

The rest of it is just Prince being an idiot and expecting things to happen just because he wants it. When you're the kind of guy who demands a camel in the midst of the winter in Minnesota and doesn't get pushback from his employees, when you're the kind of guy who doesn't get that WBR and other majors bent over backwards to please every idiotic whim, then you end up not understanding that there's been some fundamental shifts in the industry, and that his fame doesn't mean a goddamn thing. In Dutch we have an expression which roughly translates to: "he expects fried chickens to fly into his mouth" -- and that's what is happening here.

Aerogram said:

funksterr said:

Did Warner Promote Art Official Age? YESSSSS... Did Prince promote Art OFfical Age? Technically yes, because he did do ONE tv appearance, sloppy and angry as it was. The way I recall Prince history, he does the obligatory ONE appearance, which is probably a contractual necessity, when he feels the label is not doing it's part.

I feel Warner promoted AOA too much, for my taste, because I knew it was going to be a bad album and I just wanted the nightmare to play out under the public's radar. But there were billboards everywhere, to the point that it seemed curious how they were going to promote ANOTHER Prince proudct in short order (Purple Rain) and IIRC, Prince actually wanted 4 albums released in 2014, before he went diva.

BTW, Good on WB for not releasing PR, without extras and featuring, what is probably a shoddy remastering by Prince and CO up a Pussy Palace Paisley Park.

If it was a contractual necessity, why was he doing it when he "feels the label is not doing its part"?

Whatever...

.

Because NOT fulfilling such contractual obligation might result in severe penalties?

jjam said:

Ego101 said:

Imagine how many times Prince has been in meeting's with label executive's in the past 20 years telling him-

"People just aren't buying Albums like they used to Prince"..

The Adele 25 thing is an anomaly. Album sales are shocking these days. You have to remember that she has extreme cross-demographic appeal and her album's been mainly bought by people who buy one CD a year.

.

Her YouTube views are also shattering records. Her digital sales are also mile-high.

.

I'm still waiting for anyone to explain to me why Prince insists on releasing crap that doesn't sell.

Aerogram said:

You've been bitching for two decades with a chip on your shoulder you can see from space and now you're imagining Prince is terribly jealous of Adele?

It's called demonizing.

.

Oh look, yet another personal attack.