I have never understood the "I don't pay for streaming - I want to own it" argument. My guess is well more than half of folks here have Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube TV, Apple TV+, Sling, Direct TV Now, even cable or similar TV service to watch shows when you want - but guess what, you don't OWN them. You stop paying monthly, and they disappear.

However, even with Prince's vast amount of unreleased recordings of studio work, rehearsals, and live shows, I don't think there's big enough demand for a pay-monthy music site. Just put tracks up for sale with FLAC and high bitrate mp3 options for $10-$15 per "album" or "show".

nextedition said:

Physical is best and always gets my $.

Download is acceptable only when physical is not available, but worth less $.

I won't pay for the ability to stream. I have to possess a copy or I'm not interested.

EmmaMcG said:

homesquid said:

And you don't feel even a tinge of guilt for your illegal downloading? Are you entitled to that music? You seem to brag about it. It's a shitty thing to do. This behavior has put countless record stores, labels, artists, etc..out of business. I'm not trying to sound righteous here. I've done my share of illegal downloading...but I'm not actually proud of it.

I'm not "proud" of it. Like I said, I'd rather BUY the music at a reasonable price. And if they give me that option, I'll take it. But if streaming is the ONLY option they provide, then it's a choice of paying a monthly fee to listen to music (including paying for songs I may not like), while requiring a constant internet connection to do so, or just downloading the songs I do like and be able to listen to them anytime, internet connection or no internet connection. That's not a tough decision for me.

Fair enough. Appreciate the honest response and you not taking any offense since I didn't intend to offend

Doozer said:

I have never understood the "I don't pay for streaming - I want to own it" argument. My guess is well more than half of folks here have Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube TV, Apple TV+, Sling, Direct TV Now, even cable or similar TV service to watch shows when you want - but guess what, you don't OWN them. You stop paying monthly, and they disappear.

apples and oranges

EmmaMcG said:

homesquid said:

And you don't feel even a tinge of guilt for your illegal downloading? Are you entitled to that music? You seem to brag about it. It's a shitty thing to do. This behavior has put countless record stores, labels, artists, etc..out of business. I'm not trying to sound righteous here. I've done my share of illegal downloading...but I'm not actually proud of it.

I'm not "proud" of it. Like I said, I'd rather BUY the music at a reasonable price. And if they give me that option, I'll take it. But if streaming is the ONLY option they provide, then it's a choice of paying a monthly fee to listen to music (including paying for songs I may not like), while requiring a constant internet connection to do so, or just downloading the songs I do like and be able to listen to them anytime, internet connection or no internet connection. That's not a tough decision for me.

I wouldn't pay if that was the case. Every other paid streaming service I've used allows for stuff to be downloaded for offline play while you have an active subscription. I'd pay £10 a month quite happily for an all access vault streaming service equivalent to other paid streaming services.

I forgot to add to my post that I am one of those who prefer having an actual physical product in my hot, sweaty hand when it comes to Prince. I have downloaded content that wasn't available physically (such as The Chocolate Invasion and others that were issued in digital form only) but I immediatly turn around and burn them onto a disc. You never know when your computer/phone will crash and lose all that music.

well, technically, i think i might still have one or two lifetime memberships to prince music websites

beyond that, i'd only pay for a sort of monthly service where we get a download, kind of like in the
NPGMC days. but with more material, naturally. like full aftershows, seven different mixes of a song,
that was intended for single release but never came out (stuff like "come" or "hot experience") and
total obsessed fan material like "the flesh", "the undertaker" and other such sessions. coupled with
the odd vault track that doesn't belong to any particular session.

i'd happily pay a monthly fee if they set up something like that.

better still would be if they simply had a site where they offered these things on a regular basis,
adding to them through the years, without subscription just pick n pay as you go.

luv4u said:

djdaffy1227 said:

$77 and hopefuly it comes with a T-shirt

I got that T-shirt. When I signed up I almost alllmost missed clicking on the box for that T-shirt.


Monthly subscription??? Hell naw.

Got mine too! A thing of beauty!

Doozer said:

I have never understood the "I don't pay for streaming - I want to own it" argument. My guess is well more than half of folks here have Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube TV, Apple TV+, Sling, Direct TV Now, even cable or similar TV service to watch shows when you want - but guess what, you don't OWN them. You stop paying monthly, and they disappear.

However, even with Prince's vast amount of unreleased recordings of studio work, rehearsals, and live shows, I don't think there's big enough demand for a pay-monthy music site. Just put tracks up for sale with FLAC and high bitrate mp3 options for $10-$15 per "album" or "show".

Older generation I think.

Intersting to see how profitable this venture could be- suspect production costs of something as beautiful as 1999 deluxe vs sales might decide on the strategy going forwards.

The publicity won't do the rest of the cataloge any harm.

IstenSzek said:

well, technically, i think i might still have one or two lifetime memberships to prince music websites

beyond that, i'd only pay for a sort of monthly service where we get a download, kind of like in the
NPGMC days. but with more material, naturally. like full aftershows, seven different mixes of a song,
that was intended for single release but never came out (stuff like "come" or "hot experience") and
total obsessed fan material like "the flesh", "the undertaker" and other such sessions. coupled with
the odd vault track that doesn't belong to any particular session.

i'd happily pay a monthly fee if they set up something like that.

better still would be if they simply had a site where they offered these things on a regular basis,
adding to them through the years, without subscription just pick n pay as you go.

agreed. If that was delivered how much would you be happy to pay?

LoveGalore said:

You would pay 50 fucking GBP PER MONTH? PLEASE tell me you're smoking rocks. [Edited 12/8/19 8:37am]

sorry to say 100% yes I would! Thinking about my annual spend back in the day on shit quality bootlegs, magazine interviews, offical releases etc. If I was guaranteed regular, quality - HOLY GRAIL type content then hell yeah I would pay that! Bearing in mind how much each physical deluxe edition would cost then £50.00 per month IMHO is a price worth paying. I've spent a fortune on the man since 1983!

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

LoveGalore said:

You would pay 50 fucking GBP PER MONTH? PLEASE tell me you're smoking rocks. [Edited 12/8/19 8:37am]

sorry to say 100% yes I would! Thinking about my annual spend back in the day on shit quality bootlegs, magazine interviews, offical releases etc. If I was guaranteed regular, quality - HOLY GRAIL type content then hell yeah I would pay that! Bearing in mind how much each physical deluxe edition would cost then £50.00 per month IMHO is a price worth paying. I've spent a fortune on the man since 1983!

That is just crazy unrealistic and I am glad they aren't offering such a service as it would drive people to illegally download at best and, at worst, avoid his music altogether (priced out of sight, and out of mind).

.

That is equal to over $700USD and simply not reasonable for the majority of American fans. In this economy? In this industry?? No no. Plus, they aren't releasing 3 SDEs a year. It's not comparable. Maybe if you snap up every single reissue and variance that exists on all formats, but I also don't even have space for all that junk nevermind the fact I don't need crap like Versace Experience on vinyl and cassette.

.

Subscription services like Spotify, Tidal, Netflix, Apple Music, Amazon Prime, Disney+, CBS, HBO, etc all manage to provide premium service for prices that fit the market. Let's be real - at $65USD a month, the estate is sticking its dick into your wallet and impregnating it. Not with tiny Prince babies, but with gremlins that eat your retirement account.

Half the world is on spotify, the other half is on tidal, apple music or amazon music. But the people vocal here don't like streaming services...

.

I wonder how much revenue for Purple Rain deluxe and 1999 deluxe is from the streaming services and youtube, relative to physical cd sales.

.

In any case, imagine something like NPGMC, but done right. (Prince isn't here to make it go away after he lost interest and the industry has learned a thing or two about streaming since then)

.

A service where you are part of the club, for say, €100/year. Instead of getting the cds on release day, you'd be guaranteed to get them earlier by a few weeks. You'd also be able to buy the companion cds (1999, it ain't over! containing extraloveable and lust U always and some other tracks, more alternate versions of album tracks, etc) and you'd get access to a slowly expanding streaming service with only Prince related music. Maybe a few rehearsals, special live shows, etc. Discount (and early access) to celebration tickets, maybe even a special session for club members. Access to soundchecks for the traveling Prince band tours (NPG, Revolution, etc) There's a lot more possible here.

.

To me that sounds like a sound business model. Continuous cash coming in to pay for Paisley Park upkeep and digitizing the vault as well as proper mixing/mastering/remastering, guaranteeing a constant stream of releases and for the diehards also stuff that normally wouldn't be released because it isn't ecomically feasible.

.

And that €100/year? They might start a bit higher.. or do a lot of market research to get the right price point.

.

The rest will have to be "illegally" downloaded. Copyright infringment is never theft and will never be. It may be illegal, that's another matter. As to it being morally right or wrong... The current system of copyright is also wrong. Most of us have paid any number of times over to play "the ladder" (how many versions of Around the world in a day do you have? How many LP versions, how many CD versions, maybe even cassette?), just to name a track, is that ok?

.

In the uneasy equilibrium between art and commerce in the current situation, I feel that a revamped NPGMC could be the best situation for the estate (or whoever currently owns the rights and access to Paisley Park) and the fans alike.

OperatingThetan said:

£10 per month. More if there are special packages with downloadable content.

I reckon this is about the right amount, I would certainly pay that

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

Simple enough question. Be it a monthly NPG style where each month content is delivered on a 'get what you're given' basis OR something like Tidal / Spotify where you can take what you want when you want when content is released.

Right now I pay £9.99 per month to Tidal & I love it. To have access to unreleased songs, video content, deluxe packages etc I would HAPPILY pay £50.00 per month minimum. Bearing in mind I just spent £60.00 on the 1999 Deluxe!

Regardless of whether this has been discussed before please reply as I think it would help the estate have a guide on future pricing strategy based on whetted appetities from the 1999 set!.

Let's assume the model gives access to unreleased / unheard off vault tracks, live gigs, aftershows, offical pro-shot gigs from ALL eras etc...i.e. a purple wet dream!

$5 per month max.

andrewm7 said:

-

150 EURO / year

-

But they need to make CD's/Vinyls available

-

I'll pay whatever they charge me. But I want downloads not streams. NPGMC style.

Streaming for something like this is pointless if you're a collector.

.

I think having a "vault subscription" is a fan pipedream and would only devalue the unreleased material.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

IstenSzek said:

well, technically, i think i might still have one or two lifetime memberships to prince music websites

beyond that, i'd only pay for a sort of monthly service where we get a download, kind of like in the
NPGMC days. but with more material, naturally. like full aftershows, seven different mixes of a song,
that was intended for single release but never came out (stuff like "come" or "hot experience") and
total obsessed fan material like "the flesh", "the undertaker" and other such sessions. coupled with
the odd vault track that doesn't belong to any particular session.

i'd happily pay a monthly fee if they set up something like that.

better still would be if they simply had a site where they offered these things on a regular basis,
adding to them through the years, without subscription just pick n pay as you go.

agreed. If that was delivered how much would you be happy to pay?

pretty much howevermuch they charge. if it's official material i can buy straight from the source,
i don't mind them setting the price. i'd be happy to pay for it whatever they think is right.

djdaffy1227 said:

$77 and hopefuly it comes with a T-shirt

Ultimately I would pay anything under $100 a month for this, but my preference would absolutely be to have phsycial media, it just completes the overall experience.

The tactile and visual experience is a big part of the overall experience when celebrating artists and their music, and Prince music is certainly no exception. I want to hold it, touch it and see it. This tactile and visual experience seems to be close to extinction in this digital age, the vinyl resurgence has mitigated this a bit, but unfortunately the writing seems to be on the wall.

I think much of the younger generation simply has no idea what they are missing out on simply because they have no frame of reference for it.

[Edited 12/9/19 8:40am]

Genesia said:

djdaffy1227 said:

$77 and hopefuly it comes with a T-shirt

Not gonna happen.

What I dream about for so long is a web app with a timeline, and when you pick a date you have access to what he has done on this particular date (the songs he recorded, the rehearsals, live shows and after shows). And each would be put in context, with descriptions, photos and videos if there’s one available. Like Princevault but more powerful with a real search engine and well designed.

To have access to this, I would pay whatever they want !

Genesia said:

djdaffy1227 said:

$77 and hopefuly it comes with a T-shirt

Strangely enough, my last name is Sheldon

djdaffy1227 said:

Genesia said:

Strangely enough, my last name is Sheldon

So … Sheldon by name, Sheldon by nature?