I meant: caring about doing something with the vault. Obviously, they seem to care about some things, like musicals and merchandising. Probably money as well.

purplethunder3121 said:

ShellyMcG said:

Same can be said about the fans (I don't fully agree tho) given how much material is released and unrelesed and availale. They've said they want to do vault releases and they never said they won't release vault material, so I guiess we will still need to be more patient. And hopefully they'll release finally great sets unlike the SDEs that are just glorified bootleg releases according to more knowledgeable fans.

ShellyMcG said:

The estate don't seem to realise how lucky they are.

[Edited 10/28/25 12:47pm]

JorisE73 said:

JorisE73 said:

JorisE73 said:

Same can be said about the fans (I don't fully agree tho) given how much material is released and unrelesed and availale. They've said they want to do vault releases and they never said they won't release vault material, so I guiess we will still need to be more patient. And hopefully they'll release finally great sets unlike the SDEs that are just glorified bootleg releases according to more knowledgeable fans.

ShellyMcG said:

The estate don't seem to realise how lucky they are.

[Edited 10/28/25 12:47pm]

If I have to be patient and wait too many more years I'll soon look like this...

love2thenines2003 said:

JorisE73 said:

Same can be said about the fans (I don't fully agree tho) given how much material is released and unrelesed and availale. They've said they want to do vault releases and they never said they won't release vault material, so I guiess we will still need to be more patient. And hopefully they'll release finally great sets unlike the SDEs that are just glorified bootleg releases according to more knowledgeable fans.

[Edited 10/28/25 12:47pm]

Like a lot we are disappointed by the release of ATWIAD deluxe....less ambitious than what was expected by fans.... they can't avoid the release of something this time really special for the 40th anniversary of Parade...there will be no excuse this time in 2026 if something goes wrong with this special anniversary of one of the greatest album and era in Prince's carrier...we will see next year...this is the big test this time IMO ! [Edited 10/28/25 16:10pm]

Or maybe they are just planning on making seperate vault releases and not make way too expensive lackluster SDEs. I'd rather have a propwer remaster with all singles and one offs for a reasonable $20-$25 and a seperate vault archive set for that specific era and a seperate live show set all at the same $20-$25 all with proper liner notes and info, instead of a incomplete SDE collection like teh ones already released for $300 with irrelevant drivel by some unassociated person and missing a load of tracks.

ShellyMcG said:

JorisE73 said:

Same can be said about the fans (I don't fully agree tho) given how much material is released and unrelesed and availale. They've said they want to do vault releases and they never said they won't release vault material, so I guiess we will still need to be more patient. And hopefully they'll release finally great sets unlike the SDEs that are just glorified bootleg releases according to more knowledgeable fans.

[Edited 10/28/25 12:47pm]

I get that some fans might feel lucky due to the sheer amount of officially released music we've got. But both things can be true. Yes, we've got loads of cool stuff. But also, we know that much more stuff exists and rather than allow us to purchase this material, the estate put out stupid musicals nobody asked for and insult the fans with ridiculous releases like the Around The World In A Day Deluxe Edition. I'm still wondering what exactly is supposed to be "deluxe" about that. And sure, they haven't said they won't release anything. But by that same token, they haven't given any indication that they will. And that is the biggest problem. We know nothing. They told us that the vault was freed and then silence for months. And when they eventually get around to announcing something it has zero vault material. You can understand why confidence in the current estate is low.

I agree there's nothing deluxe about ATWIAD and it's just like a late 90s special edition.
They did say they wanted vault releases and live releases audio and video at the last two celebrations, but they had things to still figure out (rights for some of the material or whatever).
I know fans feel entitled to anything Prince but in the enbd they are the ones who decide what to tell us and we are just fans nothing more, we don't have any special priviledges just because we bought some records or went to some shows. It is what it is. At least we're something from them unlike my other musical obsession MJ, now that;s an estate I can get really frystrated and angry about with them sitting on things without them willing to release them. At least Prince's estate said they want to release things.

purplethunder3121 said:

JorisE73 said:

Same can be said about the fans (I don't fully agree tho) given how much material is released and unrelesed and availale. They've said they want to do vault releases and they never said they won't release vault material, so I guiess we will still need to be more patient. And hopefully they'll release finally great sets unlike the SDEs that are just glorified bootleg releases according to more knowledgeable fans.

[Edited 10/28/25 12:47pm]

If I have to be patient and wait too many more years I'll soon look like this...

so do I, but I've made ameds with the fact that WE old fans aren't the audience they want to target. Tehy want new and younger fans who can afford the music Prince made instead of catering to rich old fans and make them the number one focus. Sperate releases for cheaper will I think generate more income and expose his music to maybe more instead of scaring youngsters off with ridicoulous $300 sets.

JorisE73 said:

WE old fans aren't the audience they want to target. Tehy want new and younger fans who can afford the music

.

They haven't released a damn thing in two years, the next release is a perfunctory remastered/expanded album, and then we'll again get nothing for the next six months of so.

.

How is that a business? How is that generating income? How is that attracting new/younger fans? How is NOT RELEASING MUSIC a sound financial approach?

.

For the thousandth time: if you cannot manage to sell Prince music to Prince fans, get the fuck out of the way and hand the vault to a company like Cherry Red.

.

We're nearing 2026 and yet there is still a large back catalogue of already released music (from the 1970s and 1980s) that hasn't been remastered, and significant portions of it remain hard to obtain. That even includes some Prince tracks which are only available on vinyl and not on CD. But IMHO it is insane to treat such a release (e.g. ATWIAD) as a major release eight months after the estate has boasted about freeing the vault and releasing a single previously unreleased track, an underwhelming acoustic version of "Free". But hey, we're getting Dolby Atmos mixes, surely that is going to bring in the crowds.

I hear you man, but iut is what it is. Prince's family fucked up when they put Lonny and Spicer in charge, blame them for doinmg something that was already warned against on here even when people here were saying stupid things like how if his family took over we'd be better off than with Comerica and that person said we'd highly likely would be worse off.
I don't know there plans or even if they have any, but sitting on already finished remasters (PR, , Parade and who knows what else) and not releasing them every month is kind of messed up.

bizzie said:

JorisE73 said:

WE old fans aren't the audience they want to target. Tehy want new and younger fans who can afford the music

.

They haven't released a damn thing in two years, the next release is a perfunctory remastered/expanded album, and then we'll again get nothing for the next six months of so.

.

How is that a business? How is that generating income? How is that attracting new/younger fans? How is NOT RELEASING MUSIC a sound financial approach?

.

For the thousandth time: if you cannot manage to sell Prince music to Prince fans, get the fuck out of the way and hand the vault to a company like Cherry Red.

.

We're nearing 2026 and yet there is still a large back catalogue of already released music (from the 1970s and 1980s) that hasn't been remastered, and significant portions of it remain hard to obtain. That even includes some Prince tracks which are only available on vinyl and not on CD. But IMHO it is insane to treat such a release (e.g. ATWIAD) as a major release eight months after the estate has boasted about freeing the vault and releasing a single previously unreleased track, an underwhelming acoustic version of "Free". But hey, we're getting Dolby Atmos mixes, surely that is going to bring in the crowds.

They don't care what the fans want because the fans will hand over money regardless - they're chasing new customers, hence the cut down ATWIAD release, hence the musical, hence the culling of the Netflix documentary.

Those in charge aren't content with catering to a core audience, they want more and bigger profits, which in and of itself isn't exactly unique or inherently bad, it's just a shame that at the moment they'd rather do pretty much anything except release new music to reach for that goal.

NouveauDance said:

They don't care what the fans want because the fans will hand over money regardless - they're chasing new customers, hence the cut down ATWIAD release, hence the musical, hence the culling of the Netflix documentary.

Those in charge aren't content with catering to a core audience, they want more and bigger profits, which in and of itself isn't exactly unique or inherently bad, it's just a shame that at the moment they'd rather do pretty much anything except release new music to reach for that goal.

I'm in general agreement here, but fans can't hand over money if there's nothing to buy.

dustoff said:

NouveauDance said:

They don't care what the fans want because the fans will hand over money regardless - they're chasing new customers, hence the cut down ATWIAD release, hence the musical, hence the culling of the Netflix documentary.

Those in charge aren't content with catering to a core audience, they want more and bigger profits, which in and of itself isn't exactly unique or inherently bad, it's just a shame that at the moment they'd rather do pretty much anything except release new music to reach for that goal.

I'm in general agreement here, but fans can't hand over money if there's nothing to buy.

There are many things to buy: Purple Rain vinyls, ATWIAD remasters, merchandising, etc. I won't give them a single cent for that, but many fans will buy what they sell, apparently.

NouveauDance said:

They don't care what the fans want because the fans will hand over money regardless - they're chasing new customers, hence the cut down ATWIAD release, hence the musical, hence the culling of the Netflix documentary.

Those in charge aren't content with catering to a core audience, they want more and bigger profits, which in and of itself isn't exactly unique or inherently bad, it's just a shame that at the moment they'd rather do pretty much anything except release new music to reach for that goal.

exactly. they're not doing anything wonderful for the original fans
yet they're also not doing much to pull in a new crowd.

my money would be on keeping the old guard happy and seeking
a new audience at the same time with other ventures.

If this estate actually gave a shit about generating interest in Prince amongst a new audience, they'd have let that Netflix doc be released.

bozojones said:

If this estate actually gave a shit about generating interest in Prince amongst a new audience, they'd have let that Netflix doc be released.

Their opinion was that it would tarnish his legacy, and have made a new deal for a new doc with Netflix.

.

Without seeing the doc, I can't pass personal judgement on it (although the use of LGC elevator lyric for the scene of this death seems crass and does not bode well for what else might be in it), but it wil likely be the most widely consumed piece of Prince media for many years, and will serve as an introduction to many.

.

It goes without saying that I would absolutely love to see it.

Forget about documentaries. Forget about musicals. They cost millions to produce and for what results?

Just release a video on YouTube and streaming platforms from time to time. Once a week would be good. Even once a month would be better than the current situation. A previously unreleased song. Studio, live, rehearsal. From any era. It doesn't matter. Show what Prince was good at: music. That's what will keep Prince in the eyes and ears of people, old and young.

Keep the ball rolling.

And then, yes, release remastered albums. Release properly-curated collections of previously unreleased material. Release complete live recordings.

I mean: we've been saying the same things over and over for years now. The basics shouldn't be hard to get.

olb99 said:

rudeboy4711 said:

olb99 said:

Forget about documentaries. Forget about musicals. They cost millions to produce and for what results?

Just release a video on YouTube and streaming platforms from time to time. Once a week would be good. Even once a month would be better than the current situation. A previously unreleased song. Studio, live, rehearsal. From any era. It doesn't matter. Show what Prince was good at: music. That's what will keep Prince in the eyes and ears of people, old and young.

Keep the ball rolling.

And then, yes, release remastered albums. Release properly-curated collections of previously unreleased material. Release complete live recordings.

I mean: we've been saying the same things over and over for years now. The basics shouldn't be hard to get.

100% The simple fact that starting next year, the oldest professional studio recordings by Prince will have their 50th anniversary (the 14 tracks recorded at Moonsound) should prompt them to do something very special! Show the people the beginnings of Prince’s musical journey. To show that he was already in that mindset, that drive, that ambition to show the world his artistry. He was 17-18 years old back then! That would inspire younger generations for sure if the estate actually knew what they have and actually cared about what they could do with it… [Edited 10/30/25 11:21am]

They've released so little in the past 2 years that, yes, there are so many things they could release. So many things that would make sense. If you're just looking at anniversaries (not necessarily a good idea), then look at what happened 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, or 50 years ago: the Moon Sound sessions, Parade, Emancipation, The Rainbow Children, 3121, P&M 2016. It's mind-boggling.

At this point, I would be happy with pretty much anything.

(And, yes, I know some people will describe this as being a junky / addicted. )

olb99 said:

Forget about documentaries. Forget about musicals. They cost millions to produce and for what results?

Just release a video on YouTube and streaming platforms from time to time. Once a week would be good. Even once a month would be better than the current situation. A previously unreleased song. Studio, live, rehearsal. From any era. It doesn't matter. Show what Prince was good at: music. That's what will keep Prince in the eyes and ears of people, old and young.

Keep the ball rolling.

And then, yes, release remastered albums. Release properly-curated collections of previously unreleased material. Release complete live recordings.

I mean: we've been saying the same things over and over for years now. The basics shouldn't be hard to get.

Exactly...and it's not difficult.It's not like we're asking for too much.This estate seems like they're clueless,incompetent,and totally unaware of what they have and how to sell it.

bizzie said:

JorisE73 said:

WE old fans aren't the audience they want to target. Tehy want new and younger fans who can afford the music

.

They haven't released a damn thing in two years, the next release is a perfunctory remastered/expanded album, and then we'll again get nothing for the next six months of so.

.

How is that a business? How is that generating income? How is that attracting new/younger fans? How is NOT RELEASING MUSIC a sound financial approach?

.

For the thousandth time: if you cannot manage to sell Prince music to Prince fans, get the fuck out of the way and hand the vault to a company like Cherry Red.

.

We're nearing 2026 and yet there is still a large back catalogue of already released music (from the 1970s and 1980s) that hasn't been remastered, and significant portions of it remain hard to obtain. That even includes some Prince tracks which are only available on vinyl and not on CD. But IMHO it is insane to treat such a release (e.g. ATWIAD) as a major release eight months after the estate has boasted about freeing the vault and releasing a single previously unreleased track, an underwhelming acoustic version of "Free". But hey, we're getting Dolby Atmos mixes, surely that is going to bring in the crowds.

I'll second Cherry Red. They've been doing a great job with the Sheena Easton stuff they've been putting out