Prince CD Hits Platinum Through Ticket Sales
By Ray Waddell

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Billboard) - Prince's new CD, "Musicology," has hit platinum based solely on his tour ticket sales, which include a copy of the album.

On May 20, the outing hit 1 million tickets sold, according to John Meglen, Concerts West co-CEO. Meglen is producing the tour with co-CEO Paul Gongaware. The tally includes shows that have already happened, plus sales for a number of upcoming dates.

The Musicology tour has grossed more than $26 million and drawn 435,756 people to 32 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore.

The tour, which provides a free CD with each ticket purchased, is expected to move more than 1.2 million tickets for 90 shows before it concludes in mid-September.

Concerts West, the touring division of national promoter AEG Live, became promoter/producer of the Prince tour after the artist saw a production of Celine Dion (news)'s "A New Day ..." at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, also produced by Concerts West.

"Prince saw Celine's show, saw how we operate, and he seemed to be very impressed with that," Meglen says. "I kind of classify it as, it is his tour, and we're just providing operations, structure, and all of that, to promote the tour."

Indeed, when the tour was announced, Concerts West's role was downplayed.

"Nobody is coming to see Concerts West," Meglen points out. "Everybody is coming to see Prince."

Many now consider the inclusion of CDs in the ticket price to be a master stroke. Other bands are implementing the concept, including Gomez and the Cure.

Prince's CD, released by Sony Music Entertainment, is also available at traditional retail.

"It was pretty much an idea that Prince himself brought up," Meglen says of including the CD in the ticket price. "He knew he had his fans coming to the shows, so why couldn't we simply, when you sell a ticket to the fan, sell them the CD at the same time?"

About $9 was added to the ticket price to account for the CDs. "Basically, we pay for the costs of the CDs, and Prince gets paid for providing the CDs," Meglen explains. "He's his own record company in that situation."

Gongaware and Meglen say they were a little surprised by the controversy Prince's strategy ignited in the industry.

"We're just doing what the artist wants," Gongaware says, "and this is an artist that wants to reach the most people he can with his music."

Even with the additional cost for the CD, Prince's ticket prices are extremely competitive. In most markets, they run $49.50 to $75.

The theory was to make the ticket affordable to everybody, Meglen says.

"We felt that we could do more seats and more people by having a lower ticket price, and when you have an artist that loves to perform as you do with Prince, time is really not fighting against you," Meglen says.

"That's what allows us to go do five Staples Center and break the attendance records of Madonna (news - web sites) and Springsteen, because more people can afford to go to shows."

The CD distribution "takes a little more time to set up in terms of the execution," Gongaware says. "We have a system down now, and it works very well."

Arenas have adapted to the system easily. "We handed the CDs out at all the entry points, and it amounted to less than $500 in extra labor," says Mike Wooley, assistant GM at the Gaylord Entertainment Center. The Nashville venue's May 6 Prince show grossed $983,425 and drew 16,680.

The tour, currently averaging about $812,500 per show, should pick up some financial momentum as the summer progresses.

"We played mainly secondaries on the first leg," Meglen says. "All the major markets and multiple dates are coming in the next couple of legs."

Bottom line, the Musicology tour will end up as one of the elite treks of 2004, with a final gross likely to be close to $100 million.

Reuters/Billboard

-----

... 'spose this'll help him pay a couple of bills back at Paisley Park

.
[Edited 4/23/17 23:59pm]

wow goin to gross close to 100million

how many airtist can do that??

asg said:

Who cares? BUT WAY TO GO PRINCE!!!!!

Say what? Prince a smart bizness man as well as a great artist? Who would 've thunk it? I for 1 never has questioned his bizness savvy. A lot of people don't understand that u have 2 take certain risks and actually fail sometimes and learn from your mistakes 2 become a good bizness mind as well as entrapenuer. Just ask Donald Trump! Prince has become an innovator on the bizness side of music as well as the music side.

'"We're just doing what the artist wants," Gongaware says, "and this is an artist that wants to reach the most people he can with his music."'

That's right, 'The Artist' ...do what you go to do...PEOPLE got to HEAR YA!!! You Go Prince!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
[This message was edited Sun May 30 10:20:21 2004 by Starmist7]

Wow, can this year get any better? This is what I've been praying for. Man I'm speechless over this. Prince is the King!

HEHE Warner Brothers must be pissed at someone....

For once Prince is making SMART business moves.

chookalana said:

yup, REALLY changing the "game"

Why do we care that Prince makes money? People still starve around the world. Our society is largely the cause.

The cd-single market in Holland is so rudimentary; we sold singles during a heavily promoted concert of our band where we got 900 visitors, and got in the national charts!

The point is that you need an officially registered retailer to count for the charts, and you have to pay him for being at the concert.

It's a big advantage for live bands these days, if you use it in a smart way.

We had even thought about selling the single as a ticket, so everyone would have 'bought' one, but in that case it wouldn't count for the charts...

This is real nice news, but I hope he sells another million with a HIT, not concert sales.

GustavoRibas said:

He will when the album goes double platinum. Remember that concert sales account 4 1.2 million and right now sales are about fifty-fifty. So hold your horses until around September bcuz the cd will get a second wind. Prince's buying public is not the teenagers it's more so adults so again i'm going 2 specifically skool u in that P's cd will b a slow burner period and will sell a million at the traditional way. And by the way the album is a hit, might not b the hit that u want it 2 b, but a hit nonetheless!!!!!

AWESOME!

$100 million! Holy crap...I hope Prince doesn't get lazy with that much cash in his pocket...I doubt he will though.

2freaky4church1 said:

-----
Do we care about your opinions. No but, you keep posting. Stop hating. Prince is not responsible for world hungry.

RupertZ said:

I wonder how much of it goes to the Jehovah's Witnesses organization?? Do they tithe??

chookalana said:

he heh he

This is a true masterstroke!! And the power remains with the artist! I Know WB must be upset but what about EMI? They could of done with the dosh!

Deadstar said:

Forget about EMI. Think of EWM. I bet he's a little upset.

2freaky4church1 said:

HUH?

"Left a good job in the city, working 4 the man every night and day.....Big wheels keep on turnin and the Purple 1 keeps on rollin!"

laurarichardson said:

Deadstar said:

Pfff, idiots... You really think WB would give a shit??
And for one thing, they'd be more happy than upset...
Prince is getting in the spotlight again --> WB sell more CD's... I don't see the logic in how that is supposed to be a bad thing for WB that it would make 'em upset...

Neversin.

Neversin said:

Yes they do bcuz u always want 2 try and keep your ICONS on the label. It's just like a professional sports team losing a superstar. Ask the Boston Redsox about trading Babe Ruth. If the label gets a bad rep 4 not treating it's Artists fairly then other labels get the upper hand in the bidding wars 4 new acts. WB won't b seen as the label 2 sign with bcuz if they treat a legend like crap then hey they loose in the long run!

Aerogram said:

Let his reign fall down. It's all in fun.

PurpleCharm said:[quote]

laurarichardson said:

[/quo
It was destined to happen! This thead just had too much positivity!
[This message was edited Mon May 31 18:25:00 2004 by adorable2]