From the LA Times 6/2/04 - you must register to read story online...

A sales chart change of heart - Prince's distribution of CDs at his concerts sparks new policies by Billboard, Nielsen.

By Randy Lewis, Times Staff Writer

Should Prince's new "Musicology" go down in the pop annals as "The Asterisk Album"?

It has earned one on a couple of fronts — first for the sales boost the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician got by distributing a copy of his latest CD to everyone attending his current concert tour, and second for prompting Billboard magazine this week to change its sales chart policy because of that marketing strategy.

"Musicology" is Prince's hottest album in years, partially because Nielsen SoundScan, whose figures are used by Billboard to determine chart position, has counted as "sales" the more than 150,000 copies given to fans who have attended his concert tour since the album was released.

Prince's tour organizers have maintained that they factored the price of a CD into ticket prices, which have ranged from $49.50 to $75 in most markets, but some in the music industry argued that counting those CDs as sales did not accurately reflect consumer interest in the CD alone.

Still, Nielsen agreed to include all CDs distributed at concerts since the album's April 20 release as part of its "Musicology" sales total. Of the 633,000 copies reported sold by Nielsen, approximately 25% were distributed at the shows, Billboard has reported.

With other musicians vowing to follow Prince's lead, Billboard has revised its policies regarding concert ticket/CD packages, and Nielsen has gone along with the change.

To have CDs distributed at concerts counted as sales, musicians will now be required to offer fans different ticket prices, one including the album and one not.

"While there were some label executives who did give a green light to the original policy in regard to the Prince album, a number said they would like the policy better if it included a provision where concertgoers could opt in or opt out of buying the album," Billboard charts director Geoff Mayfield said Tuesday.

Prince's album will be exempt from the new policy, meaning all additional CDs distributed at his concerts will continue to be counted as sales.

"That arrangement was already in place, so we're not going change midstream," Mayfield said.

Will Billboard charts actually put an asterisk next to "Musicology" because its weekly sales total has benefited from the marketing strategy?

"No," Mayfield says. "We're not into making Roger Maris feel small."

Positivity Y'all!
Wizong

I've said it before, but Prince should extend this tour for a long time and exploit this grandfather clause for all it's worth.

looks like he has won again.....I agree..I would do this tour untill 2005 and break all kinds of sales records!!

okay, this is just so not jivin here:


i don't see how that'd be a problem--folks who are goin to these concerts are showing consumer interest just by buyin tix and attending the damned things.

FYI on who Roger Maris is ...

In 1961 the former New York Yankee hit 61 home runs, eclipsing Babe Ruth's home run record of 60.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

But how many people now have two or more copies ? Also, if you're in a relationship or married, it's highly likely that you don't want a copy each.

At the end of the day, its a slightly cynical marketing ploy which has been spotted. Fair play to Sony and the short-guy for the idea but you have to admit it was all about getting the album sales up. Otherwise there would have been a "premium ticket" including the album or a regular one without.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Here's where the problem is:
Me and my wife went to the concert. We got 2 copies of the CD. We would not have normally bought 2 copies. Plus I'm trying to attend another show. that's 2 more. How many of us would have 4 copies of a CD in our house?

And whether they put an asterik or not people will know. Or at least you will.
This is not a true platinum CD for Prince and the revelry will feel hollow.

Shame too. Because the copies it did sell legitimately would have normally made us proud as it is.
[This message was edited Thu Jun 3 9:46:56 2004 by Jazz]

skywalker said:

yep!

That is why music executives are shady.
Now people who buy tickets to a P-R-I-N-C-E concert, will more than likely buy a PRINCE album, if they knew it was released. Since the music exec's have focused more marketing on RAP and left other musical genres out in the cold, most people don't know that Prince even has a new album out. So if you like Prince, hear he is coming to town, and you can get a CD of new music in the process then that is just good marketing since you would have bought it anyway. Don't try to change the rules now because you got outsmarted at your own game (record exec's). It just goes to show how crooked they are and how they manipulate the musical tastes of the listening public. "If you tell a lie long enough it begins to sound like the truth to the untrained mind"
[This message was edited Thu Jun 3 9:55:51 2004 by kmet44]

kmet44 said:

How about the people that went and paid for Musicology, liked it, and then decided to buy a ticket to the show ? Surely those people are double counted ?

Your argument assumes that everyone who goes to the show was planning to buy a copy of the CD ?

Jazz said:

Give 'em away. Problem solved.
I have multiple copies too. I'm saving one as sort of a "collector's item", but I may go to another show in the next couple of months. I could give that cd to my mother, or brother. I got more than my money's worth anyway, considering the ticket price is still very competitive.

just goes to show ya, the little fucker just out smarted the majors again

freakyfeet said:

With the album being officially released anyway, it wouldn't have made sense to offer a premium ticket (that includes a copy of the album) because then no one would buy it. He pulled off something no one else has ever done before (and obviously no one will again). Give the man some credit!

if he was 2 do it again with the next album what if the cd at a show had extra tracks or remixes would these be counted as a seperate album. just an idea that would keep us spending

Let's not hate on Prince (and Londell, his manager) 4 out smarting the biz. Now that he has done this we should not complain about how he's selling this record. We should celebrate the fact that he'll b the only artist 2 b able 2 do this. I'm happy that he is finding success on his own terms and he is on the charts his way. We r so trained 2 accepted the status quo and not think outside the box and r so quick 2 b critical of ground breaking and revolutionary ideas. Prince has beat the system and I'm happy 4 him and I'm proud 2 b a fam of is music!

OdysseyMiles said:

and there it is. still, the industry fat cats are cryin over spilt milk over this. like folks are sayin here--ol' boy's outfoxed folks here, and they're cryin foul.

freakyfeet said:

My fiance and I have 6 CD's between us--we're in L.A. and have seen three shows
But I ain't mad at Prince. That CD is badass!
Cinamon Giiiiirrllll!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Everything involved with this rule clarification seems right to me. It's right, I think, that we should be allowed the option when buying a ticket as to whether or not we want (or in our cases, NEED) a copy of the album. And I also think it's right that Musicology be exempt from this decision because they made it after the setup for its sales recordings.

My consumer interest is in the CONCERT. Not the cd. I executed my consumer interest in THAT TWICE already, when I downloaded it and when I bought it at retail.

In the future, customers SHOULD have that option. I know that this decision doesn't force separate with and without pricings, but it certainly encourages it and makes it to the benefit of the artists to do so.

Either way, let's not forget that Prince's idea was a great one in the first place!

Keith/Kacey

I can't believe some people are complaining about having too many Musicology CD's. Give away your extras as gifts. Or keep em as reminders of Prince's brilliant strategy. I mean, by the time this tour is over, some people are gonna have enough CD's to open their own record store. But if that's a problem, I'll take that problem any day.
And Prince should keep this tour going as long as his knees hold out. In 2008, Prince adds another tour date in LA. That brings the Staples Center total to what, 100?

shygirl said:

Right on.

Kissmequick said:

ditto

An old teacher of mine once stated "everything is strategy". Amassing cd sales* via concert tickets* is, as everyone now knows, Prince's unique and inventive strategy to gain popularity and currency in media. Among other things, Prince is a media player, and he's played this round superbly. As for record company execs, they too are players who have just been played. They talk like they are above the game and they control it: they aren't and they don't.
Prince has simply reminded them, and us, of this fact.

kmet44 said:

I agree with u on all points. And when P does his next tour and chooses 2 use the opt out(cd) plan people will choose the tix along with the cd bcuz P's prices are the best going. See they are assuming that P would'nt have the sales if not 4 the concert cd's which P will disprove on his next major release. P has sold more than 500,000 copies without the concert cd's. P's success is killing'em!

PRINCEY

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

My issue was not what to do with the CD's. Of course I gave them away and spread the music. But I wouldn't have bought 4 copies, just to give them away.
This is not about what to do with the CD's. It's about whether you would choose to have them all in the first place and if they should be counted as sold based on that fact.

It's about perception. Prince is percieved as going platinum, which used to mean 1 million people CHOSE to buy your CD.
Now we have a pretty good percentage of CD's (Most people went to a concert with somebody. A lot of those are from the same household that wouldn't have bought 2 copies.)
that are counted as sales that are in peoples hands that would not have bought them.

Still a great CD though. I think he should have given them away like he did to spread the music (since money is not supposed to matter to him). I just don't think they should be coutned as Sales. It's a misconception.

Jazz said:

See there really is no argument. P did'nt make the rules or ask 4 special treatment 4 MUSICOLOGY. The traditionalists have a problem with it. Again i say that the cd built in2 the ticket price was a catch phrase and strategical move 4 the charts. If u look at P's past&present ticket prices these cd's really are giveaways,but i think that after they found out that 'hey they can b counted on soundscan if we change the legal language 2 "built in2 the ticket price"! The very 1st press releases stated that the cd's would b givin away 4 free which i believe is the truth until a lawyer or 2 did some research and said check this idea out. And now we have the concert cd's being counted by soundscan! Just my theory on the situation. Very good move by whoever thought of it!