Dr. Matt Lee (mattl)

Oh my word.
Music industry attacks Sunday newspaper’s free Prince CD
The eagerly awaited new album by Prince is being launched as a free CD with a national Sunday newspaper in a move that has drawn widespread criticism from music retailers.
The Mail on Sunday revealed yesterday that the 10-track Planet Earth CD will be available with an “imminent” edition, making it the first place in the world to get the album. Planet Earth will go on sale on July 24.

“It’s all about giving music for the masses and he believes in spreading the music he produces to as many people as possible,” said Mail on Sunday managing director Stephen Miron. “This is the biggest innovation in newspaper promotions in recent times.”

Well, I don’t think putting a CD in the newspaper is an innovation. Newspapers have given away gratis DVDs for ages now. What’s the difference here?

One music store executive described the plan as “madness” while others said it was a huge insult to an industry battling fierce competition from supermarkets and online stores. Prince’s label has cut its ties with the album in the UK to try to appease music stores.

You know what’s a bigger insult to the music industry? Music store executive wankers, who see supermarkets and online stores who sell CDs to people who want to buy them as a problem. Pardon me if I don’t get upset when the high-street chains of music stores close down.

The Entertainment Retailers Association said the giveaway “beggars belief”. “It would be an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career,” ERA co-chairman Paul Quirk told a music conference. “It would be yet another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music.

Yes, it ‘beggars belief’ that a creative person would want to experiment and evaluate methods of distribution and promotion that vary from the status quo. Come on Prince! What the hell do you think you’re doing… stop trying to do creative things and instead, put on a suit and a tie and go and fucking apologise to Paul Quirk. Oh wait, don’t.
Would anyone else like to buy a t-shirt that says ‘Covermount Culture is destroying the perception of value around recorded music… and it’s fun’ on it?
The best part of all:-

“The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores. And I say that to all the other artists who may be tempted to dally with the Mail on Sunday.”

Yeah, watch out Prince, or if people can get your records from places other than record stores, then the record stores will stop selling them. This won’t be a problem though, as all your fans will simply get them from wherever else you make them available, whether that’s in the paper, from your website, or by mail order. Or you know, at gigs.
Wow. The music industry is even more of a spoilt child than I had previously realised.
UPDATE: I don’t have it to download, but I’m sure Google can help you.