Music Industry Attacks Free Prince CD

Mike writes "You might not like Prince, but he's planning on giving away a free CD in a national British newspaper. Harmless publicity, right? The music industry disagrees. Executives are practically going insane over the idea and are threatening to 'retaliate'. 'The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behavior 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,' said Entertainment Retailers Association spokesman Paul Quirk, who also said it would be 'an insult' to record stores. Shouldn't an artist be able to give away his own music if he wants to without fear of industry retaliation?"

Don't think so

[Bombula]

'The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behavior like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores.

"The executive with an attitude like this should know that his outlets will soon be The Buildings That Used To Be Record Stores"

Fixed that for ya.

Q: Giving Away Free Music?

[Not The Real Me]

Q: "Shouldn't an artist be able to give away his own music..."

A: If the music sucks then I think the answer is quite clear.

Re:Please retaliate.

[Adambomb]

So what you're saying is the more they tighten their grip, the more stars will slip through their fingers? =D

RIAA at the Quicky Mart

[A10Mechanic]

We're going to party like it's on sale for $19.99 !! Thank you, come again!

War of Words

[ettlz]

"The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behavior like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores."

Might The Artist Formerly Known as Prince then become, in response, The Artist Formerly Giving A Flying Fuck?

Re:Nothing like admitting it

[jedidiah]

True. But they do apply in Minnesota.

Re:Key line

[hxnwix]

Your flippant comment adds insult to injury. Prince did not get where he is today by standing out or taking chances - he needs to stay within the reservation, abide by his contract and avoid this sort of publicity.

Desperation is a stinky cologne, Prince.

-The RIAA

Re:Nothing like admitting it

[Anonymous Coward]

Too bad US laws don't apply in the UK.

They don't? Wow, I guess Tony Blair had me fooled.

Prince's response

[boyfaceddog]

They spelled my name correctly, right?

Then its alllllll good.

Cha - Chiiinnnng!

the music industry problem in a nutshell

[nanojath]

Person interested in Prince as a long term brand strategy: "But come on - customers love to get free stuff!"

Music Industry: "What the fuck does what customers want have to do with anything?"

Re:Please retaliate.

[Anonymous Coward]

They're all pissing in the same pot. Masons to the last man.

Re:where to start?

[cunamara]

(BTW, I believe he is once again the artist known as Prince... it'd be nice for the industry to keep better tabs on their talent)

Yes, he is now The Artist Fomerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince. He's now called "Prince" for short.

Re:Please retaliate.

[brjndr]

I don't particularly like his music, but I'm inclined to buy a CD just to support him.

Yes, I too will buy this free CD.

CDs for freeing Prince?

[Skevin]

No, what they're saying is that Prince is somehow incarcerated! All proceeds from these "Free Prince" CDs go towards paying off his lawyer fees. Please ignore the fact that "Kevin" has been scratched out and "Prince" is penciled in.

S.

Leave the free CD market alone!

[Shinmizu]

You're just going to end up ruining it for everyone else when the government notices the lucrative market for free CDs and applies a whopping 300% tax. I hope you're happy now.

Stop Me Before I Distribute Again

[DannyO152]

In 1989 my band made a vinyl record and pressed a 1000 copies. There are 920 or so copies still within our control. I've been giving some thought to setting up a MySpace page and providing free downloads of the band's works and writing and recording some new songs.

Mr. and Madam Record Company executive, this is your chance and time is running out. Sign me to a record deal now before I give away more of my music. Your industry needs you!!!!

Re:Damn you! You're giving them ideas!!

[Bat Country]

Mmm, genetically modified bread.

Re:Key line

[Mr Krinkle]

"and give the band a blowjob, because, well, I'm selfish that way."

Dude.
You are asking for a bunch of fat male geeks on /. to give you a blow job?
And in the same post you complain about "unfaithful significant others,"
Hmmm
I'm not sure what bothers me more, hypocrisies or that you have a disturbing attraction to fat male geeks. I'm just going to wander off to the pub to enjoy a pint.

Disturbing.

Re:Please retaliate.

[enjerth]

Prince fans will simply find another source for their music (iTunes or Amazon maybe)

... or maybe to the Sunday paper.

Re:Please retaliate.

[hondo77]

I, on the other hand, haven't been buying (or downloading) much if any music for years.

Welcome to middle age. :-)

Re:Please retaliate.

[YouTookMyStapler]

FTSummary: "Shouldn't an artist be able to give away his own music if he wants to without fear of industry retaliation?" Hell, no -- "All your talents are own."

"All your talents are belong to us!"

Re:No correction needed

[Anonymous Coward]

How dare you link to my website as your own? You jerk.

Re:Please retaliate.

[Alsee]

I was going to make a joke asking for a torrent link, but I can't figure out whether asking for a torrent link for a free CD is ironic, or not ironic, or ironic for not being ironic, or doubly ironic, or.....

ahhhhhhh! HELP! My head just my head a'sploded!

-

So This Is What It Sounds Like...

[morari]

When record companies cry.

Re:Please retaliate.

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't it somewhat ironic that they're using Machiavellian tactics against Prince?

Re:Key line

[Tony]

I'm not sure what bothers me more, hypocrisies or that you have a disturbing attraction to fat male geeks.

Assuming he's a he, he didn't say he *currently* has an S.O. Your assumption of hypocrisy is, dare I say, a little presumptuous.

Yes. I did dare. And I feel better for it.

There's still that fat geek thing, though.

Re:Please retaliate.

[rasputin465]

So what you're saying is the more they tighten their grip, the more stars will slip through their fingers? =D

So maybe the industry's next move will be to build a death star and blast people who distribute music for free. Cool, then this is where all the skill I have at bullzeyeing womprats in my T-16 comes to good use, finally.

Re:No correction needed

[s16le]

Ah yes. It's evil only when you are making money doing it. By the way, try taking GPL'd code, bundling it into your application and distributing it as freeware but in binary form, but refusing to provide the source code. I don't think that GPL crowd would take to it kindly.

Fuck the GPL crowd, fuck their impotent rage, fuck their bulging neck veins and quivering chin-blubber. Let them whine and stamp their feet; no one can hear them in their basements. They can use their pudgy fingers to type out point-by-point rebuttals into a semen-encrusted keyboard. They can stain their t-shirts with cheeto dust and boob sweat. They can piss into another Mountain Dew bottle and cry themselves to sleep. Fuck the GPL crowd. I fully support GPL "thieves."

Re:Please retaliate.

[Adambomb]

Perhaps not, they've had time to review the mistakes of the past long long ago. You'll have to catch it under construction, blow up the shield generator.

And if they start focusing unknown weapons of hip-hop music, be sure to shout "ITS A RAP"

Think different. Think better. Think Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

He could if he had an iPhone. It cures cancer too.