With print media and the music industry both chasing rainbows online it is interesting to see Prince giving away 3 million copies of his new CD, Planet Earth, with The Mail in London this weekend. Here is what his website has to say, in part:
Always a musical innovator and icon, Prince is once again leading the charge into a new music distribution landscape, redefining tradition and setting new precedents. As well as having taken the innovative step of giving copies of his new album “Planet Earth” away with concert tickets to his London O2 dates, Prince has new plans of putting music directly into the hands of fans. In association with the Mail on Sunday publication, Prince will deliver his new album “Planet Earth” to nearly 3 million readers in the UK on July 15th.
This plan has shocked the music industry and set local retailers into chaos causing major controversy about the new future of music retailing as presented by Prince.
Kenyon Farrow makes some good points about the move by Prince at his blog.
While a free CD from Prince will not, of itself, alter the commercial fortunes of newspapers or music, it will be disruptive enough to get music and newspaper bosses looking outside the square as they navigate their future in challenged marketplaces.