Prince album freebie draws industry ire
Prince: Music industry not happy
Also In The News
|
A century from veteran Graeme Hick gave Worcestershire a thrilling five-run win over Northamptonshire in the Twenty20 Cup. |  |
Saturday, 30, Jun 2007 06:36
The decision to give singer Prince's new album away with every copy of the Mail on Sunday in the UK has been condemned by the music industry.
Tomorrow's edition of the Sunday tabloid will come with the US musician's 24th studio album Planet Earth, which is not due for release until late July.
The Entertainment Retailers Association says the move "beggars belief".
"It is an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career," insisted Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the association.
But Stephen Miron, the Mail on Sunday's managing director, said that the music industry was failing to adapt to the evolution of covermounts, which have become standard practice for newspapers.
"They are living in the old days and haven't developed their businesses sufficiently. We can enhance their business," he said.
"They are being incredibly insular and need to move their business on."
Mr Quirk however said that the giveaway represented "another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music".
"The artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the artist formerly available in record stores," he added.
Prince is due to play 21 concerts across the UK later this year.