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Prince gives away latest album free in Sunday newspaper
• Music retailers enraged at snub
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By
Miss Tek-ee, contributing editor
Sunday,
15 July, 2007
Pop star Prince has sparked fury among music retailers by giving away millions of copies of his latest album "Planet Earth" in a British Sunday newspaper.
The newspaper, the Mail on Sunday containing the free CD, has also been available on sale in HMV record shops further enraging the UK's struggling retail music sector .
The controversial singer, who is well known for his run-ins with the music establishment, is giving away copies of 'Planet Earth' in the Mail on Sunday and also at a series of London concerts starting next month.
Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association, said Prince's decision to give away the album, which is not scheduled to go on sale until July 24 "beggared belief".
"The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores. It's an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career," Quirk added.
The innovative funk artist, who has sold 80 million albums world-wide with ground-breaking works like "Purple Rain," is unrepentant.
He said: "It's direct marketing and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now."
The Naked Reader
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