

Prince: "The Internet's completely over,"  - vvatsa
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/07/internet-over-outta-time-prince-releases-tunes-like-its-1999.ars

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Hagelin
For some insight into the world of Prince, watch Kevin Smith tell his Prince
story (from his DVD: An evening with Kevin Smith).

Part 1: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy_cLJ19HMg>

Part 2: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9O130NYr_4>

Part 3: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCm4Jxo3ltE>

Part 4: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo0LbQzdz1A>

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jeb
Perhaps it makes sense. Artists will soon make their money via concerts.
Prince has a series of concerts coming up. He has a huge old-school fan base,
so does not need to get his songs out there (people already know him).

His new songs then are more 'rare' among his core demographic (not teens) ->
driving more people to his concerts, where he makes the money.

Remember that prince, back in 2001 ALREADY jumped on the internet bandwagon.
He offered his songs for download then - he is not anti-internet, he has tried
it and has changed his model.

Remember, this dude makes 50million USD a year, more that most of you will
make if your startup sells for a huge amount of money. He knows what he's
doing.

~~~
chunkyslink
There is some truth in this however a few things bother me

1\. Of all the newspapers he is associating his brand with a cheap tabloid.
Under no circumstances would I ever give money to a newspaper like this so he
has lost my me already. As there are no other ways of getting this legally - I
am only left with the pirating option

2\. 'In Rainbows' by Radiohead was profitable for the group (and they have
somethings in common with Prince - like an established fan base) using the
internet model of 'pay what you want' for the download. This made the band
look good and still provided them with a profit.

Prince is doing himself no favours by acting in this way.

~~~
astrodust
The Artist Formerly Known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince is no
stranger to doing things that hurt his career.

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erikstarck
This came in my Twitter feed. Kind of funny:

 _So Prince is giving away his CD via a newspaper. Kids everywhere are saying
- "Who is doing what with a what via a what?"_

Original: <http://twitter.com/andres_sehr/status/17929286252>

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kenshi
If Prince can make more money doing deals with newspapers than online music
distributors, then he is making a smart business decision.

Prince already has a legion of die hard fans. He doesn't need the internet to
build an audience or distribute his music. He, like everyone else, also knows
that his music will end up on the internet through unofficial channels. So why
bend-over and do a suboptimal deal?

He does however need it to maintain buzz, hype and notoriety. Telling everyone
the internet "is over" has spread his message about his new album and his own
brand to the least likely places. I mean... he's on the front page of Hacker
News and Ars Technica. I'm pretty sure I first saw this story on Reddit too. I
bet if I read Digg I would see it there too.

If anything Prince has demonstrated his understanding of the internet
audience. He's told the cool kids they aren't cool and that their favourite
toy is out of fashion. Needless to say they are pissed and talking about it.

The last time I heard anything about Prince was.... when he released his last
album via a newspaper deal.

As jeb said earlier: Prince knows what he is doing.

~~~
keefe
mmmeeehhh or the inertia of fame got him a bit of undeserved attention.

------
jleyank
Prince will call his own bluff when he doesn't use internet sales for his
upcoming concert series. Yep, phone and on-site sales only, just like waiting
for Jethro Tull back in '76. Given that the internet's washed up, how else to
get tix into people's hands?

Given that on-line sales usually equals Ticketmaster sales, this might not be
a bad thing...

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paulnelligan
I find it weird that he said that the internet was once 'cool and hip', yet
filed lawsuits against anyone and their grandmother for putting his content
online without license.

Um, prince, what made (makes) the internet cool is the free flow of content
and information. Many 'modern' bands use this to launch their careers.

~~~
confuzatron
I might say that New York is also cool and hip, but that doesn't mean I'd be
fine with being mugged in New York.

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DjDarkman
One musician vs. the whole Internet.... I wonder who will win in the end....

~~~
vvatsa
Well the "Internet's" is a FAD like MTV, so who know ;)

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tfh
_The Internet: "Prince is completely over,"_

~~~
lurkinggrue
Me: Prince is still making music?

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zephyrfalcon
Is this real? It reads like some parody or prank or something.

~~~
vvatsa
Totally real, read the actual interview here:
[http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/07/05/prince-
world-...](http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/07/05/prince-world-
exclusive-interview-peter-willis-goes-inside-the-star-s-secret-
world-115875-22382552/)

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erikstarck
The Internet replies: "Prince should stick to making music."

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mikecane
Prince believes in Chemtrails and also recommends using the Internet to
research them: [http://mikecane.tumblr.com/post/780660047/prince-is-all-
scre...](http://mikecane.tumblr.com/post/780660047/prince-is-all-screwed-up)

[typo edit]

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zandorg
I'd love to see an Internet-themed prog rock album from Prince.

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openfly
Honestly, prince is pretty much cooler than anyone on the internets. I think
we would do well to heed his advice.

~~~
blueben
What advice? To shutter the 30+ year old global information network upon which
entire economies now depend and that at least a third of our species
participates in because Prince doesn't like it anymore?

~~~
openfly
Pancakes...

------
lurkinggrue
In other news: Prince was seen shouting at children who were standing on his
lawn.

