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The Mail on Sunday's plan to give away Prince's new album for free has drawn harsh complaints from CD retailers with one executive describing it as "madness". Music industry insiders say the newspaper is in talks with the pop star to issue his latest album as a free covermount.
The plan follows the Mail on Sunday's giveaway of Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells, which sparked a row with the musician over the effect on sales. Oldfield attacked music company EMI for agreeing to give away Tubular Bells in the paper, but the Mail on Sunday responded by saying it actually lifted the album's sales in the shops.
The Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) made no secret today of its anger over the Prince plans, saying the rumour of a giveaway 'beggars belief'. "It would be an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career," ERA co-chairman Paul Quirk told a music conference. "It would be yet another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music."
"If it turns out to be the case - and we're still trying to get to the bottom of it - The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour 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."
He went on to warn the music industry not to take record stores for granted.
"How can you expect record stores to support you if you then do deals which threaten the very basis of UK record retailing." High street music giant HMV was similarly scathing about the plans. "I think it would be absolutely nuts if Prince's album was given away by the Mail on Sunday," said HMV chief executive Simon Fox. "I can't believe the music industry would do it to itself. I simply can't believe it would happen, it would be absolute madness."
Prince also plans to give away a free copy of his new album with each ticket sold for his upcoming string of concerts in London. The singer had signed a global deal as well for the promotion and distribution of his new album in partnership with Columbia Records, a division of music company Sony BMG.
A spokesman for the group said today that the UK arm of Sony BMG had withdrawn from Prince's global deal fearing damage to its relationship with retailers. "We think it the right thing to do in the difficult retail market," he said. "We are delighted Prince has come back to a major label but this makes sense for the UK."
The Mail on Sunday could not immediately be reached for comment. The Associated Newspaper title has maintained in the past that its covermount CDs of artists such as Simply Red, Madness and Dolly Parton stimulates interest in music.
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