It’s rare for Prince to have anything to do with the Internet. The artist has forbade streaming of his music or concert videos. And he’s got some nasty lawyers backing him up. But lately Prince has been showing up online and giving some serious backing to Jay-Z’s Tidal music streaming website.
Prince has released two new albums this year on Tidal. First to hit cyberspace was the surprise release Hit N Run: Phase Two. Of course Prince, being the Prolific One, the record was the follow up to Phase One released in September on Tidal. Both albums can be purchased as bundle on the Tidal website.
In the music industry Prince is power. His signing with Tidal this past summer signals that he is backing Jay-Z’s effort to make Tidal work for artists. In a statement Prince said, “After one meeting, it was obvious that Jay-Z and the team he has assembled at Tidal recognize and applaud the effort that real musicians put into their craft to achieve the very best they can at this pivotal time in the music industry.”
In a September press release Jay-z said, “Prince has always been a visionary, a free-thinker. We’re honored to offer his breadth of work, “1999,” “Purple Rain,” etc., music that has inspired so many, on Tidal. We’re also excited to be the home for his new upcoming album, HITNRUN. Both Prince and Tidal share the belief that all creatives should have the opportunity to speak directly to those that love and support them. This partnership with Prince represents Tidal’s philosophy in its truest form, a 1 to 1 connection and direct delivery of artistry to the world.”
This move is not the only thing indicating that his Royal Purpleness has soften his attitude toward cyberspace. Prince has permitted his legendary Coachella 2008 rendition of Radiohead’s Creep to finally enter the cyber realm. Prince is not normally open to having his work on the Internet and has sued those who have posted his work online. The performance dates back to 1992 and the Royal Rocker has blocked it from being seen online until now.
Comments are closed