Prince Launches Online Store
Prince may have just signed a deal with major label Columbia Records, but that doesn’t mean he’s playing ball completely. The iconoclastic pop star — who once characterized a previous record contract with Warner Bros. as “institutional slavery” — is bypassing iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster in favor of his own Musicology Download Store at his site, npgmusicclub.com.
The store features albums for $9.99 and individual tracks for 99 cents. Members of Prince’s NPG fan club may purchase tracks for 77 cents. The store carries Prince’s new material but not his most popular catalog works, like the 13 million-selling Purple Rain soundtrack, which are available through popular online music services.
Prince’s new album, Musicology, will hit record stores on April 20th, and he continues his U.S. tour Monday night in Los Angeles.
Prince tour dates:
3/29: Los Angeles, Staples Center
3/30: Bakersfield, CA, Centennial Gardens
3/31: Phoenix, Glendale Arena
4/2: Dallas, American Airlines Center
4/6: Oklahoma City, Ford Center
4/7: Omaha, NE, Qwest Center
4/8: Ames, IA, Hilton Coliseum
4/10: Champaign, IL, Assembly Hall
4/12: Indianapolis, Conseco Fieldhouse
4/13: Cincinnati, U.S Bank Arena
4/14: Pittsburgh, Mellon Arena
4/16: Columbus, OH, Value City Arena/Schottenstein Center
4/17: Cleveland, Gund Arena
4/18: State College, PA, Bryce Jordan Center
4/21: Columbia, SC, Colonial Center
4/22: Knoxville, TN, Thompson-Boling Arena
4/23: Raleigh, NC, RBC Center
4/25: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Office Depot Center
4/26: Tampa, FL, St. Pete Times Forum
4/27: Jacksonville, FL, Veterans Memorial Arena
4/29: Birmingham, AL, BJCC Coliseum
4/30: Atlanta, Philips Arena
5/1: Biloxi, MI, Mississippi Coast Coliseum
5/4: Kansas City, MO, Kemper Arena
5/5: St. Louis, MO, Savvis Center
5/6: Nashville, TN, Gaylord Entertainment Center
5/24: Anaheim, CA, Arrowhead Pond
5/26, 28: Los Angeles, Staples Center
5/29-30: Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Events Center
6/1: San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion
6/12: Bossier City, LA, CenturyTel Center
6/16-17: St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
6/20: Detroit, Palace at Auburn Hills
6/24: Milwaukee, Marcus Amphitheater
6/25-26: Chicago, Allstate Arena
7/12-14: New York, Madison Square Garden
7/16, 18: East Rutherford, NJ, Continental Airlines Arena
8/9: Atlanta, Philips Arena
8/12: Washington, DC, MCI Center
8/17-18: Boston, FleetCenter
8/22-23: Philadelphia, Wachovia Center