How Prince Made $10 Million from One Album With No Label!
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- Опубликовано: 7 ноя 2024
- How Prince's Crystal Ball album grossed over $10 million in direct-to-fan sales.
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It's been 3 years since Prince passed away from an apparent prescription drug overdose. As a major fan of Prince, I was inspired to scour through the web for interviews of one of my personal heroes. In my search, I stumbled on an hour-long interview given to Tavis Smiley during the time when Prince had changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, and was mostly known as “The Artist”. I had seen portions of this interview previously, but never in its entirety.
The interview is an important one because Prince is very candid about his views toward the business model of the traditional music industry, the importance of artists owning their masters, and his pioneering vision for independence. In one segment of the interview, he is asked about his declining record sales since leaving the Warner Brothers label, to which he responded “I sold 200,000 copies of Crystal Ball at $50.00 a pop. You can do the math on that.” Of course, I did the math, and if Prince was telling the truth, that’s a whopping ten million dollars! So, I decided to investigate the claim.
Crystal Ball was a 3CD box set released in 1998, and his first fully independent release since leaving Warner Bros (his previous effort, Emancipation, was distributed by EMI). The album was initially only available by phone order, and the original set contained 5 discs (including 2 bonus discs: an album called The Truth and an instrumental album by the NPG Orchestra called Kamasutra). In addition to direct phone order, the album was distributed to select retail stores after 2 months. As for Prince’s claim of selling 200,000 copies, research suggests he is not far off. Publicly available Nielsen Soundscan reports show that Crystal Ball sold at least 113,000 copies. Soundscan reports did not always account for international sales, and many direct-to-consumer sales (like Prince’s phone order system) also routinely went unreported. Given these facts and Prince’s determined stance against traditional industry norms, it is well within reason that he sold the 200,000 stated copies, bringing in gross revenues of about $10 Million.
While Prince was already a well established global icon in 1998, it is important to note that he accomplished this feat well before the days of iTunes and the digital revolution (though he clearly saw it coming). If Prince was able to do this back then, independent artists certainly have the ability to do the same now. We’ve seen it recently with artists like Nipsey Hussle, who sold 1000 copies of a limited edition mixtape for a whopping $100 each in 2013. The moral of the story is that when you control the rights to your music, it only takes a little creativity to make a huge impact on the world, and also on your bank account.
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Best line I ever heard Prince say about his recordings was : If you don't own your masters then the masters own you.
That is why we hear of so many of these artists selling their souls! Prince was ahead of the times in so many ways.
There was nothing average about Prince. He was truly magical, I don't think he was even from this world. He was music in human form.
YES MAAM.
3 good songs
@@tradinwarstoriez5641 my man this couldn’t be further from false. Prince has vast amount of music that exceed “good”. Go back and listen, he lives up to the hype...BIG TIME.
@@tradinwarstoriez5641 the hell you doing here
A very talented human plain and simple. STOP seperating ability from humanity.
I realised very late in my life that Prince was a one off. He was a man of many talents.
I did not understand what he all about? Now I do seeing all these artists bought and sold! He was fighting the establishment!
Actually Prince was a huge star for 20 years before 1998's Crystal Ball album. Debut album was in 1978.
How was he a huge star for 20 years prior to 98, but having his debut in 78😂
@@Flexibledataplanmeans he dropped a Molotov cocktail in his rookie season and was able to sustain his game with the same level of commitment to his craft and to be able to make goofiez like you speak ill wit no spill on da deal. He was having much motion and knowledge and Power as well.. I believe that he and Michael Jackson were both very major threats to their labels,(respectively). Especially when M.J. already owned nearly half of Sony Records and owned the entire Beatles catalog. Man say what y’all may but the 💰 is still the root of rotten… Prince was in a class of his own and he still went on to become 1️⃣ of our 🐐z! Rip to Both of Our Legends. Thanks for Your Dedication to leaving the 🌎 a severance package to hold us over til U, MJ, me and all da rest of da real 1️⃣s’ n my ma dukes, she offgate da ☝🏽 ima ask for da see off da ripple 🕊️all in all I was tryna say is that we all know the truth about this industry and the players but I ain’t no dam federali so take what you will n ll the goats Prince Rogers N Michael Joseph Jackson. 🕊️🙏🏽🙌🏾❤️
Prince was the first to create buying albums on line and streaming didn't get any credit for it. it wasn't going fast enough for him that's why he ditched it and said the internet is dead. He was way ahead of his time first to create emojis too in a sense 👁️💜U . He was brilliant on so many different levels
I understand why he said that back then about the internet being dead. But I don't understand why he wouldn't choose not to sell his music online in the 2010s, it would have been much more profitable and easier to do so, compared to the 90s.
@I Am I
You expect her to get credit because she wrote a sentence or two?
FACTS!!!!!..LOVE & MISS PRINCE 😢💜😇
I have PROFESSIONAL experience with how frequently SoundScan UNDER reports record sales. SoundScan only tracks American and Canadian record sales. And an artist of Prince's caliber would easily and often achieve combined record sales in Europe, Asia, Africa equal to or greater than those in North America.
So, yes, if SoundScan reported +113,000 records sold, Prince's total worldwide sales units very likely exceeded 200,000.
Prince = innovator
Not only he was musically talented. He was a business man.
Ownership is the key to everything not just in music any business ownership is what You will see you will have the fruits of your labor
Thanks so much man Prince is a Legend not only was he a gifted musician, but he knew the music business and learnt as much as he could. I am the lead vocalist and Manager of my original hard rock band and I am learning as much as I can about the business aspect of music.
Crystal Ball came out in 1997 New Power Soul was 1998. Beyonce wouldn't make as much money because she would have 2 pay writers,producers, session musicians, etc
Exactly, Prince knew how to do all that himself.
Talking bad about Beyoncé doesn't make prince look good
Dont know who you are. But am a 70 year old AFRO TRINIDAIAN retired gramps.I love and am proud of our Afro centered musical contributions to the world.And i will never give up on it. First time 'ave tuned in to you.What youre doing is absolutely necessary and amazing. Your flow and easily accessable approach in desseminating this "knowledge" is so so beautifully liberating and revolutionary. Keep doing it and never give up on the FUNK.Your presentation is extremely motivating thanks.
Nicely put
Prince sold CDs only at the concert if you attended for one of those albums. Buy a ticket and it came with a CD. I don't believe they were to be bought at a random store either. He did do a deal with Target though.
He did that concert thing with the Musicology album and it went platinum. He did the deal with Target, sold albums online and sometimes did one off distribution deals with labels if he made an album that he considered “commercial”.
That’s why I loved Prince. He was so creative, had so much integrity and he wasn’t afraid to take risks. He just did whatever he wanted at all times.
Unfortunately, there's nothing to learn here except these devils killed him for his efforts. LET'S CHANGE THAT😡😡😡
The number was 1-800-New-Funk with a compilation previously released of the same name, that also sold other exclusive Prince merch. Once he reached a certain amount of orders he also had an exclusive deal with Best Buy that carried a four CD version of the set. The three Crystal Ball albums + the all acoustic album The Truth. The 800 New Funk version of Crystals Ball which was also sold on his website at the time also came with the kamasutra disc which was an all instrumental ballot inspired by Mayte's dancing. This was the first album by an artist sold exclusively on the internet. o(+>
I ordered it online. He also created the mold selling online. He won a Webby.
That and buying his catalog marked his ass for death. What he did with Crystal ball was basically destroy the record companies. Funny how it was named Crystal Ball.
Thank you for the summary
Great video. I appreciate the information!!!❤️🎶🎤
I think Prince made more on the Musicology project. here he sold the CD with the purchase of a ticket on the tour.
Musicology was his biggest grossing tour ever
Thank you for this video. Huge Prince fan.
He sold 277k copies of Chrystal Ball. That comes to 13.85 million. Also, he did not get out of his WB contract by changing his name. It's very easy to research his problems with the industry. The hotline didn't work so well, but that's another story.
Do u mean 277 thousand?
Regina Fris.. do u mean 277 thousand?
@@gregorybell705 yes. Documented.
The Gold Experience was released on WB under the Symbol name.
I heard that all the time about prince persona its all about music industry since he wanna get out of contract at warner brothers
Prince was the man!!
Wilfred Bony out here making music vids on YT, I respec it
Nice video and delivery
What Prince didn't get credit for was his business acumen!!!🙏🙏🙏🤘🤘🤘
Thank you for your amazing knowledge i really appreciate it REST IN PEACE PRINCE!
Xo
Never realized the legal machinations behind that whole “The Artist” period.
a) It was not an "instrumental" album, but rather the ballet Kamasutra, nor was there an album with "live tracks." That was the 1997 acoustic album "The Truth." b) The album made $12.5 million, not $10 million, cuz he sold 250,000 copies.
a well engaged fanbase. 💯
Ryan Leslie made 2 mill off 17,000 units sold
That's true. Brandman Sean does a great breakdown of it on his channel.
I still haven't made sense of how those numbers add up
@Jonh benjamin Ryan doesn't just sell the music, what he's actually created is a pipeline that allows him to sell higher ticket items. That's the upsell. So those numbers don't just come from album sales alone. He sells the "experience" and that can be anything you want it to be. You just have to be very creative.
I bought "Crystal Ball" back then, & got a cool shirt with Prince on it..
Excellent video........very informative.
Thanks for watching!
nice video, there should be a video on how to create that cult like fan base
+Nick G funny you mention that. Stay tuned.
@@mastermusicmarketing when is that video coming haha
@@NotJoegoldberg here it is: ruclips.net/video/04ZMtfVcVQg/видео.html
@C. depends on both factors i guess
@@mastermusicmarketing ty!
It was 1-800-NEW-FUNK where we ordered it. It took forever to get but we got cassette versions of his song The War. I remember it vividly. I was 15 when that went down in 1998.
A cassette tape? You should have bought the CD.
@@C-Lyfe85 The War tape was free and Crystal Ball were CDs.
@@cassandraanne
Oh
So, does WB still own the Prince music rights?
200,000 isnt a lot of albums for that time though, for someone as big as Prince. Its less than half of a gold album.
Its very hard for someone starting out to get as big as Prince without the industry machine. I agree the labels are sharks but its almost impossible to get big without the industry. We've had internet for decades where artists can market direct to public but there are not many huge stars around just from the internet.
omg
Got to disagree with that, all it takes is viral fame and a little bit of $ to pay for a publishing company with b.m.i. and an account with Ditto/Distrokid and your set, you don't need a label for crap. The labels count on vulnerable young folks who think that upfront check is necessary when it isn't.
sure 200,000 isn't gold, but you're missing the point here. prince made alot more $$$ per album off crystal ball taking this direct to fans approach than he did off his albums that went platinum/gold. his most known albums sold alot more, but got far less of the sales revenue due to the label taking most of it. plus with crystal ball, didn't have to worry about recoupleables either. he pocketed $10 mil instead of the label pocketing most of that money while he get left with less than a million off sales.
to simplify it: prince made dollars, 50 at that, per album sold, instead of cents.
you can go platinum on a label (a million), but if you're only getting 40 cents per album sold (which most artists with artists deals get), then you'd only made $400,000.
vs
200, 000 (records sold) x 50 ($50 per album) = $10,000,000
platinum/gold status is just a another form of popularity, nothing more. what good is it that im super popular and sold millions when i can't even buy a new car with my fame/platinum records?
i don't know about you, but i believe the actual fortune im receiving will benefit me alot more than the fame/status of record sells.
@@yugang08 Now that's on my radar! Much love for that info
I love that vi hate when folks tell I need the gate keepers, no I need fans who like and will my self-made album, it's all about being self made.
You are incorrect. I bought Crystal Ball at Virgin Megastore right after it came out in 98
That was a point of contention with some fans, because apparently the ordering process for Crystal Ball was a mess. Then when it was released to record store chains, fans wondered why they had to order from the hotline in the 1st place.
@@TheBoomBoxGuru The one in stores didn't include the Kamasutra CD.
The Crystal Ball project ended up as BOX SET (rather than an album alone) WITH a record label (rather than without one).
1-800-New-Funk was the phone number.
FACTS
Prince and Micheal. We're really smart business-wise
It is absolutely AMAZING how he did that cuz I know that I bought my copy from blockbuster music as soon as my ex stepdad told my Mom to tell me that it had just came out.
nice!
That thumbnail HAS TO BE the pic they used to create the Prince puppet for that famous creepy Genesis 'Land of Confusion' video. Search it.....you will be disturbed.
Eye bought the original "ROUND CASE" then bought the basic square set later. Prince got $100 from me 😁😁
A name does not bind you to a contract. Him changing his name had nothing to do with his release from Warner’s.
Nice intro animation
Because Prince, was badass. Simple.
Lot of truth here...
Why can't yall ever just get to the point
Prince and Michael Jackson seen shit as a average consumer didn’t see they wasn’t lying
I bought mine from Musicland.
Interesting
I think the industry is still evil and DOES BEYONCE OWN HER OWN MUSIC???
No Beyonce doesn't own her music she been sold her soul along time ago
@@thepromiseman7745 Are you her accountant? You don't know what she owns
@@PhuckHue2 no one owns masters. Only label does . If try to own then Hollywood elites will killed you like prince ,mj , Whitney
Yes she does own her stuff
@@thepromiseman7745 yes she does and no she didn't
You went from Purple Rain to Crystal Ball A d never explained The other reason why he had beef with his label
What will he DO with that "$10,000,000" now? he is DEAD
BOTTOM LINE.....PRINCE WAS A VISIONARY
10 million representative of MN SOUND Musicology; Purple Rain pay per view grossed how much? Warn my Brothers' Keeper
When ur already on top, you get to use the same network as before, but no safety net, I guess.
Don’t forget how Soulja Boy revolutionized the industry for artist.
😂
Too close to the camera man back up a bit
That's my dog
Prince was too real, same with Hendrix
💯💯💯
bro move the camera back a bit it's too close lol
If you like this type of music, you may like ours!
Interesting.
"Did he really have a reason to lie to us?" He didn't have a compelling reason to be completely truthful. Prince played games throughout his career.
Nfts and social tokens are the wave of the future
But Van Halen were able to keep all of their masters off top.
YOU ARE WRONG!
cool
I think he won the battle but lost the war with the industry, as he then spent years complaining that he couldn't get his latest records played on the radio and other artists could.
Raw af brother thank you for all the game. Dope af.
No problem
He was prince !?! 99.9% of people do not have the talent or skill to be that successful. For the average musician this does not work unless you have millions of followers.
And there was nothing average about Prince. He was truly magical.
It’s true that Prince was extremely talented musically, and of course he had a head start on building a fan base because of his days on major labels. The lesson here is that no matter what level you’re on, you can take advantage of your active fan base by making special offers to them, beyond the typical music purchase.
@MissAntidote I disagree. Prince also had the drive and DISCIPLINE (key word) to make it happen. . .Anyone can do it if they push themselves to do so. . .
The fact that Prince had an already established fan base of millions helped him considerably in selling that much online. Truth!
I love that vi hate when folks tell I need the gate keepers, no I need fans who like and will my self-made album, it's all about being self made.