Planet Earth (Prince album)
Occupation
- Vocals: Prince
- Guitar: Wendy Melvoin
- Bass: Joshua Coleman Dunham
- Drums: Cora Coleman Dunham, Sheila E.
- Saxophone: Mike Philipps, Maceo Parker
- Trombone: Greg Boyer
- Trumpet: Lee Hogan
- Keyboard: Renato Neto, Morris Hayes, Lisa Coleman
- Guest and backing vocals: Shelby J., the Twinz,
Planet Earth is the 32nd studio album by American musician Prince. It made headlines in summer 2007, when Prince released the album by playing it - let free in the British Sunday newspaper The Mail on Sunday enclose - without permission of the label, Columbia Records.
Genesis
The album was released on 15 July, 2007 in the UK as a CD accompaniment to the Sunday newspaper The Mail on Sunday. Across the United Kingdom not a normal CD version was released. In addition, the album was released in the rest of the world until a week later, in Germany on July 20th and in America only on 24 July. Columbia Records reacted angrily and terminated all contracts with the artist that affected the UK. As a secondary publication in the UK, the CD was sold along with the concert tickets his 2007 tour. The chain HMV sold for this reason the Sunday newspaper in the normal range.
On the album numerous guest musicians, members and former members of The New Power Generation are represented. In particular, this is to mention the collaboration with guitarist Wendy Melvoin and keyboardist Lisa Coleman, who already participated in Purple Rain. Furthermore, can be heard on the album, saxophonist Maceo Parker.
Success
In the charts the success was rather decent, although it has been praised by various media high. In the U.S. Billboard charts, the album reached number # 3 and sold in the opening week 96,000 times. Thus, the album reached just half of its predecessor 3121, which in its first week sold 183,000 times in 2006. In Germany, the album peaked at number # 7 of the album charts and stayed there for six weeks in the charts. Also, although the singles were in the Top 100, a high ranking they did not reach, however.
The song Future Baby Mama came to the U.S. airplay charts and received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R & B song.
Title list
Prizes and awards
- Grammy Award ( Best R & B Performance: Future Baby Mama )
- Album Of The Month ( Rolling Stone Magazine )
Singles
- Guitar ( 9 July 2007)
- Chelsea Rodgers ( 6 August 2007)
- Future Baby Mama (Radio extraction )