Prince - 20Ten 2010

 

20Ten is the thirty-fifth studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on July 10, 2010, by NPG Records as a free covermount with the Daily Mirror and Daily Record in the UK and Ireland,^[2] and Het Nieuwsblad and De Gentenaar in Belgium.^[3] It was also released on July 22, 2010, with Rolling Stone magazine in Germany,^[4] and Courrier International in France.^[5]

The album was produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota.^[6][7] It is his thirty-third studio album released in the UK.^[8] 20Ten contains musical elements of funk, pop, rock, and soul music.^[9] Some titles of the tracks from the album were revealed as clues in Prince's song "Cause and Effect" which was released to radio earlier in 2010.

 

Prince revealed the name of the album when receiving a lifetime achievement award at the 2010 BET Awards in June 2010.^[7] He stated to the Daily Mirror that he chose the title because, "I just think it's a year that really matters. These are very trying times."^[11] He considered the album a personal diary of the year.^[12]

Over 2.5 million copies were distributed by Trinity Mirror, the publisher of the Daily Mirror and Daily Record. Prince was featured in the publications, to which he granted his first interview in a British newspaper in over 10 years.^[2] The issue of the Mirror cost 65 pence; the album was not available as a digital download or in retail stores.^[13] Prince stated to the Mirror that this method of releasing the album was "the best way to go... no charts, no internet piracy and no stress,"^[14] although the album is easily available for illegal download via peer-to-peer networks.^[15] The publisher released that sales of the Daily Mirror increased by 334,000, and sales of The Daily Record increased by 45,000 copies on the day it included the album.^[16]

Prince released his album Planet Earth in July 2007 under a similar arrangement with the British newspaper The Mail on Sunday. No plans for a U.S. release have even been announced.^[7]

On October 8, 2010, Prince told French radio station Europe 1 that he was reportedly planning on releasing an updated edition of the album called 20Ten Deluxe.