Guitarist Vinnie Vincent has announced an unusual way to release his highly anticipated album Guitarmageddon, offering the entire record for US$2 million (approximately R$10 million at the current exchange rate).
According to the website Ultimate Classic Rock, the price allows the buyer direct access to the complete material before any conventional release. The package includes 10 finished songs in master format, as well as artwork files, posters, and cover layouts for CD or vinyl versions. The buyer will also be able to act as a kind of record label, deciding whether the album will be released in its entirety or track by track, in different formats.
Despite this, the agreement has some conditions. The buyer would not automatically receive the copyrights to the compositions, which would require separate negotiations. Furthermore, any marketing or release strategy would need Vinnie Vincent's approval. The proposal is reminiscent of rare initiatives in the music industry, such as the *Once Upon a Time in Shaolin's Wu-Tang Clan*, which was also sold as a single item for US$2 million in 2015.
Vinnie Vincent defends his release model
The proposal arose after a previous strategy failed to yield the expected results. Initially, Vincent planned to sell each song separately for around US$200, with numbered and autographed CDs – approximately R$1,250 and US$300, or around R$1,700 for international orders. Each track would only be produced and shipped if a thousand units were sold in advance – which could generate around US$200,000 per song. As the model did not reach the expected volume of buyers, the guitarist decided to reformulate the offer.
The guitarist argued that the model seeks to protect his work against piracy and illegal downloads, problems that, according to him, make it difficult for artists to receive fair payment for the music they produce. Regarding those who criticized the price, Vinnie Vincent stated that they are "emotionally disturbed" and are trying to disrupt his sales platform, claiming that people prefer to buy items from other artists instead of paying for his music.
“These are the same whiners who see no problem in paying $500 to a lip-syncing artist for a brick from a house he demolished, or $1,000 for a pair of sweaty, used socks. But you cry and complain like babies when VV [Vinnie Vincent] sells something at a price you don't like? Grow up!” he emphasized.
project Guitarmageddon has been eagerly awaited by fans for decades and represents Vincent's return with new material after a long period away from the spotlight. Even so, the guitarist made it clear that he prefers to keep the album unreleased rather than release it without the financial compensation he considers fair for his work.
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