Veteran singer/songwriter Ray Davies is following in the footsteps of Prince by releasing his new album in the United Kingdom as a giveaway with a national newspaper.
Former Kinks frontman Davies' "Working Man's Cafe" is due for release Oct. 29 in the United Kingdom and Europe on V2. However, on Oct. 21, it will appear as a "covermount" CD with the Sunday Times. The giveaway version will contain 10 tracks, while the retail version will have 12.
In July, rival newspaper the Mail on Sunday issued Prince's "Planet Earth" as a giveaway CD and sold 2.81 million editions, up by roughly 600,000 copies on a typical week.
In a statement, Davies claimed that his decision to give away the album was "about reaching as many people as possible. I'm incredibly proud of this LP and am truly excited that 1.5 million copies will be distributed to people who'll hear it organically, the way it was intended. It's an exciting opportunity I couldn't resist."
According to the U.K.'s Audit Bureau of Circulation, the Sunday Times' average circulation between July 30 and Aug. 30 this year was 1.19 million copies. The newspaper retails for £2 ($4.07).
"Working Man's Cafe" was recorded in Nashville and mixed at London's Konk Studios earlier this year. No U.S. release date has yet been set.
Davied will precede the new album's retail release with a one-off live performance at the Roundhouse venue in north London on Oct. 28, as part of the BBC-organised and broadcast Electric Proms concert series.
Former Kinks frontman Davies' "Working Man's Cafe" is due for release Oct. 29 in the United Kingdom and Europe on V2. However, on Oct. 21, it will appear as a "covermount" CD with the Sunday Times. The giveaway version will contain 10 tracks, while the retail version will have 12.
In July, rival newspaper the Mail on Sunday issued Prince's "Planet Earth" as a giveaway CD and sold 2.81 million editions, up by roughly 600,000 copies on a typical week.
In a statement, Davies claimed that his decision to give away the album was "about reaching as many people as possible. I'm incredibly proud of this LP and am truly excited that 1.5 million copies will be distributed to people who'll hear it organically, the way it was intended. It's an exciting opportunity I couldn't resist."
According to the U.K.'s Audit Bureau of Circulation, the Sunday Times' average circulation between July 30 and Aug. 30 this year was 1.19 million copies. The newspaper retails for £2 ($4.07).
"Working Man's Cafe" was recorded in Nashville and mixed at London's Konk Studios earlier this year. No U.S. release date has yet been set.
Davied will precede the new album's retail release with a one-off live performance at the Roundhouse venue in north London on Oct. 28, as part of the BBC-organised and broadcast Electric Proms concert series.
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