Prince To Release Two New Albums On Same Day

(CBS SF/AP) - Prince is about to serve up some new music.

The singer announced Monday that he would release "Art Official Age" on Warner Bros. Records, the label he was signed to from 1978 to the mid-1990s before entering a legal battle for the rights to his music.

The 56-year-old pop icon reached a deal with Warner in April, earning the rights to the songs he recorded on the label.

Prince released key projects like "Purple Rain," "1999," "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Around the World in a Day" on Warner. The agreement with the label comes years after his relationship with Warner soured as he failed to gain possession of the music he recorded for the label. Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and wrote the word "slave" on his cheek. He also vowed to rerecord the 17 albums he released on the label and sell them on his own.

After Warner, Prince began releasing music in 1996 over the Internet, and struck deals with Arista Records and Columbia Records, where he saw a comeback with the Grammy-winning "Musicology" in 2004.

"Art Official Age" was described in a news release as a mix of "soul, R&B and funk." It's his first album since 2010's "20Ten."

Prince will also release the album "PlectrumElectrum" with his all-female band 3RDEYEGIRL, which includes guitarist Donna Grantis, drummer Hannah Ford Welton and bassist Ida Nielsen.

Prince and the trio performed in San Francisco in March of this year during their "Hit & Run" tour. Liam Mayclem sat down Prince's protégé girl group to discuss their single and performing in the Bay Area.

Both "Art Official Age" and "PlectrumElectrum" will be released on Sept. 30. The albums are available for pre-order.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories