Prince Estate Releases 'Timeless,' Defends Curation Strategy Against Fan Backlash

Key points

• The album 'Timeless' features unreleased tracks from each decade of Prince's career, including the 2012 ballad 'Bestest Friend' and the 1981 version of 'Tick Tick Bang.'
• Estate co-manager L. Londell McMillan stated that nearly 200 unreleased recordings have been released since Prince's death in 2016, countering claims of fan impatience.
• The estate is preparing a 'Purple Rain' musical for Broadway in March and April 2027, produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and his father.
• McMillan noted that the estate is approximately 50% through digitizing its vast archive, which includes tens of thousands of assets across various formats.
• A jukebox-style film, similar to 'Mamma Mia!', is in production with Ryan Coogler and Universal Studios, while a biopic remains in discussion.

Background

Prince died in April 2016 without a will, leading to legal battles that concluded in 2022 with a split between Primary Wave and Prince Legacy LLC. The estate has previously released expanded albums and the 2010 album 'Welcome 2 America.' In 2025, Netflix shelved a nine-hour documentary by Ezra Edelman due to estate objections regarding unsubstantiated allegations. The recent success of the Michael Jackson estate's Broadway show and film has intensified scrutiny on the Prince estate's release schedule.

How outlets are covering it

Rolling Stone highlights McMillan's defense of the estate's pace, noting his claim that fans are 'very patient' and that critics are 'provocateurs.' Stereogum focuses on the musical quality of 'Bestest Friend,' describing it as a 'lush, heavily orchestrated' soul ballad that appears entirely new. Yahoo emphasizes the career-spanning nature of the album, framing it as a commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Prince's death. Tinnitist provides minimal detail, focusing on the album's release as a weekly feature. McMillan contrasts the Prince estate's preservation model with the Michael Jackson estate's asset-selling approach, arguing that the latter generates more immediate revenue but that the Prince estate prioritizes long-term curation.

Why it matters

The release of 'Timeless' addresses long-standing fan demands for new material from Prince's extensive vault. It also signals a shift in the estate's strategy, moving from anniversary-driven box sets to curated, decade-spanning compilations. The upcoming Broadway musical and jukebox film indicate a broader effort to reintroduce Prince's music to younger generations through modern formats, potentially influencing how other legacy estates manage their archives.

What to watch

The estate plans to release more music later in 2026 and early 2027, including a project related to the album '3121.' The 'Purple Rain' musical is scheduled for Broadway in March and April 2027. A jukebox film is in production, and a biopic remains in discussion, though no release date has been announced. The estate is also working on live concert footage and video packages to support future music releases.