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How much is Prince worth?

06:13 PM PT, Apr 10 2008

Prince, Coachella, Perez HiltonAll day, rumors have been circulating on the Web regarding Prince securing a truly princely sum of $4 million and up for his performance at Coachella.

Wow. That's a lot of raspberry berets, doves or whatever Prince is spending his money on these days.

Coachella officials have declined to even discuss the rumors, but one industry executive close to the festival chuckled at the number and then scoffed at the notion that Perez Hilton, for instance, knows anything about anything. “Um, do you think maybe he just threw a dart up in the air?”

Well, maybe, but did that dart happen to land close to the real number? Doubt it, but the rumors bring up some important questions: How much is Prince worth to Coachella? Has anyone raced out to buy a ticket since hearing the Purple One has joined the bill?

Does any performer deserve $4 million for one performance? What about $1 million? $500,000? And how do these large sums of money sit with us when there is this and this going on in the world? Not to be a Peter Pan about it -- I realize the rock must go on -- but just how valuable are our diversions?

-- Margaret Wappler

Photo by Chris Carlson/Associated Press

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Well, I'm not a big concert goer. I like to sit down too much. But I used to be a big Prince fan when he (and I) were young. I don't think any artist is worth $4 mil (or any mil) for a couple of performances. But I do realize that with the advent of the internet and Itunes and piracy, it's hard for them to make any money off cd sales. And even before the internet, it was hard because the record companies took all the money. Touring is where they make their money and it costs a lot of money due to all the people you need to play and sing back-up, set up, tear down, buses, etc. So I won't begrudge him or any artist what they can make. Strike while you're hot. America isn't kind to the old and in a minute, Prince will be too old to do what he's known for.

Yes, Prince is WELL worth the 3 million plus price tag! The revenue that he will bring 2 the failing Festival will surely make up his cost.

The man is pricelsee and
I only wish I resided in LA, so I could attend the Fest!

He is the one current, performing artist to which this sum would be worth it. Did you see that superbowl performance? Dude! He is a musician, a performer and an artist.

I am shocked by this news! Prince is easily worth 4 BILLION dollars.

He does need to pay for that new hip of his. More power to him. Why do I care what he makes?

Whats anything worth? Is your writing worth what they pay you? I doubt it.

Saturday is already Sold-Out. So I dont't understand why they would add him on to the Line-up ?

No performer deserves $4 million. No human being deserves $4 million. But there are lots of people in the world who could benefit from $10.

This is still America and a person should make as much as someone is willing to pay. This should be between Prince and the entity willing to pay him.

Whatever the concert organizers pay him is their business. I only know that Coachella is something I didn't want to attend until I heard he was going to be there.

If any artist today is worth that amount, it would be Prince. 25 years after he started, he still puts on a show like no other performer in history! This man has made an album every year, EVERY YEAR, since his first, not to mention unreleased works. $4 million...that's a steal! I've never heard of Coachella before two days ago.

I've got tickets for each day, and yet I'll probably miss his performance. I go for the new artists, not the old.

Prince is awesome... but I still ain't layin' out $300 for a 3-day ticket. Bring back the single day tix, give me the opportunity to buy one for just Saturday... then, we'll see.

prince is one of the few superstars that will still show up at a local club to jam for hours, for free!(even after playing a concert)he's a true musician, so he deserves whatever the heck people are willing to pay!

Does a moron who flips a house in 2005 deserve to make $200,000 on a house in a bad neighborhood? Yes, because someone was willing to pay the price. Fortune comes to the bold. If you are attending and the ticket costs $295 for 3 days would you rather see Prince or Matchbox 20?? If the price is the same, you are going to always take the best bang for buck. Prince can make about any artist look like a chump. He knows great music and gives praise to them. Rock n' Roll is alive....

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