Prince Pulls His Music From Streaming Sites

Prince has pulled all of his music from most streaming services in a new chapter in his rocky relationship with the internet.

A message that appeared on Spotify said the singer's publisher "has asked all streaming services to remove his catalogue".

Spotify said: "We have cooperated with the request, and hope to bring his music back as soon as possible."

Tidal, which was re-launched by Jay Z earlier this year and has tried with mixed success to win audiences through exclusive content, is now the only streaming service which carries the Purple Rain singer's music.

It streamed much of a peace concert held by Prince in May in Baltimore in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.

Prince was an early enthusiast of online music but in 2010 declared that the internet was "completely over" and released an album only as a CD insert to several European newspapers.

The famously eccentric singer abruptly left social media last year, but recently returned to Twitter to promote his Hit And Run tour in which he announces shows with little advance notice.

Streaming - which offers on-demand, unlimited music - has been controversial among many artists who believe that they are not sufficiently compensated.

Prince's move comes barely a day after Apple launched a new streaming platform that has led some of those holding their music back to change their minds.

Taylor Swift agreed to stream her hit album 1989 only on Apple Music after the company stepped up compensation to artists in response to her complaints.

Hard rock icons AC/DC also joined streaming platforms after long refusing.

Remaining artists who resist streaming include the copyright holders of The Beatles and country giant Garth Brooks.