Nearly 3 million copies of Prince's new album was released with copies of The Mail on Sunday yesterday, and will also be handed out for free at a series of London concerts beginning in August.

Giving away an album on the front of a newspaper or magazine, a tactic known as “covermount” started in the 1980s, when “floppy” singles would be given away to promote an album. Prince's weekend giveaway angered the Entertainment Retailers Association, the trade body for shops who sell music, because he gave away the entire Planet Earth album, not just a sampling.

Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the association, said the giveaway insulted record stores and “beggared belief.”

“The Artist Formerly Known as Prince should know that with behaviour like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores,” he said.

The Mail on Sunday defended Prince. Peter Wright, the newspaper's editor, praised the decision, saying “Prince has done this because he makes most of his money these days as a performing artist.”

Wright confirmed the newspaper paid Prince for the license to produce the CD, and also paid to press and distribute it, but hoped to make money by selling extra copies of the paper and extra advertising. The promotion is believed to be worth about 250,000 pounds.

Prince made no apologies to the music industry for his marketing technique.

“It's direct marketing and I don't have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now,” he said.

Prince's last album, 3121, sold 80,000 copies in the United Kingdom.