Prince refuses internet downloads

US musician Prince has disallowed his new album from being available on the internet.

According to the Daily Mirror, the Purple Rain singer said that the internet is 'completely over' as a way of distributing music.

His new album, 20Ten was given away to Daily Mirror readers last weekend (July 10th) and he has banned YouTube and iTunes from using his music, as well as closing down his own official website.

According to the newspaper, the artist is having 'ongoing battles against internet abuses'.

'I really believe in finding new ways to distribute my music,' he said, despite research by the Entertainment Retailers Association, which showed that record sales of the singer have plummeted ever since he gave away his last album, Planet Earth, through a newspaper in 2007.

Illegal downloading has been a contentious issue for musicians who rely on copyright to make their living.

However, UK band Radiohead released their 2007 album online, asking fans to pay whatever they wanted for the music.