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Prince Gets Relabeled

Prince is hopping back into bed with Columbia Records.

The artist has signed with the label to distribute his upcoming album, Planet Earth, which is due for release in North America on July 24, marking the culmination of a worldwide launch beginning July 16.

Prince last partnered with Columbia for the release of 2004's Musicology. His chart-topping 2006 album, 3121, was distributed by Universal Records.

"Planet Earth is a fantastic album and promises to be a musical milestone for Prince," Sony Music President Rob Stringer said in a statement Monday.  "The Columbia label is thrilled to be working with an iconic artist like Prince in this exciting stage of his amazing career."

"Guitar," the first single from the album, was released on radio Monday, and will be available free online for a limited time through Verizon Wireless. 

The album is slated to hit stores shortly before Prince kicks off his world tour on Aug. 1 with 21 consecutive shows in London. The first 15 shows sold out in record time, while the remaining six go on sale next week.

Next month, the Purple One is slated to participate in a über-pricey summer concert series in the Hamptons, along with Billy Joel, Dave Matthews, Tom Petty and James Taylor.

Tickets to the exclusive event, dubbed Social, will set concertgoers back a whopping $15,000 and only 1,000 passes will be sold, organizers said.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times Buzz Bands blog reported last month that Prince was close to finalizing a deal to play a seven-week residency at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel, where he'll be staying all summer while rehearsing for his tour.

If everything goes as planned, the artist will perform every Friday at the hotel's Blossom Room at 11:30 p.m. At 2 a.m., his private chef will take over the kitchen at Roosevelt's Dakota restaurant, which will turn into an after-hours supper club where Prince will entertain diners as part of a jazz ensemble until 4 a.m.

The string of shows was expected to begin this Friday, but there has been no formal announcement yet.

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