Prince’s Music Vault, Post-1995 Albums To Be Released By Universal

Prince Rogers Nelson might no longer be with us, but his music lives on. Universal Music Group is making sure of that as they will be releasing material from the late singer's legendary music vault, including albums released after 1995.

The announcement was made by the singer's estate on Thursday after they had reached an agreement with Universal Music Group to release music he recorded after 1995 as well as all of the materials in his vault, according to a report from The New York Times. The deal also includes the 25 albums he released under his NPG label, including "Emancipation", "Musicology", and "3121.".

Prince formed NPG records in the mid-1990s after he and Warner Bros. were at odds with one another over the artistic and financial control of his music. He returned to Warner Bros. in 2014 and released "Art Official Age." The contents of the "Purple Rain" singer's vault are a stuff of legend among his fans, but they have never been revealed. The announcement made by his estate last Thursday only said that it included live and demo recordings, and outtakes.

However, in an earlier report from Rolling Stone, Paisley Park employees stated that the vault contains "thousands of hours of unheard live and studio material." The full details of the agreement have yet to be disclosed, but it is the latest in a series of deals that Universal Music Group has been having with the deceased singer's estate to secure the rights to use his musical brand and celebrity. Last November, Universal became the publishing administrator for his songwriting catalog. The company also struck a merchandising deal with Prince's estate this past January.

Universal chairman Lucian Grainge issued a statement saying that all of the deals struck with the estate "absolute honor" and said that the company was "committed to honoring Prince's legacy and vision by creating the highest quality products and services." While the deals give Universal a powerful edge in Prince's posthumous business, Warner Bros. remains one of their chief competitors as they still maintain the rights to release most of his popular songs in the U.S. This was due to the label's original contracts with the singer and a renegotiation three years ago.