Listen to a pair of new, previously unheard Prince songs

The first previously unreleased Prince songs in two years hit streaming services today.

Prince’s estate and NPG Records released “All A Share Together Now” and “7 (E Flat Version)” to digital service providers worldwide, although oddly enough not to Tidal, the streamer Prince personally endorsed. “All A Share Together Now” is a jazzy blues number that was recorded on Sept. 4, 2006. Here’s the audio track on YouTube:

“7 (E Flat Version)” is a radically different take on Prince’s 1992 hit “7,” which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Here’s the new version on YouTube:

It’s worth noting that 16 years ago today — July 7, 2007 — Prince famously played a trio of Minneapolis shows at Macy’s, Target Center and First Avenue.

The two recordings were previewed last month at Paisley Park’s Celebration 2023, where attendees were given the tracks on a cassette-shaped USB.

Prince was notorious for his vault filled with unheard music and the years after his 2016 death saw the release of two compilations of demos (“Piano and a Microphone 1983” and “Originals”), deluxe versions of his biggest albums (“Purple Rain,” “1999” and “Sign O’ the Times”) and the studio album “Welcome 2 America.” The latter came out in July 2021, leaving fans wondering why it took two years to hear more unreleased music.

The White Stripes’ Jack White acquired the rights to issue Prince’s unreleased 1986 album “Camille” on Third Man Records last year, but it has yet to materialize.