POP/ROCK - March 18, 1987

Prince’s new album, “Sign ‘O’ the Times,” won’t be in the stores until March 30, a week later than the scheduled release date. A spokesman for Warner Bros. Records said Tuesday the label is delaying the two-record set because Prince has a hit in the album’s title track and Warners wants to give it an extra week of airplay without competition from 15 other new Prince songs. The single has shot to No. 24 on the national sales chart since its release three weeks ago, and Warners expects to ship about 500,000 albums--which have a suggested $15.98 price tag.