In 2004, a digital download of the album was offered through the NPG Music Club.
N.E.W.S. was the second instrumental album in succession, and contained only four tracks, each exactly 14:00 long. At the time of release, Prince’s succession of releases from 2001-3 indicated that he was entering into a more permanent jazz/funk territory for his music, although his return to vocal pop music the following year with Musicology and later releases confirms that this was a more temporary era.