I would say Lovesexy but I think he's released some very good albums since.

I think the Gold Experience could have been great if it included, Interactive, Come and Acknowledge and left out We March.

Very Good albums release since Lovesexy.

Batman, Diamonds And Pearls, Symbol, The Gold Experience, The Rainbow Children, 3121, Planet Earth.

solid album : 3121

amazing album: lovesymbol

mancabdriver said:

No im afraid those terrible raps spoilt that record

optimus said:

i meant great - amazing was taking it too far.

Anxiety said:

yup and it might get ugly too in here cause some folks seem to get annoyed at others if they like an album they don't like, some people go there with that.... *gets the popcorn now*

To be brutally honest, his last great album was Lovesexy, because it was the last to offer anything new and anything we did not already know about his genius.

Hes had a lot of good and very good albums but nothing that could be termed classic 5 star stuff or A grade.

Very good albums like 3121, Gold Experience and Come were very pleasing and you can respect them forever, theyre danceable and they rock, but they all sound like Prince putting through solid and predictable music but nothing truly innovative. Albums that are flawless but just not inventive enough to be called great. Like a university B+ grade, very passable, good and the rest but not exceptional like an A.
Good albums like PE, Muiscology, Rave, Emancipation and Diamonds and Pearls are like the very goods, but suffer from bad song positioning, weak or mediocre filler tracks amongst the nuggets. Why do we need Jughead, Mr Happy, Reflection and 4 Blank seconds in amongst the Saviours, Cream, Lion of Judah and Greatest Romance ever sold. With Lovesexy a great album, you can listen to it all the way through and still get a buzz.

Grading the albums I have heard

Great
Dirty Mind, 1999, Purple Rain, Parade, Sign (Greater than great), Black Album, Lovesexy

Very Good (Even an album here is a real highlight)
Controversy, Come, Gold Experience, 3121 (Its one of his best), Ultimate (The extended jams), The Hits 3 B sides (17 DAYS and Erotic City are great by themselves)

Good (Most albums fall into this category)
4U, Prince, ATWIAD, Batman, Grafitti Bridge (Some of it is great eg Joy in Repetition, still would stand all time, but its bogged down with filler like Elephants and Flowers and Melody Cool), Diamonds and Pearls, Emancipation, Rave, Musicology, Planet Earth, Indigo Nights, The Hits/1 and 2

So so
Symbol, TRC, Very best of Prince (Just hits and edited)

Poor
Newpower soul, Chaos and Disorder,

I dunno the answer cuz what id consider great would differ greatley to the next orger , I love most of his albums to be honest...even if I dont love every song, Rave, Musicology and 3121 I enjoyed immensley, much more than the "fan" faves like Lovesexy and The Rainbow Children. Ofcourse most of my fave albums are from the 90's...so there would be no point in me expressing an opinion cuz id get stoned!

I think MUSICOLOGY is solid all the way through.

David

last great album: 3121

runner up - the rainbow children

last masterpiece - the gold experience