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Thread started 01/22/18 5:46pm

lonelyalien

Prince album covers best and worst

Prince's album covers are pretty piss poor in my opinon they always seem like an afterthought I think he just let the music do the talking my best and worst are as follows. what are yours?

1.Around the world in a day (best)

2. Prince (worst)

I'm just like everybody else I need love.....and water.
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Reply #1 posted 01/22/18 6:20pm

luv4u

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canada

Ohh purple joy oh purple bliss oh purple rapture!
REAL MUSIC by REAL MUSICIANS - Prince
"I kind of wish there was a reason for Prince to make the site crash more" ~~ Ben
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Reply #2 posted 01/23/18 9:18am

namepeace

luv4u said:

http://prince.org/msg/7/419357


Fair but l/a ain't been around that long and very few topics are completely original. So I'll bite.

Best: Most come from the Golden Age -- Sign O' The Times, Parade, 1999, Controversy
There have been a few before (Prince) and after (The Gold Experience). I didn't like The Rainbow Children cover when it came out but it grew on me.

Worst: Some of the NPG/post-WB releases were awful. I didn't like the cover for Come. Some didn't like Emancipation and I can see why.

There are plenty of covers in the middle, but For You is an underrated album cover. Perfectly captures the end of the 70's.

Good night, sweet Prince | 7 June 1958 - 21 April 2016

Props will be withheld until the showing and proving has commenced. -- Aaron McGruder
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Reply #3 posted 01/23/18 10:12am

lonelyalien

namepeace said:

luv4u said:

http://prince.org/msg/7/419357


Fair but l/a ain't been around that long and very few topics are completely original. So I'll bite.

Best: Most come from the Golden Age -- Sign O' The Times, Parade, 1999, Controversy
There have been a few before (Prince) and after (The Gold Experience). I didn't like The Rainbow Children cover when it came out but it grew on me.

Worst: Some of the NPG/post-WB releases were awful. I didn't like the cover for Come. Some didn't like Emancipation and I can see why.

There are plenty of covers in the middle, but For You is an underrated album cover. Perfectly captures the end of the 70's.

I think 1999 is terrible looks like a 6 year old made it in my opinion of course.

I'm just like everybody else I need love.....and water.
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Reply #4 posted 01/23/18 10:20am

ThatWhiteDude

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lonelyalien said:

namepeace said:


Fair but l/a ain't been around that long and very few topics are completely original. So I'll bite.

Best: Most come from the Golden Age -- Sign O' The Times, Parade, 1999, Controversy
There have been a few before (Prince) and after (The Gold Experience). I didn't like The Rainbow Children cover when it came out but it grew on me.

Worst: Some of the NPG/post-WB releases were awful. I didn't like the cover for Come. Some didn't like Emancipation and I can see why.

There are plenty of covers in the middle, but For You is an underrated album cover. Perfectly captures the end of the 70's.

I think 1999 is terrible looks like a 6 year old made it in my opinion of course.

I find it hilarious lol lol lol

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Reply #5 posted 01/23/18 1:10pm

ShaggyDog

Top 5:

1) Purple Rain - It's Prince on a motorcycle looking like the coolest cat ever and uses a sexy font that has become iconic.


2) Dirty Mind - Great outfit, great background, great photograph.

3) Lovesexy - Just because he had the balls to do it. It's a cover that says "Here I am, and I'm beautiful. Deal with it". Mind you I would have been super embarrased by it if my friends had seen it in my collection when I was 16 years old.

4) Sign O' The Times - Because it sets the tone for the album without you even being quite sure of what it is.

5) Diamonds & Pearls (non-hologram version) - Classy in blue, very timeless.

.

Worst 5:

5) Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic - The Purple Rain cover worked because P has a great outfit and the sleeve used a great font. This is the exact polar opposite of that.

4) Come - Beacuse P should never, ever, look like 90's Michael Jackson in a photograph. Why does he look so elongated?

3) The Chocolate Invasion - When someone tries to draw a sexy woman but accidentally makes then look like a male long distance marathon runner with a yellow afro.

2) 20Ten - Who is that dude on the front? That ain't P. Looks like fan art, not an album cover.

1) The Gold Experience - Because no album cover should ever look like Goats Head Soup. The nadir of Prince album covers.

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Reply #6 posted 01/23/18 2:29pm

namepeace

ShaggyDog said:

Top 5:

3) Lovesexy - . . . It's a cover that says "Here I am, and I'm beautiful. Deal with it". Mind you I would have been super embarrased by it if my friends had seen it in my collection when I was 16 years old.

Try being a teenager in the South walking up to the counter with the record in your hands at 17 years old. lol

Worst 5:


3) The Chocolate Invasion - When someone tries to draw a sexy woman but accidentally makes then look like a male long distance marathon runner with a yellow afro.

1) The Gold Experience - Because no album cover should ever look like Goats Head Soup. The nadir of Prince album covers.


Hilarious, though I don't think TGE was that bad.

Good night, sweet Prince | 7 June 1958 - 21 April 2016

Props will be withheld until the showing and proving has commenced. -- Aaron McGruder
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Reply #7 posted 01/24/18 7:23am

leecaldon

ThatWhiteDude said:

lonelyalien said:

I think 1999 is terrible looks like a 6 year old made it in my opinion of course.

I find it hilarious lol lol lol

Yeah, really never liked that cover at all. And it doesn't feel representative of the music - unlike some of the photos inside/from that era.

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Reply #8 posted 01/24/18 8:13am

OldFriends4Sal
e

lonelyalien said:

Prince's album covers are pretty piss poor in my opinon they always seem like an afterthought I think he just let the music do the talking my best and worst are as follows. what are yours?

1.Around the world in a day (best)

2. Prince (worst)

I actually think Prince is good definately not the worst. It is better than NPS

Musicology might be closets to the worse. I really didn't care for the Come album cover(the photography is good) but not as a cover

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Reply #9 posted 01/24/18 8:35am

jaawwnn

Crystal Ball is diabolical.

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Reply #10 posted 01/24/18 9:16am

Silvertongue7

There is currently an exhibition of album covers in a gallery in Barcelona and they are using the cover of Lovesexy in the flyers and posters to advertise it.
[Edited 1/24/18 14:46pm]
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Reply #11 posted 01/24/18 9:37am

purplepolitici
an

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I like Love Symbol Album cover. 7 video still n the symbol. Cool!

For all time I am with you, you are with me.
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Reply #12 posted 01/24/18 9:47am

RJOrion

best = lotusflow3r

worst = 20ten
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Reply #13 posted 01/24/18 3:54pm

ShaggyDog

jaawwnn said:

Crystal Ball is diabolical.



Crystal Ball's cover is so bad it's as if my brain doesn't actually recognise its existence. It's like a piece of genetic placeholder art they put in and forget to get around to inserting the real one.
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Reply #14 posted 01/25/18 5:07am

leecaldon

ShaggyDog said:

jaawwnn said:

Crystal Ball is diabolical.

Crystal Ball's cover is so bad it's as if my brain doesn't actually recognise its existence. It's like a piece of genetic placeholder art they put in and forget to get around to inserting the real one.

It may have been Prince's idea to look like a bootleg. Except, of course, the artwork on many bootlegs is stunning and superior to his official releases.

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Reply #15 posted 01/25/18 5:17am

thedance

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Best are the album covers with Prince himself, on

1. Lovesexy
2. Parade
3. Controversy
4. Dirty Mind
5. Diamonds & Pearls (the Blue cover)

Worst, are the cartoon album covers

1, 2, 3, the Phase 1+2 and AOA

4. Emancipation
5. 20Ten

Btw I love everything about COME, and the cover art to COME, is fantastic imo... worship

Grey colour and black & white cover-pics, so stylish so great... and of course the music is magical, imho...

I just heart the slave albums deeply, 1993-1995..... music

Prince 4Ever. heart
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Reply #16 posted 01/25/18 5:20am

thedance

avatar

leecaldon said:

ShaggyDog said:

jaawwnn said: Crystal Ball's cover is so bad it's as if my brain doesn't actually recognise its existence. It's like a piece of genetic placeholder art they put in and forget to get around to inserting the real one.

It may have been Prince's idea to look like a bootleg. Except, of course, the artwork on many bootlegs is stunning and superior to his official releases.

In case it's allowed,

- could you please, maybe, post some examples of "stunning cover arts" to CB??


Don't laugh at me, but I can't recall seeing just 1 cover art to CB, at all..... eek

Prince 4Ever. heart
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Reply #17 posted 01/27/18 5:52am

leecaldon

thedance said:

leecaldon said:

It may have been Prince's idea to look like a bootleg. Except, of course, the artwork on many bootlegs is stunning and superior to his official releases.

In case it's allowed,

- could you please, maybe, post some examples of "stunning cover arts" to CB??


Don't laugh at me, but I can't recall seeing just 1 cover art to CB, at all..... eek

I didn't mean Crystal Ball bootlegs - I meant Prince bootlegs. If I owned any, which obviously I, um, don't, of course, some of them look better than almost anything Prince did in his career.

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Reply #18 posted 01/27/18 6:40am

thedance

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^ ok I see.. thanks at least.. for your reply.. wink


Link:

http://www.crystalballcd.com/






^ HERE is the link for the official CD artwork to Crystal Ball,


(I guess made by Prince himself?)

Prince 4Ever. heart
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Reply #19 posted 01/28/18 8:18pm

CAL3

OldFriends4Sale said:

lonelyalien said:

Prince's album covers are pretty piss poor in my opinon they always seem like an afterthought I think he just let the music do the talking my best and worst are as follows. what are yours?

1.Around the world in a day (best)

2. Prince (worst)

I actually think Prince is good definately not the worst. It is better than NPS

Musicology might be closets to the worse. I really didn't care for the Come album cover(the photography is good) but not as a cover

.

The version of 'Musicology' they gave away at the concerts, yowser that WAS bad! Though the commercial release with his picture on it ain't much better.

.

'The Truth' cover from the cassette version - horrendous.

.

'Plectrumelectrum' cover turns my stomach.

.

Agree 'NewPower Soul' reeks like dog dirt in the sun.

.

Let's talk best...

.

Hundalasiliah!! 'Lovesexy' is tops.

.

Agree 'Around the World in a Day' is boss, also 'Parade' and 'Grafitti Bridge' are favorites.

.

And 'Batman'

I’ve been informed that my opinion is worth less than those expressed by others here.
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Reply #20 posted 01/30/18 7:47am

Musician9

BEST

Sign O' The Times, Around The World In A Day, Purple Rain, 1999, Controversy = basically his classic period.

WORST

Expectation, Musicology, Rave, Emancipation, Chaos And Disorder, Rainbow Children... hell, pretty much all the rest...

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Reply #21 posted 01/30/18 9:24am

stpaisios

Best: For U, Lovesexy, LoveSymbol, Come, NewPowerSoul, TRC, 3121, AOA

Worst: The Truth

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Reply #22 posted 01/30/18 10:15am

OldFriends4Sal
e

CAL3 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I actually think Prince is good definately not the worst. It is better than NPS

Musicology might be closets to the worse. I really didn't care for the Come album cover(the photography is good) but not as a cover

.

The version of 'Musicology' they gave away at the concerts, yowser that WAS bad! Though the commercial release with his picture on it ain't much better.

.

'The Truth' cover from the cassette version - horrendous.

.

'Plectrumelectrum' cover turns my stomach.

.

Agree 'NewPower Soul' reeks like dog dirt in the sun.

.

Let's talk best...

.

Hundalasiliah!! 'Lovesexy' is tops.

.

Agree 'Around the World in a Day' is boss, also 'Parade' and 'Grafitti Bridge' are favorites.

.

And 'Batman'

It is hard for me to look at Plectrumelectrum

Batman had some really cool photoshoots

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Reply #23 posted 02/07/18 3:55am

leecaldon

CAL3 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I actually think Prince is good definately not the worst. It is better than NPS

Musicology might be closets to the worse. I really didn't care for the Come album cover(the photography is good) but not as a cover

.

The version of 'Musicology' they gave away at the concerts, yowser that WAS bad! Though the commercial release with his picture on it ain't much better.

.

'The Truth' cover from the cassette version - horrendous.

.

'Plectrumelectrum' cover turns my stomach.

.

Agree 'NewPower Soul' reeks like dog dirt in the sun.

.

Let's talk best...

.

Hundalasiliah!! 'Lovesexy' is tops.

.

Agree 'Around the World in a Day' is boss, also 'Parade' and 'Grafitti Bridge' are favorites.

.

And 'Batman'

Compared to the others you mentioned, I quite like NPS.

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Reply #24 posted 02/10/18 12:32am

CAL3

leecaldon said:



CAL3 said:




OldFriends4Sale said:





I actually think Prince is good definately not the worst. It is better than NPS



Musicology might be closets to the worse. I really didn't care for the Come album cover(the photography is good) but not as a cover




.


The version of 'Musicology' they gave away at the concerts, yowser that WAS bad! Though the commercial release with his picture on it ain't much better.


.


'The Truth' cover from the cassette version - horrendous.


.


'Plectrumelectrum' cover turns my stomach.


.


Agree 'NewPower Soul' reeks like dog dirt in the sun.


.


Let's talk best...


.


Hundalasiliah!! 'Lovesexy' is tops.


.


Agree 'Around the World in a Day' is boss, also 'Parade' and 'Grafitti Bridge' are favorites.


.


And 'Batman'




Compared to the others you mentioned, I quite like NPS.



.
What?? NPS over all those badass ones I mentioned? The NPS cover sucks.
I’ve been informed that my opinion is worth less than those expressed by others here.
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Reply #25 posted 02/10/18 2:56am

fishwillbite

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Best: Lovesexy - Prince at his most daring, beautiful, exposed, unique, and over the top.

.

Worst: I'm going to go for The Vault, not because it's nexessarily the worst cover, but for me it is the worst case of a very cool photograph photoshopped to all hell. If they had left it in its original state, it could have been one of the best covers.

PIPS! Eurgh...
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Reply #26 posted 02/10/18 7:37am

bwaaatch

I don’t enjoy singling him out, but any cover in which Steve Parke had a lot of input tends to be among my least favourites. From 1994 to 2004 there was quite a lot shitty looking Photoshop happening — not just on the photos, but the whole design language felt polluted by Photoshop “effects” at the expense of actual ideas of any kind of subtlety.

Winners for me are SOTT, Parade, Purple Rain and 1999.

ATWIAD always felt like it needed a less naive painting style, and I tend to lump it in with Graffiti Bridge near the bottom end of the classic period.
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Reply #27 posted 02/10/18 9:15am

Doozer

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In Steve Parke’s “Picturing Prince,” he said the original over for Rave was rejected by Arista. They wanted a photo of Prince’s face on the cover. Whatever was submitted first had to have been better.

For the best covers, I’d go with a quad-fecta of ATWIAD. Parade, SOTT and Lovesexy. Four albums in a row with covers that truly complimented the music within.
Check out The Mountains and the Sea, a Prince podcast by yours truly and my wife. More info at https://www.facebook.com/TMATSPodcast/
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