They are my two favorites.
I have never chosen between them, as the Beatles were before my time, and their music is so different from Prince's.
Also, they are four people, none of them with the musical proficiency of Prince (not to mention none of them can dance).

Still the Beatles catalog has seemed untouchable (Probably partly because they broke up. They never allowed themselves to get lame). Virtually every album is a classic. No NPS. No Jughead. No Kamasutra.
Popular and critical influence unlike any other. Diverse music. Pop and experemental at the same time, just like Prince.

Prince is the only competition in my opinion. The fact that it's hard to choose your favorite five Prince albums says a lot. Most artists don't even have five great albums.
Who's greater?

andyman91 said:

These are my two faves as well. I love Prince to bits but I still think The Beatles rule my music world. Their catalog is the greatest in history and as you said they didn't allow themselves to get lame. They were true innovators and THE greatest songwriters EVER!

I love the Beatles but I'd definitely choose Prince, if I had to. I think it's just coz he has so much more music available - the only Beatles albums I really listen to are Sgt. Pepper, The White Album and Abbey Road. I listen to The Red Album for their early stuff and I only like a handfull of songs off Revolver. Prince may have Jughead but the Beatles have Yellow Submarine, the most annoying song of all time.

Obviousely the Beatles were great but I feel they get overhyped by the music press, while Prince on the other hand seems to be underrated. Just my humble opinion though.
[This message was edited Sun May 9 18:59:23 2004 by kinaldo]

i'm obsessed with "Cry Baby Cry"

Thats 4 Genius ure talking about (John Paul George) and Prince..

They all held their own at some point, and kept the game a notch ahead..

lets leave it at that.. cause I dont wanna have to break out the facts.
[This message was edited Sun May 9 20:00:31 2004 by Sdldawn]

beatles take it hands down if you judge strictly on songwriting ability.

Supernova said:

Mind if I join ya!

richierich said:

Grab a wall and hang out!

Prince. I really was Only into Lennon's Solo work. Or Mc Cartney's Solo Work.

The Beatles started a revolution back in the '60s and Prince started his own in the '70s and '80s, so they're both cool in my book.

As a group, The Beatles, of course...but Prince is better than each individual Beatle...

I think Prince beats them in every area except influence.

Sdldawn said:

The punchline in your first sentence just killed me man

I have raised similar comparisons myself in the past.

http://www.prince.org/msg/7/90033

I truly think The Beatles were great because they only made 11 albums over a period of 7 years! Had they continued for 25 years like Prince then they too would have eventually made a few lame albums (just check out McCartney's 80/90s stuff!!!!)

Had Prince stopped after 11 albums then his last would have been Batman and I truly believe he would be considered one of the three most important artists ever along with The Beatles and Elvis - IMHO

Why are there all these VS threads ,they are just lazy and seem to be an easy way to get alot of replys but with nothing gained. How and why would you want to compare the Beatles to Prince ,the both have similarities and differences but so does everything.

jaypotton said:

Some of McCartney's 80s and 90s work is not lame.

Oh and the thread? Comparing Prince and The Beatles is really a no-hoper, i'm afraid.

Tits vs. ass

According to the new Rolling Stone, Prince claims that he had never heard "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" until they sent it to him to learn for the Hall of Fame. For some reason, I find that hard to believe. Surely Prince is familiar enough with the Beatles' work that he would have at least heard that song before! If not, that's kinda sad. I mean, someone needs to hip the brother to the Beatles's catalog...he doesn't know what he's missing!

If the class is "Musicology," and Prince is attempting to school us all on the roots of "real" music by "real" musicians, then I think it's time someone schools him on Beatles 101!

I find it all hard to believe. Didn't he mention Lennon's "Imagine" once in an interview as one of his favorites? As a "musician's musician," Prince should be ashamed of himself for not being familiar with one of the most influential bands of all-time. If he wants to tell us about James' Hot Pants, EWF and Sly's Taken Us Higher, then how about George's Savoy Truffles..

MrGoldstruck said:

I think he was speaking of the work of Harrison, not Lennon or the Beatles. I find it difficult to believe that the man who cut ATWIAD and Parade was unfamiliar with the Beatles' catalog. The fact he doesn't know Harrison's work doesn't discredit him as an ambassador for "real" music.

He's lying. He always lies about strange things in interviews!

MrGoldstruck said:

Beatles and Prince are all from another dimension!!! Music from a higher level!!..

senik said:

I just had to

Definately two different eras..

I have to say the Beatles by far.

kinaldo said:

I agree with much of what you say.
Prince is underrated, even though most would call him a genius.
His 90's stuff is largely dismissed.
Though I like all of the Beatles stuff, not just 66-70, the sheer volume of Prince's recordings may just tip the scales.
The Yellow Submarine comment is funny. I can see you feeling that way, but it has always reminded me of Starfish & Coffee (or vice-versa). A fun kids song.
I find it hard to choose. And unnecessary, as some have pointed out. They are so different. But the Beatles are the most highly regarded musicians of the rock era, I think it's fun to challenge them a bit.
My choice, if I have to make one, would be Beatles for songwriting, Prince for pure music.

ufoclub said:

That is a great song that is hardly ever played.

namepeace said:

While My Guitar Gently weeps IS A BEATLES SONG. It is on the White Album. It was NOT part of George H's solo work. How the fuck can ANYONE who calls themself a musician's musician not be familiar with the White Album. What the Fuck???

chrisslope9 said:

It is a bit hard to believe that he has not heard the White Album. We're all supposed to listen to Earth Wind & Fire but not the Beatles? I like EWF, but come now.
He did refer to I am the Walrus and Imagine, saying John was not the walrus, and that song wouldn't be remembered in 100 years, while Imagine would.
John Lennon said that they recorded I am the Walrus with enough in it to be dissected for 100 years.
Also it lists "Something" by George Harrison (not the Beatles) in the liner notes to ONA Live.

andyman91 said:

Everyone should listen to The White Album.. multiple times till u see the light..