Hey everyone, I just had a question. After listening to Purple Rain like a hundred times, I am now interested in purchasing new album by Prince to listen to. I would just like some of the veteran Prince fans opinions on what albums you would encourage someone just starting to listen to him to get first. I also bought a ticket to the August 10th Atlanta show and I would like to know if it is worth going to. I have great floor seats but I have no idea what kind of show Prince puts on. Is it as good as everyone says it is? I apperciate all comments, and thank-you!

you really cant go wrong if u buy anything from the 80's but i'd recommend getting 1999 and absorb that 4 bout 6 months then go get Controversy and continue working your way back until u have For You. Then continue after the rain and get around the world and keep moving forward. If u want something from the 90's i'd get the gold experience or the symbol album.
[This message was edited Thu Jul 15 8:13:35 2004 by LouieLaFunk]

LouieLaFunk said:

[This message was edited Thu Jul 15 8:37:46 2004 by Fhunkin]

I sort of agree with a combination of Louie and Pook.

If I were you, I'd get "The Hits/The B-Sides." The booklet that comes with it can give you some perspective into the history of Prince...at least a solid start. From that, I'll bet you'll start to develop a sense of a favorite "era" of Prince, as most of us do. The only downside here is that for those of us who prefer the 1995--on era, this collection won't help.

Once you find some songs you love, you can find those albums. Or, and I think this would be cool as a new fan, you could start at "For You" (his first album) and work your way through.

Welcome to Prince! Purple Rain RULES, but "it ain't over!"

Keith/Kacey

Hits and B sides was my first album/s and they are certainly the best intro. They're not just full of the commercial stuff either, there's a really good eclectic mix of music. Perfect Prince.

the first three albums. duh.

seriously--for you, prince and dirty mind are the obvious way to go. build it up from there.

Hm, I disagree.

I´d buy 1999 next, because if you like "Purple Rain", you will cerainly like "1999". They are in the same vein though 1999 is a little more electronic and PR a little more rock. I´d then buy "Sign 'O' The Times". You then have three albums which really show why Prince is a genius. From there on, you can buy nearly anything you like. I´d buy the following next: Parade, Around The World In A Day, Lovesexy, Diamonds & Pearls and the "Symbol" album.

I think his first four albums are for fans only, though I love them.

Oh, and definitely go to the concert. It´s the perfect time. You´re gonna hear a lot of Purple Rain, many other hits and some new stuff. And after your first Prince-concert, you´ll be a fan forever, I assure you!

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Sorry dude but I gots ta disagree wiv U. I think going right back to the beginning straight after Purple Rain would be too much of a culture/musical shock and those first two albums really sound dated to me and do not sound all that inventive (certainly today as opposed to 78/79)

BabyBlue I agree with the folks who suggest The Hits/The B Sides as a starting point. Pick your favourite tracks then search out that album.

Alternatively you *could* do what I did when I got into Prince in 1984 with Purple Rain (I was a late comer so to speak). I used my pocket money and every other month bought the one before the one I had. So I bought them in this order:

Purple Rain
1999
Controversy
Dirty Mind
ATWIAD (because it came out during this back tracking period)
Prince
For You
Parade
SOTT
Lovesexy
and so on in the order they were released.

Alternatively you could also start with the ones considered by many to be the best and then go to the second tier and then third tier and so on. For example the next three could be...

SOTT
Parade

er oh damn doing it that way is way too hard. Who decides which are the best. Which tier would TGE or ATWIAD fit into. Damn forget this last approach

jaypotton said:

i'm female.

depends I guess....I know for me, I was really into PR and 1999 for a while and batman too and then I got the hits and I was really shocked at the early tunes on there "soft and wet" and
I feel for you....at that point in time I did not know that prince's early stuff was very "disco-y" and I was a bit taken aback by it...but I grew to love it all. The hits is a good choice.
My top 5 fav albums are (I never count PR and 1999...I consider them staples)
Parade
Sign o the times
batman (someone will curse me for that one)
symbol
gold

oh and as far as the concert goes.....GO TO THE SHOW!! You will not be disappointed.

POOKS a Spud Monkey from way back, definately get the B-sides! Then i'd go 4 Around The World, just cos thats the one that hooked me big-time - then i'd say roll a 20 sided dice and chose whateva it said, cos theres a gem inside every album and the fun is in discovering that 1 song that's gonna blow ur mind: be it Still Waiting, When The Lights Go Down, Girls and Boys, Still Would Stand All Time, Digital Garden, Sexuality, The One, Elephants & Flowers, I Wanna Melt With U, When U Were Mine, Dont Talk 2 Strangers, When 2 R in Love or any of the other 200 or so by-passed classics - the Prince world's an oyster and it's your job to eat that shit up... enjoy!!!!

1) musicology
2) n.e.w.s.
3) xpectation

Newpowersoul Triple Pack.

Next 3????

Sign O' the Times
1999
Musicology

or even better:

The City Lights set
The Work Volume 1
The Work Volume 2

just kiddin' .... those are bootlegs ... you'll start searching for them in about 10 years!!!

Whatever u do stay away from The Rainbow Children.

i would get the family album

i know its not a prince album, but its all his music.

dirty mind, the black album

First, buy Purple Rain...Prince's most popular works
Then, buy Hits... A great sampler of his groundbreaking and #1 hits
Lastly, buy Sign "O" The Times... His Best Album with a lot of diversity, this is what you should buy 2 listen 2 Prince's true genuis.

start at the beginning so u can try and experience his progression. do not forget 2 include anything by all of his proteges, aliases and copycats:

the time
vanity 6
appolonia 6
the family
jesse johnson
jill jones

ALBUMS: madhouse 8
madhouse 16




COPYCATS: mazerati
jesse johnson

I can't give you three. It'd have to be four:

Lovesexy
Gold Experience
Rainbow Children
Purple Rain

Luv & Peace,
Alex
Clubbin' in Mpls/A Night w. Prince

Honestly, for a beginner, go with the safe albums that have something for every taste:

1. 1999
2. Sign O' The Times
3. Purple Rain or

i definitely agree w/Nightcrawler.....and u should go 2 the concert.....WHY?.....so u will witness the greatest artist of our time!!!....and thats an understatement!

I cannot believe so many people do not say DIRTY MIND....

If you are a fan trying to hip people, make your own Prince compilation.
Do it all of the time.

I say any ones you can find!
JUST AS LONG AS YOU GOT A COOL "PARTNER" TO EXPLORE THEM WITH!

Every album for me has a great girlfriend story to go with it and I can relate much music to the bedroom. I dunno, I was introduced to it that way, and it just stayed that way. (up until Rave anyway)

You see, it's NOT music, IT'S AN ADVENTURE!
[This message was edited Thu Jul 15 16:14:16 2004 by yamomma]

Dirty Mind
1999

GO TO THE CONCERT AND BUILD FROM THERE

Prince

1999

SignOTheTimes