I was reading a book that discussed that prince in the early 80's moved popular music on it's current track of style(looks) over real talent especially with the women in pop music.it talks about singers like aretha franklin and patti labelle being replaced by voiceless but attractive people like vanity and appolonia by prince since he influenced music the most in the early 80's.....What do you think? did prince give birth to britney spears and the like?

BNATURAL said:

no, madonna did. :p

BNATURAL said:

This has to be a rhetorical question, right? Style over substance has been with us as long as the music industry has - it's just more prevalent in this era because of the advent of MUSIC VIDEO channels.

You can find a TON of performers with more style than substance if you just look at who became popular during the disco era, this was after and during Aretha and Patti's heyday. Mind you, I'm not saying that all the performers during the disco era lacked substance, but most did.

And if people want to put the blame on someone from the 80s I suggest you look at Madonna, who has ALWAYS been more popular than Vanity/Appolonia 6 and could be seen wearing skimpy clothing back then and couldn't sing worth a damn either. Prince assembled Vanity/Appolonia 6 to get his rocks off, so the musical content was going to be lesser than what he was producing for himself, or even that of The Time. But the long versions of "Nasty Girl" and "Drive Me Wild" are Dance classics.

What about The Mary Jane Girls?

Even people who can't get past Prince's public image don't think his music has any substance. But that's their problem.

Well, with Prince sex life, he might really gave birth to Britney Spears , but I don't think he's to blame for the low quality singers and music. Since those singers he used to work with, most of them didn't really make it to the top. (Carmen Electra, Mayte, Kim Basinger, etc.)

I think the sorry ass state of pop music is because it has shunned Prince, made him a "slave," and refuses to give him airplay or support. Yes, he was a huge influece to music in the 80's and even into the 90's. Look at how much he inspired the fashion (of ruffled & colard shirts worn by many bands), the Minneapolis sound (including JJ & TL who helped Miss Jackson), the choreography of his bands (look at other videos at the time and see how much there is) and certainly a deeper sense of sensual/spirituality. Back then, all the artists seem to have a gimmick that separated them from each other. Nowdays, radio, record companies, and award shows (extended commercials for record companies to push only a limited number of new artists) make The Stars and dictate what people can listen to. No damn wonder Prince is bitter --- none of his new songs get much radio airplay --- his newer videos are virtually ignored --- every release is made to sound like a comeback album, even though he's never gone anywhere --- and there are people out there who appear to be making better "Prince" records than Prince himself (D'Angelo and Lenny Kravitz come to mind).

BNATURAL said:

I think it's true that he took part in it, but not totally responsible. Prince was just doing his thing and everybody else followed. Does that mean he started it? No! The copycats did!

WOW this is a dumb topic.

ah.. NO I think Prince is only one to bring POP into actual meaningful thoughts,statements..


I blame Madonna for what it going on today... she or her people and her "invented" the blueprint.. and everyone is using it now 18 years later.

The people who buy the records are to blame mate. Shit sells & Prince dont

Prince is to blame for the sorry state of his own music. You overestimate his influence.

locoarts said:[quote]WOW this is a dumb topic.

ah.. NO I think Prince is only one to bring POP into actual meaningful thoughts,statements..


I have to agree with locoarts on this! And I don't think Prince had anything to do with the sexy,verging with slutty style we see today. If you recall, Prince was dubbed a 'freak' for performing in the 'artistical' way only he can do. So, WHO would want to copy that?

Peace and B Wild!

No LIL MAN is not to blame. The reason why pop music is the way it is today is because all record companies care about is $$$$$. Instead of signing artists with originality, they'll sign someone with who resembles someone who is hot at the present moment(this is certainly nothing new under the sun,but it seems more prevalent now-a-days in the music industry). If an artist signs to a label and has a very sucessful commercial outing on their debut record, just to use an example(that also happens to be a great artistic record as well),the record company will try to put the squeeze on them to make a record that sound similiar in sound or beats as their previous release. Meanwhile, other record companies will sign acts with a similiar sound of this current hot artist. From there it's like a negative domino effect. Everybody is just copying from what is currently "the sound". This holds especially true in R&B music. No originality whatsover in the genre(unlike the 60s and 70's..where you had copy cat artists, but not at the alarming rate it is today) except for a handfull of artists. It's quite discouraging and disheartening at times.

* Brother 9/15 aka CR3

its record companies that keep signing these non instrument playing rappers. making it appear as though no one plays or cares 2 hear good music now days . as if we only want rap and drum machines. these corporate guys have no taste and assume u dont have any either. dont buy that shit and muscians like me can eat again.

hell phuckin no!!!! p ain't responsible 4 all these other crap acts....he didn't create the music industry of today. he protests against it, but creatin or bein responsible 4 it? me thinx not.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

You're in denial Prince. Prince clearly thought he could manufacture a music career for every cute chick he wanted to bang.Appollonia, VANITY, CARMEN ELECTRA etc These CUTE SEXY one-hit wonder all begat the current slate of BRITTNEY, AGUILERA, PINK, etc. Madonna takes a big share of the blame too!

Those songs by the PRINCE-babes really sucked too. Some of y'all don't wanna admit it but Prince can be the King of Cheese at time, right Dave?
[This message was edited Wed Apr 3 10:09:56 PST 2002 by PFunkjazz]

If U're gonna blame anyone, blame "Colour Me Bad" and "Wilson Philips".

Or better still "Milli Vanilli"

PFunkjazz said:

Yo' PFUNKJAZZ, I think Dave's gone for the day. But he'll probably be back tomorrow to get with you about your Madonna comment (LOL)!!!!!

* Brother 9/15 aka CR3

What is the title of the book? I would be interested in reading more...Is it the same source that blames George Lucas for the sorry state of the film industry b/c of Star Wars (you know--poor storyline, over-the-top special effects, bad acting, etc.)?

purpleunderground said:

And he got these fashions from Sly, The Beatles, and James Brown.

now that's a new one...