I know the obvious choice would be 1984, with Purple Rain all over the map, Grammy's and Oscar, successful protege groups...but does it overshadow 2004, with his out-of left-field Musicology tour success, RRHOF induction ,6 Grammy nominations (this year's and next year's), and total reinvention of his image from crackpot egomaniac to savvy businessman? Eminem had a # 1 album and won Grammy and Oscar in the same year and i just don't see him being a froce in 20 years...Usher's been the beneficiary of some slick production in riding the charts, but will anybody care next year?

'84. the success was fresh then.

Without 1984 there would be no 2004.

2004 was exciting, but mainly when set against the backdrop of 10+ years of boring, anti-climactic activity, that the general public was pretty much unaware of.

Is there any question?

but 2004 is probaly second best

1984 by miles and miles. 20 years ago, Prince actually fulfilled the potential for megastardom after a slow, steady cycle from wunderkind to underground darling to crossover artist to superstar.

BTW, MoonCat, I would humbly disagree. 1987, to me, was his second-best year ever.

Yeah thats true 1987 was big with Sign
Can 2004 be third best???

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

CO-SIIIIIGN.

GaryMF said:

Excellent follow up to what Handsa stated!

meltwithu said:

Actually, I would go with 1988 as his best year ever.

Any year before 1984 is WAY better than 2004. 2004 has been the best year of the new millenium.

MoonCat said:

Whatever u say, m'dear . . . with a face like that, how could I say no?

1984 is when Prince became a superstar, that only happens once. Purple Rain was #1 for 6 months from August 1984 to January 1985. Purple Rain sold 15 million copies. The film Purple Rain made 70 million became one of the biggest hit movies of 1984. Called the best rock film ever made. Prince won a Oscar. When Doves Cry sold 2 million. it became the biggest hit of 1984. Lets Go Crazy was #1. The Purple Rain tour made 30 million from Nov. 1984 to April 1985.

vainandy said:

Co-sign with the cute guy calling himself vainandy...

look at it globally, then you'll see that 2004 wasn't that big. Outside the US Prince has hardly had any press-coverage, video- & radio-airplay in 2004. There was no buzz like there was in 1984. 2004 really isn't that big, and I don't get it when people around here are talking about some sort of 'comeback'.

also, no international tour. Neither did 1984 have one, but there was a movie.....

abierman said:

Outside the US, Prince has maintained a fairly consistent profile and seems to be more respected as an artist than in his own country.

But I do agree. Relatively speaking, 2004 wasn't HUGE "huge" in commercial terms. Prince's tour played to SRO crowds for months. But his vids didn't saturate the airwaves and he sold maybe a coupla million units. So it's more like 1991 with better buzz.

That being said, Prince emerged from the hinterlands of the wilderness in 2004. Few ever thought Prince would chart, make magazine covers, etc. the way he did. In recent years, selling 200,000 albums was considered a success. So from an image standpoint, it was a momentous year, and maybe a watershed year for the remainder of his career.
[Edited 12/13/04 12:03pm]

namepeace said:

Well, I guess you mean that people kept going to his concerts whenever he would tour? But that's because of the fact that 99.9% of the people who have ever seen him perform live will always return to see him again, no matter what shite-record he might have released.....I know I think like that! But seriously, what was his last commercial hit in Europe? I think it was 'The Mist Beautiful Girl In The World', over 10 years ago!

Musicology (04) is exciting because its Prince's first hit album since Diamonds And Pearls (1991) 13 years ago! The song Musicology is Prince's first hit single since Beautiful Girl (94) 10 years ago! So this year is Prince's most successful year since 1991 when Cream was a #1 hit.

rudeboynpg said:

in the States.....TMBGITW was an international hit, Prince's one & only number 1 hit in the Netherlands, for instance.....

GaryMF said:

i agree. it's true. and without 1984 there would be slim percent of the world known to his provocative antics b4 he turned Jahova on us. not that that's bad. but his personality totally changed. i really liked 1984 so much better, yet in 2004 he's beginning to grow on me.

I think 1984 would easily be his best damn year ever. Then because of that banner year, 1985 would be next.
[Edited 12/13/04 16:52pm]

1984 will always be his best year. 2004 has been great, but '84 holds a sweetness that '04 doesn't have.

In terms of personal success, I think '04. I think he feels very accomplished this year in terms of his personal life. In terms of commercial success, '84.

I'd say 1984 for something completely different! nothing to compare it to. BUT I'd say as a live performer 2004! prince is 100 times better live now they he was in 1984. I think back then he wanted to do to much and then sometimes there would be moments that would fall flat. Now and really year after year Prince has become a better live performer. Now he is perfect

rudeboynpg said:

Was Musicology a hit single? D&P had 3 or 4 hit singles and the album sold rather than being given away. The real success seems to have been the tour, at least in the states. Worldwide there has been some media coverage but 2004 can't compare to 1984 in any way. If he'd promoted outside of the states things might have been different but in '84 he didn't have to.

back in 1984 Prince was a bad-ass.
in 2004 he tried to "teach" the bad-asses of this generation how to be soft.
a little too wimpy in 2004 im afraid.

vivid said:

sisforscandalous said:

Avatar stealer!!