Hi. I would like to know if you guys think it's okay if Prince go commercial? To me, i wouldn't mind if he go commercial as long as the music is great and original...and if he don't kiss anybody's ass. I don't see nothing wrong if someone goes commercial as long as the Artist has TALENT and control over the MUSIC. I always thought that Prince wasn't commercial except when he did "1999" and "Purple Rain"...what do you guys think?

I say we just rally together and take the route he went.

Let's just all be independant.

Make record companies work for the musicians.

kinda like that bank commercial where the couple is interviewing banks.

It could happen.

I think that Prince has alienated the public so bad being such an enigma that he could work with the hottest producers, make a guest appearance on the Osbournes and still be a failure, commercially speaking.

Most people aren't even aware that Prince changed his name back from the symbol.

Times have changed, even though we are all obviously still stuck in the "Golden Age" of Prince.

Sign O the Times?

"GO COMMERCIAL"?[b]

DUH! [b]PRINCE is COMMERCIAL!! .

First and foremost, he is a pop artist! Always has been and still is.

PFunkjazz said:

Always had been, sure. I wouldn't say he is now. However, his current direction could just be another phase or a little reverse psychology. Whatever it is, TRC is not commercial.

He did! PRINCE,1999,Purple Rain,Batman,Diamonds & Pearls,
Chaos and Disorder,
He knows how to walk the line.

It would b ok with me, if only for the fact that i could finally stop tellin peeps how talented this man is. They could find out for themselves if his music were on the radio. His most commercial efforts, in my opinion:

1999
Purple Rain
Batman
Diamonds and Pearls
Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic

Clubkid said:

It's actually scary how many people still think he goes by the symbol. I have people constantly calling him TAFKAP or "The Symbol."

Believe it or not, I actually found out he changed his name back via Howard Stern... they were showing his press conference and making fun of him.

I just wish everyone could see him as we do. But if they don't, that's o.k. As long as I hear him...

whodknee said:

Naw, he's as commercial as ever. He's just nowhere near as POPULAR as he once was. That's the kink in the scheme.

as long as he has been around prince has been commercial

PFunkjazz said:

Uh Uh. To me, he's about as underground as you can go and still be known.

Funny, I actually met a woman today who appeared to be about 25 - 30 who NEVER HEARD OF PRINCE! I almost fell down.

herbthe4 said:

Does she live in a bomb shelter in the Ukraine?

Supernova said:

No, she works at Starbucks, so maybe that's the problem. Christ, my GRANDMOTHER(S) know who Prince is.

herbthe4 said:

To me, knowing who he is a reflection of his popularity (which as you attest to,he ain't). When you're caught up in the fan circles, you're lkely amazed at anyone lacking your detailed knowledge and devoted appreciation. Being commercial to me means the packaging and marketing of the to appeal to a broad consensus. Nothing wrong wrong with that at all, but I don't think his music has changed all that much. Maybe it's little jazzier, but it's still pop music.

what is POP now anyway? Is Pop something you like to listen to? Is it a genre? Is it what's "in"?

Define commercial. Is it wanting to please the masses instead of yourself? Is pleasing the masses pleasing yourself?

Is Pop putting on a face you want people to think of you as rather than your true face? Is Pop acting? Is Pop trying to fit your emotions into what's currently considered "trendy", and the 'sound of now'? Is Pop the current dress-up for age-old emotions and feelings? Is Pop merely packaging? Is going commercial just changing the packaging?

If something is immediately likeable, easily digestible and has mass appeal, does that make it commercial? Or is it commercial the moment it's made, and is the vibe of the artist commercial from the get-go?

Something to think about..

betra said:

Yeah, I have the same problem with those defintitions. I never thought of his music as pop or commercial (except the Batman album) and tend to think it's categorized like that because its POPular; or at least it used to be. Whe I think of pop, I think of generic, by the numbers, trendy and safe songs, designed SPECIFICALLY for radio play and I never got the sense that Prince was about that.

I remember digging The Red Hot Chili Peppers in '85, who were considered "punk" or "underground" at that time. Then, without changing their sound, "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" sold 5 million copies and they were suddenly "pop". Categorizing music is always tricky stuff.