I really don't see the hoopola over U2. Their music puts me to sleep, as does their fashion sense

Prince's musical impact will always be held in higher regards. His influence over other artists justs goes to prove this. U2's influnce is non-existant.

*waits for Bono's lambs to come attacking*

Number23 said:

Have a little faith, mate.

I don't get U2...just don't get them...they are not my cup of ass.

Prince, well he's a DAYUM of a musician/artist

KrystleEyes said:

Never heard 'Sometimes It Snows In April"? "Papa"? "Condition Of The Heart"? "Joy In Repetition"? "Anna Stesia"? "Love U, but don't Trust U anymore", "The Cross"?

just to name a few?

I'm sorry, but Prince is WAY more capable of gutwrenching emotional heartfelt songs exploring pain, than the overrated Bono/U2 could EVER be.

Militant said:

Amen!!!Prince is way more multi-faceted and complex. He has explored musical ideas and territory that U2 could never even rip off. Their music has a large audience because it is simple, bumper sticker, sloganeering anthems. Prince is a musical icon who has basically created his own unique genre that knows no boundries. All the artists today that appeal across different formats and audiences owe a debt to P (Rock guitar god, funkmaster, independant, etc.)

I can't believe we are "seriously" comparing the two musically. Let's hear some serious musicians on this thread. U2 themselves would laugh at the notion that someone was calling them great musicians with a large musical influence beyond their limited reach.

Truthfully, U2 is a band and Prince is a solo artist. They are two diffrent beasts compleatly. The band dynamic is a hard thing to pull off because of the Egos of more then a single mind.

I really, really liked U2 (before they started to sound like their own cover or tribute band around 2000 or so). I still think their 90's work was outstanding. "Achtung, Baby" might be one of the best albums ever imo.

But "impact on music"? Sorry, but I just can't see that to a large extend for U2. I know exactly one famous rock band who used typical U2 sounds in their music and that was/is U2! Prince is a totally different story: R'n'B, Hip Hop and Funk wouldn't be the same without his influence. He is an idol and influence for many young musicians out there. There are probably more people ripping him off nowadays than there are suits in the purple one's wardrobe.

I know someone rememebers the exact quote from Rolling Stone 1990, something about he can do their songs, but "you will not do Housequake"

I'm Irish so I'd have to say PRINCE!

Happy Paddy's Day fools!

Prince does because rock was invented by black people, so the best have to be black. Simple, and I am white, saying this. lll

In the early eighties;

Bono: Yo Prince, your lastest LP, Controversy rules! You keep puttin' such creative material out, people gonna start trying to steal your ideas.

Prince: Thank U.

Bono: That band backing you up rocks.

Prince: Thank U.

Bono: Have you come up with a name for 'em yet?

Prince: No.

Bono: I know what that's like. We've tried several names for my band, but we still haven't found what we're lookin' for.

Prince: U 2?

Bono: Thank U.

Prince: ?

They both have had a huge influence, but I think the apples to oranges comparison isn't quite right. It's more like apples to Belgian dark chocolate. Both of them are sweet, but one is more of an acquired taste.

Remember that Prince and U2 came from different places not just muscially and geographically, but aesthetically as well. Even when U2 in their infancy was trying to do punk rock in the dank Dublin pubs, they dreamed about being the biggest rock 'n roll band in the world, as big as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Prince, on the other hand, always wanted to be the best musician he could be on his own terms. U2 always had a huge arena rock sound. Prince, though he was listed as an R&B artist, never did the typical sound that the record companies wanted him to do.

If you want to know how Prince and U2 differed in their influence, just look at what they did after their initial monster albums. U2 blew up huge with The Joshua Tree, and they followed that up with the self-aggrandizing Rattle and Hum, which was a blatant attempt to show the world how huge they thought they were. Prince, on the other hand, was asked by Warners to basically come up with Purple Rain 2 and sell millions more albums, but he did a 180 and came up with Around The World In A Day, which while it was brilliant musically, was far different from what he had done on Purple Rain.

I think both of these artists are huge, bit U2 will be remembered as this generation's Rolling Stones, while Prince will be remembered as a cross between the Beatles and Marvin Gaye with a little Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa thrown in.

This is definitely "apples and oranges". Prince is certainly more "influential", in that aspects of his sound has been appropriated by others. U2's sound may be simply too unique to be imitated.

While I love both, and think both are great artist, I would say that U2 has been more consistant, putting out excellent albums, while Prince has definitely been up and down

well put it this way not once have I ever read about a band claiming they were influenced by U2 (great band by the way), and other then Simple Minds and only a few of thier songs have been covered - can not think of anyone else who has copied their sound. Prince on the hand - well I don't need to explain here how about artists use his style / impact / sounds, cover his songs

Next up : Who's a better singer ? Tony Bennett or Howlin' Wolf ??

KrystleEyes said:

Ummm Can you say "Purple Rain?"

KrystleEyes said:

Prince doesn't write gutwrenching impassioned tracks???

Have YOU heard "Nothing Compares 2 U"? "If I Was Your Girlfriend"? "I Love U In Me"

Which "Prince" have you been listening to...?

But yes I do agree that he quite often comes across as "conceited asshole" tho !

pepper7 said:

that is a classic defence mechinisim.

As much as I love Prince, his work in recent years has been very inconsistant. Whereas U2 have put out 2 excellent CDs, their last 2, more than 20 years into their career . (I think a major factor in that is that U2 takes time between their albums to hone their material, and they use outside Producers to give them perspective. These are both things I think would help Prince's output )

I've always wondered if the Pop, Zooropa and Achtung Baby albums were a response to Prince's comments that they couldn't do a Housequake - sort of Bono thinking that he would out dance music a song and dance man.

Having said that, I also think they were a cynical attempt to change direction so that when they returned to their signature sound, everyone would be so grateful that sales and critical reception would be through the roof.

Kind of like what Prince has just pulled off with the whole jazz thing from 2001 to 2004. People were so glad just to get a pop album that Musicology almost wrote its own reviews, despite being mor. And didn't it work just fine, bless him.

Mind you, after the embarrassment, commercially, of Rave, I also think that Prince would have been stupid to try and get away with releasing another pop album that wasn't popular, and probably did the right thing in disappearing off the radar for a bit. Plus I doubt any major label would have touched him at the time.

U2 is overrated. So, the answer is Prince.

Who can beat who...Superman vs Spiderman..it's all about comic book heroes
The Thing vs the Hulk
Batman vs the Green Hornet
Prince vs U2

mmmm... if you turn on the radio or tv, a little more music sounds more Prince influenced than U2 influenced...

but then again, right now, Coldplay has entered the mainstream heart, but, already backlashed by the cool....

I was just listneing to Guero, by Beck.... more Prince...



all the new hip hop sounds like the producers worship prince as one influence.

Musical impact, Prince.

Consistent commercial appeal, U2.

But it's also comparing apples and oranges...both are very different musically and the whole approach to music. It's important to note U2 not only struggles and works hard to create music, they get alot of help from producers, and additional guitarist input, synths arrangements, -- check their album credits. Prince is a musical genius and one man band with (from what I've read) full songs already completed in his head. U2 are limited on what they can do, but the do it well by playing to their strenghs consistently. Bono -- the best lyricist of a generation, hands down. Prince has great lyrics, pop appeal, but not as consistent. He claims he can redo The Joshua Tree? He's full of it. That album along with Achtung Baby were groundbreaking.

Also, as far as guitar goes, the Edge is one of the most original and influential guitarists, with EFFECTS used to create a guitar sound and structure a song. He's also very minimalist player. Prince is an awesome player, far more dynamic and uses effects to embellish and color his sound.

So the approach is different, also some of U2's stuff is so simple...Prince's so complex... Again, the strength of U2 is a strong support group -- they have a good manager, they are very tight-nit and were a band before they could play instruments,--they should give inspiration and hope to anyone who are artistically limited but have the willpower and soul to make a statement.

As far as the being corporate and loved by the press, alot of that comes from Bono's dealings..some of which the band members don't even agree with. Also, they used to be against corporate sponsership, now they endorse their Ipod, and Bono has a signature Gretsch guitar out. They have changed, but weren't always darlings of the press, especially after Rattle and Hum..

MickG said:

Yep ! I agree. He's his own worst enemy.

Prince vs Prince in the world series of music.....

There's a fine line between being conceited and being proud of yourself.

It shows that deep down he has some issues somewhere with accepting himself.

KrystleEyes said:

I hear what you're saying, Krystle. I think one emotion in particular that Bono embraces that Prince avoids is remorse. I can only think of a couple of tunes, Purple Rain and In this Bed Eye Scream, where Prince expresses genuine regret and assumes personal responsibility. Outside those songs, Prince usually plays the wronged lover, the broken-hearted sensitive genius, the rowdy partyman, or preacher man ... not the one to blame. Bono explores personal regret and wrongdoing much more thoroughly, I think. And that may be a big factor in U2's continued success.

prince without a doubt