It seems that a lot of outside factors were at work with his more recent albums that affected the amount of success they had. Not all of it was due to content.

Emancipation: This album was 2x cursed: shortly after its release, EMI was dissolved and this album was lost in the transition. I could've seen this album having some longevity; plenty of singles. The death of his child was the other contributing factor.

Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic: this album had a lot of potential, especially during the 1999 calendar year, but Clive Owen left Arista and AGAIN Prince's album fell through the cracks. This album had a few good singles left in it.

Musicology: THIS album actually did have success, even WITHOUT the concert CD's counting as sales. He was on fire with the tour, but sadly John Blackwell's daughter got sick/died and the tour fizzled. It was tragic, but again another outside influence.

3121: Te Amo was a dud, but Black Sweat was a minor hit and Fury/Love had potential as hits. I think the Mani breakup/divorce weighed heavily on the promotion of this album.

All of this and I didn't even count any adverse WB influences. I think it's time for Prince to get a break!

Se7en said:

Freudian slip?

i don't think the death of john blackwell's daughter made the musicology tour fizzle. i think that tour/album was one of prince's biggest successes in the past decade, and i think prince and his camp dealt with blackwell's tragedy very professionally and sensibly.

Se7en said:

Incense & Candles should have been issued as a single. But, then again, I thought Black Sweat should have blown up massive.

.....

NouveauDance said:

Freudian slip, no. Sorry, I was typing fast. Clive DAVIS. LOL

Anx said:

You're absolutely right. My point was that the tour had several more months of life in it. It seemed to have been ended abruptly when Blackwell left. Everyone handled it very professionally and personally.

NouveauDance said:

I prefer the Freudian slip.

Owen;

Se7en said:

i figured the tour reached its natural end when summer was over, and that they decided to end it while it was still a huge success. i also figured it ended when it did because prince was on to his next project and was bored with the tour.

3121 wasa huge slip...

Bad choice of the first single...no remixes of Black Sweat...no promotion done in Europe...no tour...

gcu1 said:

Prince didn't promote it at all. Nowadays artists go to every radio station and do constant interviews to promote anything; prince didn't bother so not alot of people even knew of the song BS or his album.

A plumber who came to our house last year said 'do don't see him nowadays do you'(p was on my stereo). He didn't even know Prince was still alive or had released and album the previous year.

Se7en said:

The tour took a short break then continued again with Blackwell.

I don't think the death of his daughter derailed the tour, I think Prince just decided that was it and then moved on.