Okay, as we all know the biggest album in the 80's was Michael's Jackson's Thriller. Why didn't Purple Rain sell as much as that? (In all respect, I have both albums) I mean Michael didn't do all the much promotion--a few videos, a performance and a tour.
Prince did the album, made a full feature legnth film, went on a tour that was twice as long as Michael's and had all kinds of music videos and promotion flying out that little yellow ass of his.
What made Prince different? Why do think he didn't do as well?

My opinion is that Tipper Gore and that damned PMRC or whatever that orginization was called ruined it for Prince.

The Thriller video is what did it 4 Michael Jackson.

Thriller is less experimental, more comercial. Prince is strange, even in Purple Rain, so he has more rejection. Thriller as a matter of fact is more commercial appealing. But i take PR any day, as much as i love MJ work until BAD.

Eff Thriller

I didn't think that Prince was weird in Purple Rain, though I would pulled his hair out if he'd slapped me. But I really enjoyed the music, just like I do with Thriller. and I enjoy the music now. In my room, sharing space is the huge original vintage Thriller poster and on a wall across the room is a huge Prince poster. I love Thriller and I suppose it is more commercial, but I think it takes a special person to appreciate PR, and an even cooler person can like both.
Though I bought PR earlier this year and Thriller in 1998. LOL.

guarinigirl2000 said:

If 13 million sold and 24 straight weeks at #1 is what it's like to have an album ruined by Tipper Gore, he really should consider pissing her off again.

Michael Jackson's music was family oriented. Non-threatning. Even though he did get into a little trouble with Jehovas Witnesses. That was over the demonic overtones of the Thriller video. Prince, well believe it or not some kids would get there asses whipped just for just listening to his music.

Purple Rain was Rated-R
didn't most of us have to sweet talk our moms to get into the movie
much less buy the album
Thriller was much easier to get
no matter
money don't equal success
seeking the Kingdom does

I don't know, but as soon as I got Purple Rain I ditched Thriller in a major hurry. I was all of 13

Well I really don't think it mattered how much the album sold because Prince got a movie out of it and a hell of a WHOLE lot more, so in my opinion Prince came out the winner in that one. As for Tipper Gore, there's a lot worst songs today than 'Darling Nikki', her parental guidance campaign just seemed to make kids more curious about a CD, they'd buy it just to see what there parents were trying to hide, you know how kids are.
[Edited 10/20/06 4:05am]

wlcm2thdwn said:

Man why the hell do you think I bought PR in the first place? My mom flipped when she heard Prince say "mastubating with a magazine" I'm so glad she missed the part where Apple showed her boobs, my mom would've killed me!

Art is much harder to get/understand than a commercial product.

Cheek said:

Purple Rain is commercial product.

Cloudbuster said:

Quincy Jones

christos7 said:

Too True.

Prince had a buzz around him, but he was an upstart. With PR, he "arrived" in the big time, but he was still green compared to Quincy Jones -- a man who, at that time, already had 30 years' experience in the industry.

So, plain truth: Michael had the BIG guns behind him. For Prince to accomplish what he did at that point was impressive and showed he had a real talent, but he was still wet behind the ears.

guarinigirl2000 said:

I bet she HELPED sales.

Let's not forget that MTV was just starting and taking over the minds of millions of innocent teens. MJ was one of the first to truly realise the power of video and managed to impress everybody with his spectacular clips.
Prince has ever been a strange one and very adult oriented. Purple Rain was Prince trying to please the white audience and gain a huge amount of dollars so he could finance future projects and Paisley Park studios.

I always saw Michael Jackson and Prince as really different. Prince was more quirky, darker, and he had that edge. MJ just had that mass appeal and was more "Disney" I guess..he really appealed to audiences of all ages...Prince I guess was just too much for some people. He certainly wasn't appealing to kids..well in actuality I guess lots of kids were interested in him because of his sex appeal but MJ was ok for everyone to like. Plus society was a little different then...Prince probably offended just as many as he clicked with.

'Thriller' was better, and yet not as good as 'Off the Wall'.

'Purple Rain' ranks quite low on best Prince albums for me. Andthatsayswhat?

I'll tell you, "I'm not like other guys"

Michael Jackson hit MTV before Prince which gave him a much bigger following out of the box. Michael Jackson was a bigger "star" than Prince at the time. His music was more widely accepted than Prince's and definately less threatening. I doubt that there were many pre schoolers running around singing Darling Nikki, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain or Let's Go Crazy. But they ran Thriller, Beat it and Billie Jean into the ground. You couldn't get away from it. Practically everybody who was a music lover and MTV watcher from that generation was a Micheal Jackson fan at one time or another.
[Edited 10/23/06 12:24pm]

I know why the masses compare MJ and Prince but for people "in the know" like the people on this site it makes me wonder why do it at all?! The differences are obvious, MJ has always appealed more to a wider audience, younger and more simplistic, while Prince has always surprised people with his different approaches and has a very dark and spiritual and do I need to say it FUNKY style. When I drive in the car with my three kids I don't hesitate to put on MJ, but when I sit down with my adult friends I always place a little Prince on. I could go on and on but you get the point, one' on the cutting edge and one's trying to hang out with blanket

Michael Jackson was "kid friendly" and he also had a bunch of damn guest stars on his album to appeal to a wider audience.

vainandy said:

Ah you say that but most MJ fans didn't give a flying shit about these so called guest stars.

Thriller didn't have alot of guest stars, simply Paul McCartney. It was a simply a good album.....They both are. Why are we still taliking about this?

bboy87 said:

Cause Prince 'fams' are jealous of 'Thriller's' sales?. time to get over it methinks.

Off The Wall was a firm foundation 2

Listen the Michael Jackson of 1982-1984 is not the Michael Jackson that we see today.He was an established superstar with a 13 year career behind him.He was seen as a dashing, handsome singer who was following in the tradition of Frank Sinatra and Elvis as a "Pop" icon. Every Black person growing up in the seventies wanted to be MJ or Jermaine Jackson.

The Thriller album single handedly saved the music industry. Music was being killed by the plastic "disco" one hit wonders that were dominating music at that time. (Rap is the son of disco. See the similarities?) Video games were talking the dollars from teenagers that used to go only to buying 45s and albums. MJ with the videos saved music.

IMO Purple Rain was a better album but it did not have the worldwide success that Thriller had. And it was followed up by Around The World in a Day 10 months after the release of Purple Rain. Single worse decision in Prince's career was not letting 3 years pass before releasing another album after Purple Rain.

Prince did not let PR run its course, it was cut by ATWIAD