My choices for best 3 consecutive albums would be:

ATWIAD / Parade / SOTT

He'd hit the big time in '84 and from 1985 to 1987 was in his most prolific and most creative frame of mind. I agree Parade is the more commercial of the three and only had one distinct sound throughout, but i still love it as it was one of the first albums I really got into of his and there was still some real experimental stuff on there.

I think it would have to be either 1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day or Graffiti Bridge, D&P,

IMO, Controversy and Around the World in a Day are making this too hard. I'm going to take the easy way out, skip The Black Album, and say

Parade / SOTT / Lovesexy

runningbear said:

Sign O' The Times, Black album, Lovesexy.....nothing else compares really.

Dirty Mind/Controversy/1999

Every other period has a weak link somewhere.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

I think Controversy is the weak link on this period

Parade- Number #1 single with Kiss

SOTT- Overrall Great Album

Lovesexy- Great Tour

1999, Purple Rain, The Glamorous Life

Hell, here is my top 10 albums and top 20 songs

1.
2.Parade
3.Lovesexy
4.Chaos and Disorder
5.The Rainbow Children
6.1999/Purple Rain
7.Sign of the Times
8.Emancipation
9.Batman
10. Diamonds and Pearls

1. Good Love
2. Reflection
3. Glam Slam
4. Strays of the world
5. Thieves in the Temple
6. Alphabet Street
7. I wish U Heaven
8. The Morning Papers
9. 7
10.Come On
11.Holy River
12.We Gets up
13.I would die 4U
14.Mountains
15.The Sun, The Moon, the Stars
16.White Mansion
17.Pink Cashmere
18.Slave/2 the system
19.The Love we Make
20.Elephants and Flowers

COMPUTERBLUE1984 said:

Yeah, I think that's it.

Consistent. Always progressive. A clean beginning, middle, and an end.

suomynona said:

Replace "The New Master" with "Old Friends 4 Sale" and that's not too shabby.

But I would have to admit that Controversy/1999/Purple Rain is the one. Controversy, coming directly after a weak-ass turkey like Dirty Mind, begins a fantastic trilogy of party albums...each one better than the next and coming to perfect climactic fruition with Purple Rain.

.....

Dirty Mind, Controversy + 1999 was a pretty strong period followed by
the Purple Rain, ATWIAD, Parade + SOTT menopause.

Now this is really difficult for me!!!

Never liked Controversy or 1999 so that puts paid to that trio!

Never liked ATWIAD so thats the end of a possible trio around Purple Rain.

Mine would have to be Come - TGE - Chaos and Disorder. Even this could have been so much better with the original tracks [talking Come and Endorphinemachine and Zannalee here!!!!!]

FunkJam said:

Agreed
Although Graffiti Bridge is my least liked out of the six mentioned

theodore said:

The guitar work alone on Annie Christian put this album over.

I understand the urge to vote SOTT, The Black Album, Lovesexy, but the Black Album wasn't officially released until 1994.

It doesn't really matter, but if we don't use the actual release date, what's the point. We can just list anything we were aware of at the time, including, for example, Crystal Ball.

My Choices:

1. 1999, Purple Rain, ATWIAD

2. Parade, SOTT, Lovesexy

3. Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999

4. Hits/B Sides, Black Album, Gold (I know, greatest hits aren't proper albums)

toejam said:

co sign.
I would say SOTT-Black Album-Lovesexy

Nice topic. I've stated this several times in various threads. In my mind, definately, it's Dirty Mind, Controversy, & 1999. Not just musically, but image-wise as well. These 3 albums totally shaped P into the mega superstar of the 80's. And that shaped his legacy to this very day. Without those 3 albums, musically and visually, there would have been no Purple Rain. P carefully with these 3 albums, one right after the other, was well thought out and planned. Starting from Dirty Mind, visually, he introduced the the studded trenchcoat. Which became his calling card. His badge. His coat of arms. His trademark. Uptown is just his play on words of "utopia". He created another world where he would be a big part of and he sung about it in some form or another on these 3 albums. It's a cohesiveness in these three albums. He was carving out his place. One album was just an extension of the other. Again, musically and visually. It came to a head on the super glam version of Purple Rain.

blackguitaristz said:

thank you.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

You're welcome. I understand that many people on this site either were too young during this period or they simply weren't into P during this period. I've noticed that several people favor the Lovesexy period. Probably cuz that's when they first started digging P. I like Lovesexy era a lot. But the vibe I usually get is that they can't relate to P during this period. Especially visually. It's almost like they feel "safer" with Prince being much older.

One more vote for 1999, PR, Around the World.

Around the World may seem weak in comparison, but it has Rasberry Beret & the lesser hits Pop Life & America, along with album-cut-classics like Paisley Park, Condition of the Heart, The Ladder, Temptation, it went to #1, and was a big artistic risk.

blackguitaristz said:

I never really thought of the "safer" aspect of the Lovesexy period. But DM, Controvery, and 1999 was like him saying I'm not gonna push the envelope, I'm going to shove the mother your face until you hear what I'm saying and tough shit if you don't get it.

Ifsixwuz9 said:

Nah, Lovesexy wasn't safe at all. I'm talking about the today P. I think many on here dig P now because he's "safer".

blackguitaristz said:

Thanks. It is my first "flame folder"(or whatever its called) on the org

COMPUTERBLUE1984 said:

Parade,One Nite alone,Goldexperience

or

PurpleRain,ATWIAD,1999

ATWIAD Parade SOTT (especially considering the amount of material recorded in that wasn't released - The Crysal Ball stuff, and on top of that the B Sides).

IMHO there are several "groupings" of prince periods.. (sorry if they are not in "3´s"..

Around the world in a day/Parade (His Psychaedlic Period)

SOTT/Lovesexy/Black/Batman (His "Black" period, R&B classics - basically his peak)

New Power Generation/Diamonds and Pearls/Symbol (His NPG phase - very commerial period)

Prince/For You (70´s new soul/funk - his coming of age - his most innocent music)

Dirty Mind/Controversy (His Punk Period)

1999/Purple Rain (His "White" years - the Rock and Commercial Period)

Come/New Power Soul/Chaos and Disorder (His step down from fame and move toward new experiemental funk)

Everything else

In my opinion SOTT/Lovesexy/Black/Batman wins everytime...

www.slumberlords.co.uk

nurse said: