I come across many topics here regarding how Prince should do this or that in order to re-achieve the great status he once had...20 years ago. If only he would...WHat he should do is...

Does anyone think that this far in the game, he can get back to where he was? Considering the way he is and operates, is it really possible?

Aside from the fams, I think most people view him as an icon and a great guitarist/performer but I also think they view him as a nostolgia act akin to James Brown. Sure they'll go and see him when he comes around, but they aren't interested in buying his records. Same with radio. He might get a hit song played, but it's a one off. The only people discovering him are kids who have come across their parents older records. He's not necessarily able to reach out to a new audience anymore.

I suppose my questions are

"how do you think Prince is regarded by the general public?"

"do you think it is possible for him to achieve superstardom as he has in the past?"

"Why is it important that he do so?"

superspaceboy said:

I disagree with
"The only people discovering him are kids who have come across their parents older records"
I think the Superbowl was HUGE in that regard.
yes, I think he could do it if he wanted to play that game with those rules again.
I think he will do it anyway...despite those rules
why is it imortant that he do so? It isn't...not to me anyway.

Shorty said:

I am not saying he isn't regarded as an icon, as he clearly showed everyone at the SB. But does anyone think people are going to go out and buy his records after that performance? I mean if you like P, you most likely have the Hits packages that are out there. Doubtful anyone would go out and pick up 3121.

I've got no idea... I haven't talked to enough people to be sure.

I just know that he's likely to raise a few eyebrows... but then again, my interests have never been "normal"...

Music, I believe, is one outlet where I am different from most everybody else. I don't buy into the same acts. I look for some different. Music has gotten me through a lot (courtesy of JMac and The Click Five... even Dream Street when they were still around).

I'm sure they see him as a has-been... someone who was popular during the 80's and is trying to make a comeback.

I didn't even know he was still making music all this time until I dove into his world.
I'll get back to u guys when I know for sure how people see Prince... it sure isn't the way I see him.

superspaceboy said:

yes, I do. You honestly think that out of how ever many hundreds of millions of people that watched that performance, no one went out and bought some prince albums after that? come on!

Shorty said:

Hello! Remember me?

I don't know about hundreds of millions... but I was one person that came here after that performance. The day after, I dove into this world and never looked back.
I first know who he was a couple of years ago and he was always just there... randomly popping in and out of my life. The HalfTime show was the glue that made him stick with me... I'm a football fan of 10 years and I've seen about 8 SuperBowls... I was glad that the Colts finally won one after following them for 3 years or so. But afterwards, I wasn't overally excited that they won.
I figured, "Prince was awesome. I'm going to check out a few of his songs and see what happens"

2 months later and I'm still here.

superspaceboy said:

I think you were headed on the right path but you took a wrong turn...

You are correct about Prince being a music icon...For many in the general public, beyond the hardcore fans, Prince is seen as a strange, talented, survivor of his past era...As for your comments about him being a nostalgia act, it's a little more complex than that...Yes, when fans pay their money to see Prince in concert they want to hear the hits..This goes into the "no-shit" file...

The same could be said for other senior acts that still have the respect of their peers and music critics: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney (his last album was actually received generally well by music critics; he hasn't had the best relationship with critics as a solo act) and the like....When people go to the above artists shows they want to hear the classics...That's part of the deal and there's nothing wrong with that...It doesn't make their latest music any less relevent...It is what it is..

The problem with placing Prince strictly into the nostalgic category is this: As iconic as James Brown was (JB is one of the most influental artists of all time in any musical genre...He towers over Prince and just about any other act...) in his late '40s, James, while still a strong performer, was not on the same level of his prime years (62-73)...

In Prince's case, it could be argued that he has eclipsed his already standout skills as a live performer...In other words, in a live format, this guy has become better with age...His guitar playing has become more natural and heartfelt; his command of his band is as tight as ever; and his voice, which rarely gets talked about, is at a better command...

Prince's performance at the Super Bowl cannot be overstated...It displayed why Prince goes beyond being a "nostalgia act" just like the aformentioned Bob Dylan has been able to do...He didn't coast on his hits like the Rolling Stones (I love the Stones, but they haven't showed anything new onstage since the early '80s Tattoo You tours...)...Yes, he's an elder statesman...But folks who are not even Prince fans noted that the man gave the best Half-Time show beyond whether or not he played "Purple Rain.." No need for another round of superstardom...The man cemented his legacy years ago...

The question you need to ask yourself is what does Prince's hardcore fans think of the man nowadays?...I'm sure there is some conflict given his heavy handed policies towards the online fan sites...In this regard he is seen as a great, iconic, talented artist who also happens to be a controlling prick...But that's another thread...
[Edited 4/18/07 11:19am]

superspaceboy said:

I guess I must be a dummy...What is the difference between a fam and a fan?!?! I keep hearing that word like it is taboo...wtf? just wondering

1. The general public is ignorant to Prince's real talent. They see him and they see the guy who dresses in Purple and is gay...so the general public can go kiss my ass when it pertains to Prince.

2. imo...he is already a superstar, always has been always will be...who cares what the norm thinks.

3. It is not important.

Now were my answers FAM answers or FAN answers

babooshleeky said:

Prince a while back, during his spoon feeding news to the fans days, started this whole spiel of deconstucting words like CONtract (note the CON) and FANS, which he claimed was a derivitive of fanatics. That his "fans" are really "FAMily", Hence FAMS. Which are really just fans with a cute name.

superspaceboy said:

Oh thanks, so fam is not a bad thing...I have gotten that impression on the org that FAM is like something we should not be, kind of like a groupie or something.

murph said:

I think most of them think he's just on the verge of making a huge comeback. But he doesn't "Do things properly" to get him back in that lime light, like tour, release songs as singles, remixes, videos, and release more music in general. Because you know, that would make him huge again.

superspaceboy said:

I've been trying to get the word "fan" out of my vocabulary for weeks... for the above reason, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don't want to think of myself as one just because I want to think of myself as grounded.

I find "fam" as a strange word... so I never use it.

I like to refer to myself as a "follower" or even a friend of Prince... he said in L4OA "you can't be any more than a friend to me, I don't need another fan". It's weird, though, calling myself a friend of Prince becuz I don't know him.

superspaceboy said:

Huge in WHOSE EYES...the general public...the same ppl who listen to justin timberlake (gag)
I don't think Prince should break his back trying to impress the same ppl that listen to todays crap...imo...anything he does should get to the top of the charts...but never will because listeners today only like the crap music that is out today...jmo

babooshleeky said:

yeah, my thoughts exactly. I echo your Justin gag... becuz of him and several others, I've developed a several distate 4 mainstream garbage.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

superspaceboy said:

I think this as well...I also feel that a lot of his fans think that he's obsessively controlling and doesn't see the big picture (ie a prick to his online fans...)...But as for the basis of your thread, your point would be well taken if we were talking about the late '90s to early '2000's Prince...That Prince was seen by most of the music buying public as not only weird, and a bit of a punchline (His name change became late night talk show fodder) but a shell of his former self (The irony is Prince was giving some of his best concerts and released his most underrated work such as The Truth)...It took the success of the Musicology tour and a string of TV performances to make novice "Purple Rain" fans to see that he had gone beyond that era...As it is today, Prince is a music icon who has climbed out of the nostalgia bracket...
[Edited 4/18/07 12:51pm]

babooshleeky said:

Oh now...that. Well, some of us fans have interpreted it as the people who call themselves FAMS are really the fanatics. At first it was a cute thing "Oh I am not a fan, I'm a Fam...meaning a sort of "code" amongst the fans that that is what we are called "Madonnaites" etc...except that since it was Prince that dictated what we should be called.

Most fans that aren't fanatics call themselves fans. To call oneself a Fam, seems a bit fanatic to me.

superspaceboy said:

Well...whatever..I've never called myself a fam...

babooshleeky said:

I was refering to us fans...

Though on the topic of trying to impress people. Prince goes out of his way to impress those that really don't care that much about him. Because it is those people that don't buy his music...he feels the need to prove to that audience that he is still relevent and good.

I think that if he actually turned it around and "catered" to his fan base that actually cares about his music, he'd do much better and be seen in a better light by those that actually buy his music. He doesn't seem too concerned with us, in fact I feel he doesn't like us that much. That he'd rather have the masses love him instead of his hardcore. This is why his performances are hit driven and why his latest releases are more geared towards mainstream accessability.

I gotta put the blame on the music industry -- it's in ruins, and can't save anyone's lives this short of selling one's soul to the devil. It's not such a bad thing -- at least it kinda brings a lot of otherwise unheard acts up to the level of those the industry's tried to sell ya.

superspaceboy said:

I don't know if I believe that....but thanks for sharing

murph said:

I certainly think that he has cleaned up the image of "the wierdo with the unpronouncable name and buttless pants". And that he has gone beyond and is a musical force unmatched. But how far does that go to record sales? Or radio play? Or even general interest?

But on the verge of becoming huge again? I am highly doubtful of that. I think it's too late. Now don't get me wrong, Prince is a big star, but he'll never gain that status he once had, where he can sell millions of records. Not that this matters one bit. I certainly don't care if he sells or not. But I think this notion of being just around the corner of that bigness is merely a pipe dream.

I'd think right now Prince is delighted with the last few years of his career ,
he's played it perfectly . Most of the new acts out there would bite your hand off if you told them that 25 years after their first album release they'd be :

1) the number 1 earning tour act of the year making $96m dollars (2004)
2) having albums going straight into the US No.1 position ( 2006)
3) playing live on the 3rd most watched US TV programme ever , the superbowl halftime show

whatcha all worrying about , Prince aint sweating a thing lol .

superspaceboy said:

But who is thinking that Prince is going to sell 16 million albums again, except for hardcore Prince who would take a bullet for the man...Sensible Prince fans understand that everyone has their time...The only thing that matters in the end is your legacy...And right now Prince's legacy is held in iconic regards, something that could not be said in the late '90s...

TO some extent he really is regarded as a retro act. Many people are surprised that he has released anything at all in the last 15 years.


But I don't think at large, he is considered a retro act in the sense that James Brown is. I think he's seen like Springsteen, Mellencamp, or Tom Petty--great contemporary artists, but for a "mature" crowd much like Tina Turner was prior to releasing "Private Dancer".

I don't think it has too much to do with his age either. Madonna isn't considered a retro act, though her act is extremely tired at this point, she still has the press thinking she's fresh. It's all about P&R, and Prince is dreadful at that.

20 years ago Prince released Sign O' The Times. One of his greatest albums for sure, but it was far from a commercial blockbuster on the level of Purple Rain and it sure wasn't the biggest selling album of 1987. I'm just saying--let's not view the past through rose tinted glasses. Prince wasn't at the peak of his commercial "popularity" in 1987.


Get back to where? Right now in 2007 Prince is a hell of a lot more popular than he was even 10 years ago. Prince is mainstream again--in most of the 90's he was nearly reduced to being the best performer in the world and only having a cult artist following.



No one is buying albums/cd's anymore. The most popular pop act is barely selling compared to 10 or 20 years ago. Look at the best selling album of this and last year and the sales figures are weak weak weak. It is a bit of a misnomer that Prince used to be the HUGE SELLER. Only a handful of his albums have had monumental sales. Look up how much PArade sold in the USA in 1986. That was fucking Prince in 1986 and Parade and it only sold moderately well. Bottom line- the masses are stupid. You know should know that by now--Paris Hilton is famous. As far as James Brown goes--the man is dead and he is still the one of the 10 best performers on earth. That's how awful most "performers" are today.



1. All things being equal---It's been a long time since I have seen as many young people in the crowd at a Prince show as I did during the 2004 Musicology concerts.

2. Prince has long been past that "flavor of the moment" type of fame that you are describing. IMO most of the best music ever made can be found by digging through older records---not the shite you are spoon fed on the radio.


Less weird than in days past and more respected. Look at the "icon" thread.



Achieve? Shit he has never stopped being a superstar since 1984. His "flavor of the month" rating may go up and down--but a superstar he's always been.


It's not. I almost liked it better when we had him all to ourselves at Paisley Park every weekend. It's cool to see him get his props and finally be viewed as being an all time genius--but it is not necessary for all of my friends and associates to like Prince. If I was the only fan I'd be cool as long as he kept putting out material that was good for me.
[Edited 4/18/07 16:22pm]

murph said:

maybe not 16 mil. But many on here think he can sell even D&P numbers again...if only he would follow the strategy they lay out. I am all good with Prince and his output and whatever he decides to do. I simply question what other fans thinkings are on this subject.

Imago said:

Madonna's thing is that she keeps herself fresh no matter how recycled she becomes. Confessions did BIG numbers worldwide. 8 million. That's more than Prince has done on many of his albums combined! But she has a formula now,

Madonna plays well with others and ADORES her fans. Prince, not so much.

Imago said:

I agree about the retro act thing. Ask most people (non fans) to describe him and they will generally still describe his image from the movie Purple Rain. Maybe thats an enduring image but lots of people still see him as purple satin and big hair.