Looking at some specific aspects of his musicality, i think Prince has improved on certain aspects, while he has detoriated on others.

Here are the aspects i am thinking about:

Songwriter / composer: detoriated (often too generic, less surprising material, especially when he is operating as a 'one man band')

Arranger / producer: detoriated (its sometimes almost like he has 'forgotten' what makes his music so special. Relying on plastic, generic production during the second halve of the nineties, better musicianship during his 'jazz' years at the beginning of the 21th century, but he doenst really succeed to do interesting things with it, the 'safe' retrosound of Musicology and 3121: not a real improvement. I mean: when i think of Princes qualities as a arranger / producer i think of a song like Girls and Boys: weird, eerie synth sounds, a minimalistic beat, ironic french accents, and a funny Eric Leeds hornmotif, his electronic beats / orchestra hybrid he created with Clare Fisher, or his bleak, demo-like minimalism on songs like Sign of the Times and Forever in my life).

Studio vocalist: detoriated (it sounds like he holds back from delivering truelly impressive vocals on CD, like he is trying to avoid 'risks')

Live vocalist: improved (he sounds way less forced then in the past, his voice also sounds more full, did he take singing lessons? or did his voice 'age well'?)

Guitarist: improved (he allready was a great guitar player, but he seems to be more in control of the instrument, more fluent, and he does overindulge less when it comes to his solo's)

Pianist: improved (alltough his playing during the eighties did sound virtuose, it was often too flashy for me, too much showing off. He is sounding more subtle and personal now on the piano).

Drummer / beatprogrammer: detoriated (its long ago that he really impressed me with a programmed beat. Where is the brilliance of the 'Linn' era? It doenst help that he choose Kirk Johnson to produce his beats either: too generic, too plastic). And his own drumming on Musicology and 3121 sounds too simple and uninspired. He can do much better then that)

What are your 'scores' on these aspects?

songwriter - Its kind of hit and miss really, he's never been a great storyteller and has always been outdone by his peers i think - michael jackson, george michael etc

composer - some stuff has become generic, but new ideas have definitely appeared recently, i.e. TRC, ONA

producer - i wouldnt say deteriorated, he just isnt young and hip anymore and produces using live instrumentation so he's not gonna stand up with the jerkins/neptunes of the world

studio vocalist - his voice has changed as he has aged

Live vocalist - definite improvement here, its astonishing

Guitarist - improved

Pianist - improved

Drummer - hmm i agree, recent outings have been a bit dull.

But he's grown sexier and 'better dressed' if dressed at all over the years...IMO. I think his music in general has matured with him. He's not after the kids he plays for Prince as much as he plays for his fans. I personally don't want him chasing the Timbalands and Pharrells. There is a place for all of them. I think he's improved as an individual and musician.

ejnbmore, when it comes to his way of dressing i agree with you.

I mean, in the past his choice of clothes often seemed to have an element of: lets see if i can you provoke you or shock you with this? He has toned down when it comes to that aspect, and seems to have realised the emphasis should be on the music and lyrics.

But, when it comes to the music i tend to disagree with you. While on the one hand Prince has become more 'conservative' in the way he is presenting himself, on the other hand it also sounds like Prince is getting more conservative when it comes to his music.

I mean: in the eighties you had a Prince who dared to create groundbreaking, innovative music, which stood out in ways of mixing different musical styles, creating original, intricate beats, trying new things when it comes to the arrangements of songs.

Musicology and 3121 arent bad albums, but he is obviously 'playing it safe' on those records.

And even that wont be such a big problem (I mean, look at longgoing artists like the Rolling Stones or Van Morrison, living on their 'back catalogue', copying themselves mostly), but my main problem with Princes music right now that its lacking urgency, emotion, passion.

He too often sounds like he is on 'autopilot'. I mean, i wouldnt mind if he releases a new album in the vein of lets say 1999, AS LONG as he puts his heart and soul into it. And thats something i am missing with him this century.

I think his music has changed because so many people now are trying to do what he did back in the 80's.I think he'd be able to write just as good as he did back then if only he was willing to go there.