It is for me.

Sure there are 5, maybe even 6 pretty decent songs on Planet Earth, but the rest is so bad it's almost funny. I have no idea how he thought this sequence of songs would be fit to release as an "album." It's my own fault for thinking this release was going to be different. This album will mark only the 2nd time since I've been a fan (1982 for those who care) that I won't purchase the album. He could've easily combined the best of 3121 and PE to make a pretty strong album. His strange promotion of 3121, and Vegas run instead of a proper tour, made it pointless to release IMO. His career choices post-Musicology are simply confusing to me. I do love his distribution decisions and truning the industry on it's head, I just wish his music matched his pioneering ways of late. I'm officially done buying his new stuff blindly without hearing it first.

Here's my list of his 5 worst releases:

New Power Soul
Rave
Musicology
Diamonds & Pearls
Planet Earth

There has surely been some low points for me in the past 10 years.
What's your "5 worst?"

Only 5?

don't know, i've not heard it yet.....

Oh man, Diamonds and Pearls ain't perfect but is still pretty much a good-great album...

Its not in my five worst. They are

Diamonds And Pearls
Graffiti Bridge
Emancipation
NPS
Rave

Right out of the gate, I'd have to say "yes." But I will give it a few more listens -- in CD quality -- before passing final judgment.

Cloudbuster said:

I could probably come up with 5 more that also damaged his credibilty as the one of the greatest of all time. Chaos & Disorder, Emacipation (as a 3 disc set), Grafitti Bridge, the majority of his NPGMC stuff, and for the general public TRC (although I do enjoy that era) all come to mind.

It's a good thing his music was so out of this world from the 80's, or his legacy would be in serious trouble by now!

Oh well, now I can re-focus on the really great music that's come put this year from LCD Soundsystem, The Field, The National, Andrew Bird, Ryan Adams, Arcade Fire to name a few.

5 Worst

1. Diamonds and Pearls
2. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic
3. Graffiti Bridge
4. 3121
5. Batman

5 Best

1. Parade
2. Controversy
3. Around The World In A Day
4. Purple Rain
5. Come

5 worst:

Musicology (although the least bad)
New Power Soul
N.E.W.S.
Emancipation (some tracks i absolutely LOVE, but sooo many silly tracks... if this were one disc it would be in my top 5 BEST)
One nite alone (some georgeousness though with title track, Avalanche and Case of U)

I need to let Planet Earth sink in first. Only after a few months i can really place it.

Is this album even out yet? (I'm in the US)...

CalhounSq said:

Not in the US it isn't.

No.

ideation99 said:

Not even close...

Are you crazy?!
No way.
5 worst

1) NEWS
2) Rave Until the Poo Smell-tastic
3) New Power Soul
4) Constipation
5) Diamonds and Pearls

Why does everybody dog out NewPowerSoul? Come On, Freaks On This Side, Wasted Kisses are all cool jamz! I guess I like the cd cuz when it came out I got to see him live at the Key Club. He performed a lot of jamz from NPS and it was hot! There are some cd's that I find less appealing. Chaos and Disorder for one is kind of a disappointment. Also, The Black Album was a little weak. But both cd's have some good jamz. I don't know, it seems like with Prince's music when you first hear one of his new jamz and it doesn't sound all that great, 4 to 6 month's later I fall in love with it. Almost like it grows on you. Anybody ever notice that about P's music. I thought I heard Levi Searcy jr. say the samething in an interview one time.

Klick

This thread pops up before every single prince release and you get people saying such and such is the worst album ever by prince before its even released.... people said that about purple rain before it was released and they've said it about every other cd since

We cant judge an album so quickly its ridiculous..

Bearing this in mind tho.. Rave sucked when it came out and it still sucks now in my opinion.. so after a period of time if it still sounds like a turd , it probably is.

I cant imagine planet earth doing that tho.coz i have listened to and loved all tracks so far

klick2me said:

Because besides 2 songs it's pure shit

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned "The Rainbow Children", or as I call it, "The Rainbow Rugrats", as one of their top 5 worst. It definitely scores #1 on my list.

Planet Earth is great, I'm loving it already.

psychodelicide said:

TRC is in my lower tier, as well. I hate it when Prince's dogma craps on my karma.

Why not list the 5 BEST albums...

Genesia said:

Agreed!

A couple of albums that I couldn't stand to listen to all the way through, like Rave, contain some of my favorite songs - Man O'War, Silly Game.

Emancipation is a mess, but there's 8 or 9 songs that I love.

Least Favorite (in no order)

1. Musicology
2. 3121
3. New Power Soul
4. Rainbow Children
5. Chaos and Disorder

I guess I never grew to like a lot of his later albums as albums, even though there are songs from all of these albums(except Musicology and 3121) that are among my favorites.

It's all gravy now anyway.

CalhounSq said:

May I ask what 2 songs u like?

Klick

psychodelicide said:

HEY, TRC is a cool cd! Yeah, yeah, some of his spiritual views are a little off but the music is great! Live it's even better.

Klick

it's fucking unbelievable how arogant some Prince fans are


stepping back from this forum back to GD

AndGodCreatedMe said:

I think it's a bit early for this as it hasn't even come out yet, nor have any of us listened to it in decent quality.

Bottom 5

D&P
Emancipation
Rave
Musicology
NPS

IT'S NOT OUT YET!

klick2me said:

No, Planet Earth, as i see it now will be "somewhere in the middle"

His truelly worst albums are:

1. The Rainbow Children
2. New Power Soul
3. Come
4. For You
5. Rave

And the ones who did put Diamonds and Pearls in their top 5, should think about a brain lobotomy

I mean: Together with The Gold Experience thats his best album from the nineties, and it belongs in every Prince album top-10.