Please take me back to the 1980s and please break down into solid opinions as to why Purple Rain became Prince's biggest success and launched him as a main competition against Michael Jackson and his Thriller lp.

Was it just the music that made people notice prince?
Did the coming attraction of the movie help?
How was his music(purple rain) and pre-Purple rain and movie promated?
How important or different was the music from the album that made him the star while his previous albums weren't as successful and what was the music scene like when Purple Rain came out?

Since I came here as mostly a Mj-fan, I have asked people the same question about Thriller and its success. Often people have said that the success was due to the:
videos
Motown 25
dance steps
built-in fan base
and great music that crossed over several music barriers.

So what made Prince as big as he was in the 1980s?

Also, many of you orgsters pointed out that the James Brown concert featured both artists:mj and prince and that they both did less than spectacular job in it, mj just danced when the sound of the music changed and Prince played a bit, took of his shirt and almost fell. Yet with their upcoming lps: Thriller and Purple Rain, they acheived success like none other. Didn't their less than average performance hinder anything?

Thank-you.

The Faceless Wonder v's Prince - Round 2.

Micheal Jackson can fuck right off.Where was he when P was having contract problems?Was he standing behind another black artist,supporting him, promoting his cause?NO.He was off playing with the boys.
But NOW-he wants people to stand with him in his fight against Sony.

Micheal has ALWAYS had a Prince hang-up.He thinks he's competition.
Mind u he did call his son Prince-So called king gives birth 2 so called Prince.
Sorry, I just aint a fan.

---

Prince and MJ were/are androgynous african americans who were all over MTV as sex symbols.

However, Michael is a song and dance man while PRince is that and a REAL musician.

Thriller and Purple Rain hit at the right place and the right time, but were popular for different reasons.
Thriller was light,widespread, safe, cool and hip. Purple Rain was dark, weird, widespread, cool and hip.

subyduby said:

The whole world didn't see that JB performance. But had they, I doubt it would have undercut the behemoths that both Thriller and PR became.

It's called respect for your idol. If I were to get on stage with Prince, I would probably perform very minimally, if not just stand there in awe.

For another example, see Mariah Carey when she was onstage with Aretha Franklin on some stupid ass VH1 divas show a couple years back.

I've said it before, I'll say it again:

MJ

'nuff said.

skywalker said:

! thanks! that was kind of the response i was looking for.

For God's sake, won't you try to be original for once, try to compare "Bad" and "Around The World In A Day"

Prince is a MUSICIAN and Michael Jackson is a recording artist.

jnoel said:

jnoel said:

That is interesting!!! Let's compare the two: I think, Prince took the bigger risk on his follow up. For one think, he released ATWIAD only about a year after Purple Rain where MJ it was quite a few years.

MJ's Bad is the same pop dribble we've come to expect from him, album after album. Where ATWIAD, took on a more "psychedelic" feel to it, a total departure from the look and feel of Purple Rain.

But I will be honest too. ATWIAD, did not do as well as a follow up as Bad did. But, I for one would much rather listen to an artist who is taking a chance on his music and not giving us the same crap time after time. The only thing MJ may be better at than Prince is dancing. But for me, it's all about music and I could give a crap about who is a better dancer!!!

SoupDog said:

blarnt!! i so disagree...


Bad:

Another Part of Me
The Way You Make Me Feel
I Just Can't Stop Loving You
Smooth Criminal


Bad, is the only really crappy song on the entire album...pop dribble didnt start creeping up on MJ albums till Dangerous.

SkletonKee said:

I know some people who would say it started with Thriller's 'The Girl Is Mine'.

Hard 2 compare the 2 albums. Different fan base. That was it for MJ tho. He never really had anything else on that level.

Prince, on the other hand, being a complete artist, will always be creating. Always on a higher level than "pop" singers.

feelUup said:

different fan base huh? well i like both and i know i'm not alone.i have as big an MJ collection as i do Prince.(including Jacksons and J5 stuff) and i religiously buy both guys product.

Aside from the fact Michael for some stupid reason goes with this 'King of Pop' crap (which i ignore), he IS a soul singer first and foremost, always was.I don't go along with your statement that he is just a 'pop' singer, that's a joke.

Everyone that has ever worked with him or watched him has been in awe of his talent, he is a musician, just not on the same scale as Prince.

I thank Mike for taking 4 years off in between Thriller and Bad because in those for years i seriously got into Prince in a big way.I originally went along with the whole rivalry thing in 84 and stood by MJ (i was 14 then and naive, so i had an excuse)

Now i just see them as two very different artists with different agendas and goals.

strange how record company troubles are affecting them both though.

P.S. I really wish they had done a song or two together back in the 80's, it would have been awesome.

I think bottom line- they both put out 2 of the best albums of all time. Sure the video revolution helped MJ and certainly the Purple Rain movie, but their music was great and both guys and girls liked it. You could crank "Beat It" and When Doves Cry" or "Let's Go Crazy" and not get beat up for it! I think both MJ and Prince no longer appeal to men and women like they used to. They're both cult figures now really. They will always be popular but I think it will take a lot selling out and a lot of luck to have a comeback like Madonna did with her last album. She was down and out and came back with a great album and her image is still in tact.

it's always about timing,Talent,Music,Image&Cross-Over Both these Cats Played the Game&used it to there Advantage.Radio back then was So Racist&truth be told still is."Thriller" Changed the Game&Showed How far a Black Artist could go on so many levels IMHO.MJ had the Songs&Videos&Was Cool. Him&Prince to Me were not that much different overall to me.they went about Creating Differently but overall went after the same Pop Base&Loot.they went for the Brass Money in the Studio&Stage.I don't get into any Versus this or that Crap because they Both Brought so Many Folks of All BackGrounds,Creeds&Cultures Together Period.but Prince did Benefit from the Backlash that was MichaelMania.timing was everything.Michael Jackson was Blessed&Cursed with all the "Thriller" Frenzy.it happen to Prince with "Purple Rain" but not the same overall Vibe but enough to drive you Nutty.unlike most I see alot of things in Common both these Cats Have they just go about things differently.Prince did More Recorded Stuff as a Adult MJ did alot more as a Kid.Prince got like a 1,000 Songs as a Adult MJ was Forced by Motown to do a 1,000 as a Kid not counting what He has done as a Adult.but for me I look at them overall the same.

mistermaxxx said:

......

DMSR said:

AMEN! However,I don't know if Madonna was really "down and out" before her last album