SquirrelMeat said:

...I still think he's got it in him to do better though...I'm not saying sales or popularity wise, just in general terms of unique, inspired music...

the formula he's followed for the last three albums is getting old...even if I absolutley hated his next offering, I would atleast like to take some satisfaction in that he tried to do something different...

for so many years, a new Prince album meant that you didn't know what you were gonna get when you played it...good or bad, it was always unique...

Maybe youre right when it comes to album sales squirrel.

But musicology didnt sell badly. And i think the number of sales for 3121 and Planet Earth were/are on par with the latest outings of artists like the Stones and REM.

Next to that i have the feeling the musiccritics are having respect for his output since 2004, the general consensus among them seems to be that Prince is more focussed on CD and less selfindulgent.

Personally i think the decline of Princes mainstream appeal hasn't a lot to do with him not scoring big hits anymore, but more with all the 'fuss' about things that are secondary to his music itself: the battle with WB, the namechange (the symbol thing), the 'slave' thing, and more recently, his stupid battle to control his 'image' on the internet.

In the eighties his 'eccentricities' (mixing white and black music styles, his androgenous appearance, the mixture of carnal and religious/spiritual elements in his lyrics) were considered as a 'fresh wind', something to break the mould. That helped his popularity a lot.

But i have seen and spoken a lot of people who consider his actions in the nineties as irritating and annoying. I myself had problems in that period keeping faith in Prince as an artist. These actions seemed to overshine his music, which honestly was detoriating in quality (alltough not as badly as some music journalists were saying it was, i think between 1988 and 1995 didnt release classic albums anymore, but the best songs on those albums were better then 99 percent of the music released at that time).

But especially between 1996 and 2004, it appeared to me that most people seemed to think that Prince had lost 'it' and seemed more busy with his one sense of selfimportance and his narcistic nature, then with creating music that matters. I think that period has done his career so much harm, that the mainstream public became to see him as some 'superstar freak' like Michael Jackson (not unjustantly IMO): a person living in his own world. out of touch with reality, with a bigger ego then is good for himself.

Alltough his last three albums often sound like calculated efforts and can be a bit boring and unsurprising at times, at least they gave me the idea Prince was on his way back, trying to get more focussed, letting the music speak instead of his eccentric behaviour.

Unfortunately his latest actions against his fansites have killed his efforts to be 'taken seriously again' by the mainstream public in the blink of an eye. With his recent actions, i am affraid Prince himself has killed his oportunities to ever be taken seriously again by the general public.

Riverpoet31 said:

no truer statement could have been made...

purplecam said:

Hey at least they are sticking to their one talent in life

while Prince stick's to his music making but not for Channel Zero! , MTV(mum's tv), bill.i'm.board.com chart

purplecam said:

you se the mutha f*cking title...you don't wanna see negative comments, don't open the thread...

and in other news:

Firemen told to abstain from sexual bribes

http://www.reuters.com/ar...2120071116

Imago said:

He released Te Amo Corazon for people like me with good taste who could actually appreciate it...

roodboi said:

I didn't say that Prince doesn't want another hit single. I said whether he has one or not doesn't affect his stature.

Singles are for kids and kids aren't going to get into Prince in big numbers. The influence he has on artists who are having hits (Justin, Alicia, Gwen etc) kinda takes care of that for me.

James Brown hadn't had a hit single in years - so what?

Bob Dylan hasn't had a hit single in years - so what?

vivid said:

what made you think that comment was for you??


but looking back, you did say...

vivid said:

am I mis-reading that??

...and I certainly wont argue with your assesment that not having a hit single affects his stature...my point is that I believe Prince has been trying to produce hits with his last three records and I wish he would stop...with the exception of the Purple Rain and earlier releases, his "hits" have been some of his most uninspired work, IMO...Cream, Batdance, TMBGITW, Alphabet St just to name a few...decent lil' songs but they pale in comparison to some of the songs that weren't hits...

HomeSquid said:

examples please??

roodboi said:

Yep, you might well be. It's all opinion I guess, but i don't think any of the above singles 'pale in comparison' to other songs on those albums. More a case of those albums paling in comparison to the earlier ones.

ehhh....prince's last top ten hit was 'GOLD' which made it to the top 10 in the uk in 1995.....'betcha by golly wow' made number 11 in 1996....so tmbgitw wasnt his last big hit....one of the reasons he hasnt had a big hit since is he hasnt released a song BEFORE an album has come out and promoted it properly !!....single to radio then released a few weeks later WITH video then album a week or two later.....when was the last time he did that???.....in the uk....no single was released before rave or musicology or 3121 or planet earth ???...cinnamon girl made it to 44 in the uk singles chart six months AFTER the album came out ???....what chance has he got of a hit song if he does that ???
.
and just as a foot note....the musicology album sold DOUBLE the amount of sales that the lovesexy album sold in the usa which is supposedly his golden period so dont believe the hype.....
[Edited 11/16/07 15:02pm]

blackbob said:

lovesexy is considered a golden period because of the quality of the work...not it's sales...

and musicology sold because of the concert giveaway gimmick...

but with that being said, albums just don't sell like they used to anyways....

sosgemini said:

I just checked, and Prince doesn't seem to have an official site which provides discussion, and interaction with members.
Maybe someone can e-mail him and suggest he do that. Pronto!
It would be great to have a flowers, butterflies, rainbows, peace love dove, Prince site, with limited and restricted negative vibes. Light up a spliff and.....

The top of the forums can have a warning: No haters allowed !

sosgemini said:

Yeah, you cannot use the Musicology numbers as any proof of Prince's success with album sales. He screwed Soundscan on purpose with that one.

ufoclub said:

Are you kidding me? My friends who associate Prince with Purple Rain and "whatever happened to him" dug the Black Sweat video - for a little while at least. Besides it's the only video I've seen by him in a lone time to actually make it through the daily rotation - for a little while.

But it another perspective would have been cool to.

chillichocaholic said:

Hmmmm.... exactly.... and who is 3rd on the best sellers of all time .... Westlife! That says it all really..... chart success not required!

xplnyrslf said:

I love you. That's hilarious. Should I break out my fairy wings and glitter shoes?

hilton02895 said:

I loved that video. I’m pretty sure that at least the video was a hit in the U.S. It spent a while on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown and it was the #1 video on vh1.com. Hell, once I even saw the video played 3 times in an hour on television – on BET, MTV, and VH1. I’d imagine anyone that actually scanned those channels periodically back then would have came across it several times.

HomeSquid said:

Actually, you are obviously in denial of anything remotely good that Prince has done. Not many artists his age even see the charts at all. I was attempting to give some credit, not too much credit. And you sure as hell didn't hear me mention whether or not he cares.

Also, I didn't prattle on about how great and wonderful he is; however, you appear to be doing the opposite. This negative stance seems to be very important to you. It’s one thing to be overly positive, but it’s another to be overly negative. You seem really angry. Is it displaced anger? Perhaps you should find other outlets for your rage.

I know…it’s your opinion. Well, ya just got mine.

audience1 said:[quote]

HomeSquid said:

Not true I actually was fairly positive on hear about 3121 and even Planet Earth. But he isn't special anymore. It's just so lame how obssessed many of you are over a freakin vain, selfish rock star who has proven what a sub-par person he is. All the money and success in the world means nothing if nobody really likes you. Think about. NEARLY EVERYONE that's ever worked or been involved with Prince dislikes him.

HomeSquid said:[quote]

audience1 said:

First of all, I took all my non Prince liking friends to see him this year on different nights and they all said one thing: Now, they completely understand why I'm so into him. They are all really into music of different sorts and were utterly amazed by the man - really blown away.

What might be construed as lame is that you're posting multiple responses on threads regarding an artist who think 'isn't special anymore'. Why are you here?

HomeSquid said:

It's funny now that all of the so called Prince fans feelings are hurt due to all of the press hype and the hype produced on this site that people like usual these days have stooped to personal attacks on Prince. People are only fans these days if they're getting what they want and getting their ass kissed. The minute they get offended or their feelings hurt they turn on you. People are really sick!
If you had a brain in your head you would realize that Prince has never been pop or commercial. The pop, hip-hop, r &b or country that is made for radio are songs that usually become hits these days and its mostly crap. One person's hit is another person's crap. Its just based on an opinon and just because thousands think something is good doesn't mean that it is. People are into mediocrity these days. I would rather see Prince struggle with his creativity like he seems to be now than sell out and sound like R. Kelly or Lenny Kravitz.

Will the real Prince fans please show themselves on this site?! I've been looking and haven't found any lately. If you're not into Prince since you think he has to have a hit to be valid in your life, then just go away!

Klondike said:

coughtypicalfamcough.

There's a HUGE difference between being a "fan" and "fam".

A "fan" can like some of his music, while thinking some of it is shite.
A "fan" can appreciate Prince's contributions to music, while thinking that personally he can be a dick.

A "real Prince fan" has a mind of his/her own and doesn't have to love or even like everything that Prince says or does.

YOU meant to say, "fam".
A "real Prince fam" doesn't think Prince has ever done anything less than spectacular EVER.
A "real Prince fam" can watch Graffiti Bridge and think that Prince got screwed out of an Academy Award.

And yes, a "real Prince fam" can completely ignore the fact that Prince is treating the fans and fansites like crap, and looks down his nose at them and feels that he's perfectly justified in telling other people how they should view and think about him.

I'd debate the whole "Prince has never been pop or commercial" line, but you're obviously a "fam" and there wouldn't be a point anyways.

ButterscotchPimp said:

First of all anybody who uses the word fam is a loser. And second, if you've read any of my other post I don't think that everything Prince does is cool or that his music is always good. You did read my last line saying 'I think Prince is struggling with his creativity'?. In plain English, that probably means that I don't think all of Prince's music is good. I know, I know, a little over your head. I'm not defending everthing Prince does, I just know that theres more to the story. I will wait to get more information and not let the press dictate what I think. Until then I'm not gonna get my panties in a wad and cry like the sky is falling like some of the losers on this site.

olskooljamz said:

Gold was Prince's last original top ten hit single in the UK peaking at no. 10.
It had a great b-side too, mabye that's what's been missing all this time?

.
[Edited 4/21/12 13:19pm]

So what, if he hadn't a hit in a few years.
I find a song on every Prince album that is a hit to me!

I don't think, he will be having another hit because the kids today are not into his style of music.

TheGoldEXp said:

Hi Nurse! You're not kidding..!

As long as the fams like his music... who cares about the charts...

I love so many of his songs since TMBGITW
[Edited 11/17/07 17:28pm]

Last Top 10 hit was:

1999

Sam 8)

GiGi319 said:

my only true disappointment in Princes music as of late is that it has a consistant "style"...like I said before, there was a time when you played a new Prince record, you didn't know what you were gonna hear...there were albums that never fit any style or any genre...

I don't care if he has hits, I don't care if I like every new album...I'd just like to hear some diversity, some orginality....I'd like to hear something that makes me think he's inspired...

and I'd give my left nut to hear a new album without horns....