His shows doe phenomenally well. I mean REALLY well for a musician whose been around as long as he has and gets as little radio play as he does.

But a great portion of his attendees are casual fans or people curious to see a 'legend', and they are going there expecting to hear Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, etc. etc.

Obviously, Prince has been giving the crowd what they want, perhpas in an effort to rev up the number of potentially new fans or folks becoming interested in his music.

But does this mean, we'll never see another tour promoting most recent works (like a SOTT tour where he plays mostly stuff from the album, with a smattering of hits here or there)?

He's said on multiple occasions that he was going to retiring from playing his hits--but this has not happened. I don't think it's strictly because Prince is fickle--he must be courting the masses again, and because he can't get a video hit to save his life right now, wowing audiences with his hits and of course talent may be the only way to do it?

He's clearly enjoying being a Hollywood darling at the moment and he will have to continue to play the hits, go to all the parties, and give'm what they want in order to keep that up. I think he's probably just riding the "dream factory" while it lasts.

I'd love for him to announce a small venue tour promoting a new album where he overtly states "No Hits" will be played. Forget the casual fan and the johnny come latelys!

simm0061 said:

Isn't that what he's already been doing? The theater shows (Hit and Run and One Nite Alone) were more for core fans and didn't have as many hits, but the arena (Musicology and O2) and festival (Coachella) shows had mostly hits.

I don't see anything wrong with him (or anyone else) playing hits. Hits are why most people pay to go to shows for any artist.

Prince has reached the status where he doesn't HAVE 2 do anything.However,I love,love,love the hitz and hope he never stopz playing them.

Good topic and one that I've wondered myself. I think it all comes down to business. The hits are what the majority of people outside of the hardcore care about when it comes to Prince and I'm sure Prince realized that while embarking on the Musicology tour. I have heard that Prince himself gets tired of singing the same songs over and over again but it seems like it's a catch-22. No matter how good any new music is, the hits are what fills those seats. Personally, I want Prince to showcase new music in a major way again and who's to say that it won't happen again but right now, it is what it is and I don't mind the hits. In the end, this line fits Prince with this scenario, "Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't."
[Edited 5/6/08 9:50am]

ONA was definitely a promotion of TRC. He played mostly new stuff from the album as well as some obscure trax from his catalog (Anna Stesia, Sometimes It Snows In April, etc.).

As for shows like the "Hit N Run" and Musicology, they were aimed at the casual fans. The Hit N Run show featured "hits", but it didn't focus on just the PR hits (like Musicology did). He played everything from Gett Off to Sexy Dancer.

If you think about it, everytime he does a show, he has a focus. To me, I think the Hit and Run shows were designed to make some "quick" money. The ONA tour was specifically catered around TRC album and Musicology was catered around PR and the RRHOF induction.

Imago said:

The proble mis not the fact he's been playing his hits, the problem is he's been playing always the same hits which has become dull at the end...

krayzie said:

Can I PLEASE get an amen!

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

I agree with u guys....however, he has certain "HITS" that have 2 be included in his shows (the number ones). That means we have to have Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry and Kiss. Other ones that HAVE to be included include Raspberry Beret, Purple Rain and U Got The Look. The other top 10 and 20 hits can be switched out. He tries to switch them out with every tour, but it still gets old (especially when he could add Delirious or International Lover into the mix).

I guess it's about crowd participation...we all have more fun when we know the words...so I believe Prince does that to get the crowd singing...

I could hear anything and enjoy it, and so could many of us...however...we are seperate from those that aren't familiar with ninety percent of Prince music.
[Edited 5/6/08 13:56pm]

it's past and high time 4 the hits 2 say it's also high time 4 prince 2 go back 2 the forumla of new album and a show based around that album with very little dipping in2 his past. time 2 go back 2 the drawing board of desiging a show like the gold xperience and ONA.

prince is like any musician no matter how succesful they r or how much they may love a particular song, it's gets boring. how would u feel if u ate the same meal day in day out. so 4 everyone that will say "he has 2 play 2 the general public etc", just try 2 look at it from the factor of same old shit..different day aspect.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

AMEN brother!!

What I would really love would be a show of slightly obscure album tracks going right back through the decades. It would be the best of both worlds because you'd know the words & could get into singing your head off, plus you'd get that fantastic feeling when you recognise the intro and it's a song you love, but at the same time it's not just Let's Go Crazy again. There are a trillion songs I personally have never heard live. He did slip in the occasional non-hit at the O2 and it was great, so unexpected (eg. Question of U... surely no casual fan knows Graffiti Bridge very well?!).

Ah I can only dream!!

In recent past, his shows pushed 3 hours long. They now are running under 2 hours long. I think as long as he goes with the current concert running time, his playlist will be heavy on the hits and covers.

To me that is unfortunate. In the longer shows, he did a segment of new material and a segment of hits. With the current running time, he's relying on his showmanship,hits and the audience's recognition of the covers he chooses to draw in new/younger listeners instead of hooking them with his current music.

He doesn't HAVE to, but it's a safe and profitable way to go.

L4OATheOriginal said:

Could not agree with you more on this one!!!

P what about Diamonds & Pearls, Pop Life, ICNTTPOYM, Sign of the Times, Monney Dont Matter Tonight etc, etc, etc

2020 said:

I can see that all of us agree. I don't think we're "hatin'" we just want to hear some new old stuff.

I would just like him to do like a 10 min melody of a lot of his hits, just so he could get them all done quickly and then focus on the new stuff or just the rarer songs

If he could break it up, say first half of show new stuff, second half, hits that might work. That was what he did on The Lovesxy tour and it worked.

or he could do new song, old song throughout the show, but i think that'd maybe not allow any flow. so maybe not.

He wouldn't be packing arenas without the hits. Big live shows aren't generally the place to play obscure album tracks.

I agree with what people are saying about the reliance on the same hits, in the same arrangements though. There are songs in the Prince canon that were hits that are sorely missing from the repetoire, and tracks that weren't hits, but are well known enough to give some breathing room to the overplayed hits.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

can a brother get 2 hear the max live yet again? what about eye wanna melt with u? the continetial? or how about hearing i wish u heaven? electric chair? joint 2 joint? style? damn!!!

kcwm said:

i had a thread that said he should a 20 min medley and get it over with at the start of the show and move on

NouveauDance said:

thing is , he doesn't have 2 play arenas ..i would rather him b in a theatre going cause he's playing obscure tracks and such as opposed 2 a big arena being playing the same old shit from 25 years ago

Ugh no!!! NO MEDLEYS!!

It really is a delicate balance he has to find for his playlist!

Nothinbutjoy said:

hush

L4OATheOriginal said:

You can keep but seriously, I'd rather he not do hits at all than do medleys.

Nothinbutjoy said:

I remember SISTER on the LOVESEXY tour. I was like WTF. He played it in like 2 seconds. Every song was like 2 seconds long.

I don't think it's so much that Prince "HAS" to play his hits, I think he's finally back to being comfortable wearing the hits again..
I think like most artists, he didn't wanna feel like a "washed up" act doing his hits from the 80's etc, but eventually you figure out these little tunes are to be "embraced" and not "retired".. I just think Prince is there now..
happy to play the horses that got him here, and there's nothing wrong with that..keep playin em Prince

JEDINATION said:

but isn't he being looked upon as "washed up" act by continuing 2 do songs that r over 20 years old with nothing new 2 offer? the man has so much MORE songs 2 offer than those

L4OATheOriginal said:

I don't think so.. I don't see Rick Springfield getting asked to do "Coachella", "The Super Bowl" and pretty much every awards show around..

I know for us diehards, we don't always wanna hear "Purple Rain" and "Lets Go Crazy" but would the Super Bowl have been cooler if he would have played "Push" and "It"? I mean, I do understand you're take on it.. but the majority of the world just doesn't think about Prince as much as us

and finally, as far as not offering us anything "new", I think 3121 was an excellent album, "Planet Earth" I'm not a huge fan of..but it's not horrible, it's still good...

I dunno, I guess I just don't expect everything he does to "rock my world", it's just music, it's not that important

JEDINATION said:

the super bowl sucked and yes i would have appreciated it more if he took a chance and did something other than what he did. but what i'm saying is, in his live per4mances, instead of being a nostalgic act, show the world that he has more up his sleeve then past glory