The only one I really read about him specifically refer to was Joni Mitchell's Hissing Of Summer Lawns, from that 1985 Rolling Stone article (magazine which I own a copy of).

Of course I have heard him name Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder, but never mentioned specific songs or albums in anything I read/saw.


So, what are P's personal fave albums???

I'm sure we could fill page with that information.

Didn't Prince say the first album he ever bought was James Brown's Sex Machine???

Paris9748430 said:

See, that's the kinda shit I never heard about. I am glad you added on.


I know he namechecks lots of artists but I want to know specific albums!

he mentions listening to sly's fresh album in the liner notes of crystal ball while making the song make your mama happy. i like that album too

I think in one interview he said that when he wants to listen to music, he makes it.
Quite practical!

Good question!

Flo6 said:

Or quite evasive. He can't answer even the simplest of questions.

Or we can't understand his answers:)..

viewaskew said:

Lately and THANK GOD he is playing some more 1990's Grunge type music which is perfect for his style. All that jazz and horns, enough is enough trying to re-do Old Friends for Sale over & over


Out of his Albums he made Id say 2:
Sign o Times - because he had his own $10 million studio at the time and he really was comfortable recording at the highest level.

Batman - same reason! ALL the sounds - the details to these 2 albums have a little more then most of the albums. Some he writes and records fast. These 2 had some thought behind them.

Flo6 said:

It's hard to understand anyone when their mouth is full of crap.

From what I've read over the years...

"Secret Life Of Plants"
"Jimi At Woodstock"
"The Downward Spiral" - NIN
"One Nation Under A Groove" - Funkadelic
"G.C.S" - The 1st one

SPYZFAN1 said:

Oh yeah I think I remember him saying something about Stevie's Secret Life of Plants too now that you added that.

Now Jimi is someone he always namechecks and obviously adopted some style from but I never knew he listened to At Woodstock.

I thought Pretty Hate Machine sounded more Princey so it makes sense that Downward Spiral got a shoutout.

Love that Funkadelic album.


Is GCS the one with "The Jam" on it?

Stevie Wonders Songs From The Key Of Life or at least he gave props to it during a speech once.

muirdo said:

You know what I keep flashing back to?

Around 1994, Prince won a lifetime achievement award on American Music Awards and he rattled off a bunch of names of influences during his speech.

Cinnie said:

I was thnking it was the NAACP awards where Stevie Wonder presented the award to him.

muirdo said:

Ohhhhh yeahhhhh. I wonder if I saw that one.