Why or why not? Would he have to start on an indie label that might actually believe in artist development, or would he be strong-armed into a one-off deal by a big corporation that insists on their own production? How would the Prince of 1978 be able to make it in today's musical climate? How would he get heard? Would his talent truly be enough? Or would he have to look and play the part (their part) instead? Or should/would he be happy playing local clubs (where no one really listens) -- just him behind a guitar and/or piano? Would people of today even notice the talent before them and if they did, would they care? Would they want to hear more? Would they buy his merchandise, or would they wait for his music to show up online so they could burn the songs without ever paying? Would they truly support him? Would they make him their myspace friend and then proceed to tell their other "friends" about him? What would be your advice for someone like him? Would you form a street team, would you build him a fancy website, would you help him shop his talent to other people in the business, would you tell him to walk the streets of Hollywood with dreams of being seen by just the right person at just the right time? Or would you just tell him to get a job that pays the bills, and see his musical talent as just a hobby because "there's no hope for someone like you, buddy. Y'see that David Cook dude on tv? Yeah, he just got lucky -- if you wanna call it that."

Thoughts?
[Edited 6/14/08 15:30pm]

I am only me, I certainly can't speak for today's youth, however, if teens of today were exposed to "For You," We could tell that the good listeners would be out seeking more Prince music.

Snap said:

Prince would have been famous regardless.. "Sexy Dancer".. you could put that on the radio today and it would knock out today's music, yes, his talent would have been recognized by fans of today.. the sold out seats @ concerts would prove that .. and anyone with real talent i dont think has to struggle to be famous.. the talents there, people would be fighting over you to sign you... [for the highlighted blue -->] i never speak negative to anyone as far as them wanting to fulfill their dreams .. only jealous people talk negative to others (cause they dont fulfill their own dreams and goals for their own lives and dont want others to it.. misery loves company)..... whatever you set your heart on and whatever you want to be, it's yours for the taking and I would tell Prince 'go for it' and be the best you can be.... Prince would have been on top and famous regardless, even if he had just became famous in this time..
[Edited 6/14/08 16:57pm]

Genius is as genius does.

If Prince were a new 18 y.o. artist beginning today he would still blow the music industry away. The music he would make would be different than what he made in '78... but the creativity which would be influenced by the music which has been made since then... would still be there. Sexy dancer for instance would probably sound like something Pharrell, Andre 3000, Will I Am, Van Hunt or Timberland may have done on one of their best days. And other music he made would likely reach levels they have not (and remember he would not have been around to influence them..or himself).

He would be young passionate and driven as he was back then. And someone would give him a deal on his terms as they did back then as well.

But remember... the music he would make would not be the same music he made back then... but the talent/genius behind the music would be the same... with new hunger and passion for excellence.

Would have done and impacted the music industry the way he did 30 years ago. His talent lead to his success which is inevitable

If anything, he'd be an indie artist. Being a kid today and knowing what people around my age listen to, I seriously doubt he'd be on the pop charts unless he played the kind of music that charts.

He would be like today's Ne-Yo....writing and producing like crazy....

If he came out looking and singing the same he did then...hell no JMO

MajesticOne89 said:

Have you followed his career? Of course he can play the kind of music that charts. He's proven that. He's not obsessed with charting either. Prince is not hardly starving.

If the music was kept as simple and tame as it is now and the album was released as new, meaning that Prince would presently be twenty and compared to the likes of Raheem DeVaughn, Lyfe Jennings, Tank and Jaheim, we would be labeled as soft & corny and subsequently laughed off the radio. Its not that today's kids are coarser or tougher than kids were in 78, if the totality of all the world events that have happened since then would make kids desire stronger content and more complex lyrical and social content in their music. That may seem strange considering how stupid a lot of songs are today, I would expect that he would have to drop a few songs off FOR YOU and write some more explicit lyrics. One album I think would really work today if it were toughened up with more instruments and funk is DIRTY MIND, it would cause as much controversy ( no pun intended ) for its content as it did way back when.

Hard to say. His talent would still remain, but I find most new music is lacking just that.

I suppose he could turn the music industry on its ear. He probably wouldn`t be as productive though, would probably see less albums by him.

Do you think people would be less shocked by his image? He broke a lot of ground at the time, sexual and racial.

Times have changed and it's a lot easier to be eccentric and a huge success than it ever was. That could either help or hinder him, hard to say. Help him in that he'd be more easily accepted, hinder in that he'd seem less edgy.

Tough call. I'd have to go with my gut and say he'd be a half-indie, someone like Beck who has a devoted mainstream following. sells consitently well, but maybe ends up just shy of cracking the superstar barrier.

SUPRMAN said:

Umm yea I kinda have, and his last hit single in today's music industry was....oh yea, he hasn't had one (and please don't say black sweat). And you're right, Prince isn't obsessed with charting, but that is why he'll be an indie artist, no more famous today then he was in 78, because instead of being a pop star, he's going to be a musician.

Fantastic idea for a thread! It's a thinker!!!

Hmmm... isn't he adaptable?
Sure he could do it today!
I think it's part of who he is.

Would the Prince of 1978 be noticed by today's music industry?

Not a chance! He was of his time.

wildgoldenhoney said:

I think we are missing the point. If he was 20 today he would not drop the album that sounded like for you. He would have been influenced by a different group of individuals. The technology would be completely different. He would be cutting edge for 2008. This holds true for every single great act...if you dropped any album from over 25 years ago it would be "not with the times." But you can always look at songs on albums and say there's great songs there if we just update them. Would you be able to make the for you album current- yes.
Now would the prince image work today. I think his talent could propel him but it would be more difficult.
I think the more relevant and sad question swirls around Dirty Mind. That album was a shocker, had little mainstream support and did not fit with any of the then current media formats. For an artist coming off two albums that sold pretty well and seemed to be setup for becoming a mainstream star this would be a disaster. Dirty Mind sold around 200k when first released- prior to pr- and surely he would not have gotten that album out in today's market under a major label and if he did he would probably get dropped after poor sales.
The support system is not there any more for developing acts with the major lables and thus we go year to year with no major, ground breaking stars growing and changing music. The artist is not developeed and supported through the growth years and is forced to deliver the same repetitive garbage until the public is tired of them and moves on.
Sad really.

fmarasco said:

Speculating about what if's, and what not, is pointless
... you missed my point.

Yes, he'd shine through like a beacon... he's an incredibly talented man, there could be no denying it whatever decade he was in, and utterly determined too, he'd do whatever it took to get noticed, just like he did back then!

wildgoldenhoney said:

sorry i wasn't clear, I'm actually agreeing with you. But This whole thread is a what if and yes, pointless. My response was to the thread theme of dropping the prince of 1977 into 2008 instead of just dropping the talent of prince into 2008 and what he would create at 20.

Of course he would, why wouldn't he ?
Music today Sucks.
[Edited 6/16/08 12:02pm]

Of course he would be noticed , you cant possibly ignore someone with that much talent

He would never by noticed by today's music industry because he's not shit hop and he throws down faster than midtempo. Today's dead asses would notice opera before they would notice someone like Prince.

Today's music industry doesn't care about talent. They would purposely not give him a recording contract because if talented artists caught on, shit hop (which is cheap to make) would go out of style and their profits wouldn't be near as large.

Dont think would be easy to Prince explode as an artist naw,cause all i see around myself its a bunch of beaches shaking thouse ridiculouse asses like Pussy Cat Dools or that almoust singer Hianna whith that shit song Umbrella,and the list goes one and one.But P. is a genius musicians and genius always find a space to put their music on the market maybe in a small label for a start.Also Hip Hop and Rap are taking moust of the atention of the industry thats why you find in every pop female singer song a dude raping trough the song and pousing as a bad guy on the videoclips.I cant stand it anymore.