I am probably the only person who will say this, but the symbol album is strong from beginning to end. It was the first Prince album that I had back in 1992, and I have been listening ever since.

Start w/Purple Rain... then watch the movie over & over... Then fast forward to 3121 and tell me there isn't something about 3121 that wouldn't make a great movie

jgreco7 said:

you will no doubt begin to wonder if there is an album you shouldn't get... and probably end up buying nearly everything anyway.

I would definately start with the early stuff rather than the recent

I think the Hits and the b-sides is a great start (and if the b-sides is available solo, but it anyway).

I think everything released prior to 1990 is a must have, then I think you can be a bit more selective...

I really enjoyed the batman soundtrack (no-one has mentioned this one).

post 1990... I've liked muscicology, symbol, NEWS (but that's my thing for jazz), one night alone, and come.... thing is with the 1990's output there seems to be alot of disagreement as to what is good and what isn't... you have to listen to it at the store and decide for yourself I think.

Enjoy

I would START with 1999
[Edited 9/5/08 16:45pm]
[Edited 9/5/08 17:06pm]

Let us know what you pick up!

Definately start with Purple Rain,that is the one that I got when i was 9-10. I briefly had Around The World(but then it was broken),and today i went to this really cool store in SF,and got them all! So start with Purple Rain,and then get them all!!

Hi New fan,

My name is G0d.

I'm 10 years old and I live in New Dehli, India.

My brother's name is Nethran.

My hobbies are swimming and drawing.

I hope you have a nice time here.

नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی)

Wow, I envy you...the ability to start this journey again.

I would definately start with Dirty Mind. You will have a good template of Princely themes both lyrical and musical. "Uptown" is an early anthem that basically is P's mission statement. The stripped down funk/new wave/rock/keyboard/guitar elements of this album basically set the loose formula that he will continue to follow for the next decade.

This was the first album that influenced my life. It's brilliant.

I gotta say (unlike many suggested) ;
Don't buy The Hits - The B - Sides ;
it has edited versions of all the hits which sucks

Get the albums instead , starting with For You
[Edited 9/6/08 5:35am]

lottielooloo1968 said:

Hasn't all of society, in some form or fashion, heard most of the music from PR? I would guess that about 1% of the US population has not heard this album in it's entirety!

Any one of them listed above ^^ and below vvv
[Edited 9/6/08 12:36pm]

My first response was to say Purple Rain, as its my fave and imho, his best...

....but then I said just go for it chronologically, and go for his first album For You, and then work forward from there. You can take the whole Prince journey like his fans did back when he started, watching him mature from album to album.

Damn, I wish I could sit and do the same, that would be so great to listen to them all for the first time again from his first to his latest. I'm well envious!

Oh, and make sure you purchase them rather than download them...so much better to have the album in your hand, the covers, the liner notes etc!

...and if only you had found him this time last year, you could have gone to see him in person at one of his infamous 21 Nights shows at the O2 in London. What an introduction that would have been!

Welcome! 1999 its a god start!

If you're a new fan and don't have any Prince albums at all...

I'd suggest buying a best of album (The Hits/The B-Sides or Ultimate)
That way you'll get a cross section of songs from most eras. Then you
can see which songs you like best and buy the album's they belong
to first.

simm0061 said:

Yup, more fun when u go in order.

I'd start with Purple Rain - the film and the CD then buy the albums in date order from them on and go back to the back catalogue when money allows.

ToraToraDreams said:

I never went in order no matter how hard people pushed me and I still had plenty of fun.
Besides, my collection shaped the way it did because of what was available in stores near me (and around me). I started a bit scattered and slowly filled in the blanks.

As kinda a new fan myself i think the perfect intro to prince is Purple Rain mos definately. Then 1999, Parade,Self entitled album (Prince), Dirty Mind then SOTT

LizaWoman08 said:

Start anywhere. Just start collecting any order.

Start with Purple Rain. listen to it several times. It's one of his most instantly likeable albums, but until you absorb it, you wont' 'get it'

Once you 'get it' , you should do one of two things:

1) Listen to his albums from the first one up until Purple Rain to see how he evolved. Don't skip. Listen to them bit by bit---I can't guarantee you'll like them as Prince didn't write his music to be liked so much as to be witnessed.

2) or.... Listen to all the 80's music following purple rain in chronological order. This is a trip--trust me. The rate of his 're-inventions' is astounding, and with each album (provided you fully absorbed the previous one) he offers something new and surprising in his technique. You can continue this until you hit the symbol album. After that it doesn't matter what order you listen to his music in---there's no progression... just eradic hit-or-miss albums with a few gems thrown into the mix.

Whenever I'm getting into a new artist, I get a greatest hits album

Then, after listening to it a few times I figure out which songs I like best, then track down the album(s) those songs came from then get those albums. If I like enough songs on those albums, then I "fill in the blanks" with their other recordings.

DaveT said:

I'm sure there will be plenty more shows to see!

Try this and be patient. Start with for you and buy them in order. This is the only way to get some sort of feel of the growth he had. All music and media is a time capsule in a way. I did that with the cult and a few other bands I would buy one a month from oldest to newest.

Darwintheorgangrinder said:

Don't worry, I love it too. I ranked all the Prince albums recently at that came up at #6!

I am a big fan of Emancipation and Parade, for starters! good luck, and enjoy!!!!!

I say go from "FOR YOU" all the way until now, so you can see his growth and geneus.

You need his whole world in oder to really appreciate who he is and why he's the best there is.

PurpleKnight said:

I was advised to save SoTT for later for THAT reason. After I started listening to it, I so wanted to call it my favorite of his albums. It does spoil u, but makes you devalue the other albums more.

LizaWoman08 said:

1999 is a good starter album.
Its easy getting into and great at the same time.