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PrintableUgot2shakesumthin said: I think its still possible for him to have another big selling album, but like everything else its based on the product, and nothing he has released in the past 20 years has been close to being that product.
Considering the best selling album of 2008 sold around 6 million copies worldwide and the best selling album of 2008 in the US sold below 3 million, I think Prince selling above 500k worldwide is already a big achievement. syble said: I think possibly age may be a factor for the fans wanting hits - not his theirs, i guess young fans are still impressed by 'hits' and follow what the masses follow. I agree, fans wishing for a hit to see their favourite artist at the top of the charts is ultimately a wish to be able to show off with "my favourite is the most popular", to prove *their* taste actually means "something". Which is stupid, just because you love a #1 song, it doesn't mean your taste is superior to Prince fans, whose favourite artist didn't land a Top 40 hit for years now. As it was already said in this thread, basically a hit is about the effort and the money behind the marketing. Up and coming artist definitely need hits otherwise there won't be a reason for labels to give them money to record their music, but someone for Prince who already proved himself and is able to release an album every (other) year without a major recording contract, hits are not that important anymore. | |
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Graycap23 said: optimus said: Hmmmmm intresting well I cant really answer ur question but I will tell ya a story....
A few years ago my mum brought me Musicology as she was a huge fan of P's back in the day (80's) To be honest I scoffed at her present, Infact I believe I said something like "why the hell r you buying me the album of a weirdo" It lay there on my shelf 4 quite a few weeks. (Bear in mind before this I just listened 2 Hip-Hop,Dance and Pop) So anyway one day I was bored and thought I'd give it a twirl. I listened 2 the title track and was quite suprised that I liked it. I but the cd on repeat and listened 2 it a few times. Stamping my "Purple Hippie" status. I dont know why I liked it so much cuz at the time it wasnt really my thing  (thank god she didnt buy me The Rainbow Children) But plz bear in mind that I never really bothered listening 2 Funk/Soul Etc before hand, I now own all his studio albums..... So inspite of all the ova-critical shit on here. P's obviously doing somethin right  God Bless Him   4 those that KNOW.aaww optimus you put my long winded post about age being a factor for fans in a nut shell! as i said music appreciation is a journey, when you reach post-80s - prince you've arrived! Musicology is possible his FINEST album - okay ill stop harping on about musicology walk with crooked shoes www.myspace/syblepurplelishous | |
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emesem said: He's tragically lost the ability to write a hook or a catchy chorus. The music is still somewhat there but the sound and production are stale and lack any sort of wild creativity that was still there even as late as 1995's TGE and bits of Emancipation.
Lyrically, he has avoided writing about real personal feelings except only to expose his warped view of religion and race and rail against the "man" who stole all his money. Ironically, it is exactly when P was freed of record labels when he began to sound more corporate, more formulaic and more stuck in his ways. They say you become the thing you hate, well there you go. There are still glimmers of real feelings that seep through the music once in a while (Reflection for example) and even though Prince always had a mask, he showed honesty and sensitivity but now it all seems like posturing and route regurgitation of old themes. [Edited 12/22/08 8:11am] You summed it all up very nicely. Every word in your post is true. As for me, I've had no expectations of Prince ever since NPS in '98, so I'm able to just enjoy his new stuff for nostalgic reasons when I hear it (which is rarely). Since it's all just retreads of his old stuff, I actually find listening to his new music more of a nostalgic experience than listening to his old music. His older stuff is too passionate and fresh to ever fall into the nostalgia category, but the newer stuff, by contrast, is extremely quaint. Taken in that way, you can still kind of enjoy some of it. “The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.”
- Thomas Jefferson | |
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jaypotton said: There are many reasons why Prince doesn't (or possibly can't) write hit songs anymore and they include:
1. He is 50 and the kids who still buy singles (downloads) think he is an OLD man 2. People who grew up with Prince are now mostly in their 30s or 40s and we still buy albums (though most people buy less then they used to) 3. Have you listened to the majority of the crap kids listen to these days (and the radio programming that supports the crap)? 4. Have you noticed how most kids want to listen to "music" on their mobile phones! All that treble, very little bass, poor quality with no depth and therefore no need for "real musicians, real music" etc (damn I sound old, like my father when I wanted to listen to my cassettes on my Walkman!) 5. Does it really matter? Prince will never have another number 1 single. In fact number 1 doesn't mean what it used to. When Does Cry sold 2 million + copies in the USA. When did any single sell that quantity in the last five years? 6. In fact albums do not sell like they used to. PR was at number 1 for 26 weeks in the USA and sold over 16 million copies. That will never happen again for any artist not just Prince. 7. The real money is in live performance. Not many of today's artists could sell out 21 nights at a single venue (but if you looked at the crowd most of them were in their 30s and 40s). [Edited 12/22/08 10:45am] Co-Sign ... Peace ... & Stay Funky ...
~* The only love there is, is the love "we" make *~ www.facebook.com/purplefunklover |
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midnightmover said: emesem said: He's tragically lost the ability to write a hook or a catchy chorus. The music is still somewhat there but the sound and production are stale and lack any sort of wild creativity that was still there even as late as 1995's TGE and bits of Emancipation.
Lyrically, he has avoided writing about real personal feelings except only to expose his warped view of religion and race and rail against the "man" who stole all his money. Ironically, it is exactly when P was freed of record labels when he began to sound more corporate, more formulaic and more stuck in his ways. They say you become the thing you hate, well there you go. There are still glimmers of real feelings that seep through the music once in a while (Reflection for example) and even though Prince always had a mask, he showed honesty and sensitivity but now it all seems like posturing and route regurgitation of old themes. [Edited 12/22/08 8:11am] You summed it all up very nicely. Every word in your post is true. As for me, I've had no expectations of Prince ever since NPS in '98, so I'm able to just enjoy his new stuff for nostalgic reasons when I hear it (which is rarely). Since it's all just retreads of his old stuff, I actually find listening to his new music more of a nostalgic experience than listening to his old music. His older stuff is too passionate and fresh to ever fall into the nostalgia category, but the newer stuff, by contrast, is extremely quaint. Taken in that way, you can still kind of enjoy some of it. True. As for people in here having the audacity to malign the Revolution -- trying to discount their influence by saying Prince did most of the writing, etc. it doesn't matter what the credits say -- you can't technically credit vibe. And having the Revolution creating an aura around him, a milieu in which he vibed with them -- like they were sharing blood and breath together --- you can't measure that by writing and composing credits. That is the only band that has been like a kindred tribe for him. Artists need this. ARe you guys artists? if so, you know it's not about the technical stuff. There's a lot of mystical and spiritual exchange ...because inspiration is based on a magical realm. His successive bands have had great instrumentalists but kindreds? No. And he has suffered. When you are an eccentrist you need a palette to bounce your new age ideas off of. You don't just need master musicians. I'm a writer. And wow... the vibes I get after a night of heady conversation with a kindred is unreal. And when I lack that, a vacuum is created. We are witnessing the vacuum for Prince. And I'm sad that personally and artistically he's not finding another tribe. Because i know that to be without kindreds, as a person with an artistic soul, is extremely traumatic and debilitating. I can only hope that he's not repelling potential soul mates with his narrow views and snotty condescension. You've explained pretty well what might be happening. He's had some good years after that maybe still influenced by that vibe, and there's been some people around that he may have had a good vibe with. All went down the hill when he decided to narrow his colaborations to his lovers and people he felt admiration for in the past like Larry Graham and Chaka Khan, they're cool on their own but the relationship was sterile. I also think he might be trying to sound classic by sticking to a safe style. He might have the feel he hasn't still reached that classic status as others that stuck to a particular familiar style. Maybe he's also scared because his musical career might be coming to an end. [Edited 1/6/09 15:56pm] | |
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berarma said:[quote] midnightmover said: I also think he might be trying to sound classic by sticking to a safe style. He might have the feel he hasn't still reached that classic status as others that stuck to a particular familiar style. Maybe he's also scared because his musical career might be coming to an end. [Edited 1/6/09 15:56pm] coming to an end?? artists' careers dont come to an end, they die - end of. you dont suddenly wake up one day and think 'ooh im not creative any more' - what tosh! creativity is part of your fabric your make up. its your essence. i think princes output is so huge that he has to find ways of sharing all of it, hence some music gets placed on various albums instead of on one successive album like in the old days. back then he would have had limited studio time but once he had his own studio he could make as many tracks as he could afford, so we got tons of music, some say he shoulda had a producer, but I'm an artist and i dont want a person telling me which art is good enough to show and tell, its upto me. same for prince. BTW he's only 50 not 90 something, i dont any 50 year olds who think they're about to die! theyve still got another 30 odd years, have you even reached 30 yet?  walk with crooked shoes www.myspace/syblepurplelishous | |
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syble said: you dont suddenly wake up one day and think 'ooh im not creative any more' - what tosh! Not that way for Prince, but he might wake up one day and say "Oh God, I'm not cool and sexy like I used to and money won't buy me a new body, I'm gonna hide underground so nobody can see me." | |
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syble said: Graycap23 said: 4 those that KNOW.aaww optimus you put my long winded post about age being a factor for fans in a nut shell! as i said music appreciation is a journey, when you reach post-80s - prince you've arrived! Musicology is possible his FINEST album - okay ill stop harping on about musicology  Everybody's looking 4 the ladder
Everybody wants salvation of the soul The steps U take are no easy road But the reward is great 4 those who want 2 go | |
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Donjuandeblacko said: I am deeply disappointed in the latest Prince tracks I've heard:-( they sound just like everything he has done since 1995. traditional rock band instrumentation and lifeless guitar riffs with sucky melodies!
I know the Prince kool-aid drinkers will saY its the greatest thing since creation but come on....he use to do real music that sounded different than everybody else that produced HITS! now he sounds like a Jimy hendrex tribute band! nothin new here..... what can we do to make him do REAL MUSIC hit music? [Edited 12/22/08 16:08pm] rite the rong 4 real... | |
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jaypotton said: There are many reasons why Prince doesn't (or possibly can't) write hit songs anymore and they include:
1. He is 50 and the kids who still buy singles (downloads) think he is an OLD man Most kids who buy singles don't know who he is. jaypotton said: 2. People who grew up with Prince are now mostly in their 30s or 40s and we still buy albums (though most people buy less then they used to)
If you're a fan of an artist, you're more likely to buy all their singles as well as the albums. jaypotton said: 3. Have you listened to the majority of the crap kids listen to these days (and the radio programming that supports the crap)?
There's a lot of good music right now. I think Prince needs to listen to the radio now and again. jaypotton said: 4. Have you noticed how most kids want to listen to "music" on their mobile phones! All that treble, very little bass, poor quality with no depth and therefore no need for "real musicians, real music" etc (damn I sound old, like my father when I wanted to listen to my cassettes on my Walkman!)
The cultural revolution of the 1960s began with a generation of kids listening to The Beatles via tinny distorted transistor radios. jaypotton said: 5. Does it really matter? Prince will never have another number 1 single. In fact number 1 doesn't mean what it used to. When Does Cry sold 2 million + copies in the USA. When did any single sell that quantity in the last five years?
Popular singles in the UK still hover around the one million sales mark. http://en.wikipedia.org/w..._year_(UK) It's the record companies whom seem determined to kill-off the physical singles market, rather than consumers. The reason of course is money... They make a better return on manufacturing and marketing a shiny piece of plastic costing £9.99 than they do on a shiny piece of plastic costing £1.99. It's depressing, but true. jaypotton said: 6. In fact albums do not sell like they used to. PR was at number 1 for 26 weeks in the USA and sold over 16 million copies. That will never happen again for any artist not just Prince.
The Purple Rain album has sold over 18 million worldwide since its release - twenty-five years ago... Madonna's Confessions On A Dancefloor album has sold 6 million worldwide since its release - just over three years ago... jaypotton said: 7. The real money is in live performance.
Agreed. But in the future, the easy money will be in licensing music for commercial purposes. Prince is entertaining nobody but himself these days. | |
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GirlBrother said: Popular singles in the UK still hover around the one million sales mark. http://en.wikipedia.org/w..._year_(UK) It's the record companies whom seem determined to kill-off the physical singles market, rather than consumers. The reason of course is money... They make a better return on manufacturing and marketing a shiny piece of plastic costing £9.99 than they do on a shiny piece of plastic costing £1.99. It's depressing, but true. There are singles that sell 3-4 millions worldwide lately, but because of digital sales. The physical single was already killed and it wasn't only the labels. Who would buy a 2-track CD when they can either have the 10-12 track album or the single for $0.99 bought on their home computer? The Purple Rain album has sold over 18 million worldwide since its release - twenty-five years ago... Madonna's Confessions On A Dancefloor album has sold 6 million worldwide since its release - just over three years ago...
In fact COADF sold between 8-9 million since its release, but very few albums reach that level nowadays: Justin Timberlake, Amy Winehouse and maybe Leona Lewis did that. Madonna's current album sold around 3.5 million in 2009 and it was still enough to be among the top 10 albums of 2008. Album sales have dropped that much, the best selling single of the US outsold the best selling album there, the biggest album couldn't even reach 3 million... The day of Worldwide 15 million+ sellers are long gone, not sure who was able to sell that much after 2000, probably Norah Jones, Eminem or Usher reached that level, but probably nobody else. In the 80s, Purple Rain counted as a megahit and was only matched by MJ and Madonna, so nobody can downplay those numbers. | |
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LiveToTell86 said: Who would buy a 2-track CD when they can either have the 10-12 track album or the single for $0.99 bought on their home computer?
Fans. | |
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