I will start this off with something I posted somewhere else, but figure it should just be a topic instead.

Kinda Cheap replying to my own topic, but I was too dumb to check to see how many characters you can place in a topic!!!

Prince over 50 releases:

Lotus Flow3r-outstanding

MPLS Sound- well, he was trying...a few very good songs, and some clunkers.

20Ten-still taking this one in...better than MPLS Sound

Now, let's compare Prince's output to other "Old" musicians who are legends:

Paul McCartney over 50 releases:

Chaos And Creation In The Backyard -just ok

Memory Almost Full - not much to talk about

Flaming Pie -a few good songs

Driving Rain - well, not terrible

Off the Ground-Are you Kidding Me?

Billy Joel over 50 releases:

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)

(Joel has only recorded one single with one song of new material...and it really sucked.)

Don Henley/Eagles Over 50 releases:

Long Road Out Of Eden- About 2 great songs, 3 very good songs, and 9 or so barely good songs...and it only took them ten years after Henley's last solo project.

Stevie Wonder over 50 releases:

A Time To Love- now I love Stevie too much to say anything really negative, but this was a long wait after Conversation Peace, and at this point, I would hope he would simply open up his valut, and chill with the new songs.

U2 over 50 releases:

Well, none yet, but most of No Line on The Horizon was recorded when most members of the band were 47-49, so I'll cheat, and say this so called "masterpiece," took nearly 5 years to make, and had 3 real gems, 4 very good songs, and 4 clunkers. Prince scratched his back, and Lotus Flow3r came out, which kicks the ass out of U2's Horizon. U2 is my second favorite artist, but they took a back seat in this comparison. Horizon is better than MPLS Sound though.

James Brown over 50 releases:

It is not easy to get info on any of his Scotti Bros. releases. I have not heard enough to judge, but my friends who have, say he was past his prime, and was hardly even writing any of the material himself anymore.

Sting over 50 releases:

Well, let's see..

Sacred Love- took 4 years to make, and became his lowest selling album, which I can say about each subsequent album. This is not a bad record, but Sting has not recorded any original material since...except 4 a track here and there. God forbid he would try to write with the Police before the nice reunion tour. At least a new recording would not have made it look only like a bunch of rich seniors trying to cash in their chips.

Songs from the Labyrinth Remake album of songs from the time of Noah's ark, with the great classic instrument, the loot. Or was it Lute? The songs were remakes...sounds like Sting caught Rod Stewart disease in his old age.

If on a Winter's Night... A Remake Album. What a great Idea Sting has come up with. Remake a bunch of old songs. Nobody every could have thought of that!!! Ok, so he remade a few old Sting songs, and may have written another track or two, but I was halfway through this dull recording wishing Tony M was around....well, not that bad...but close.

Symphonicities A remake album...Where ever did Sting get such an original idea???? And not just any remakes, remake a bunch of Police and Sting songs. It's great that he doesn't have writer's Block...all this great new material!! Ok, so Sting has BECOME Rod Stewart.

To me, it is obvious, with just two releases, Prince has already accomplished as much or more than any of the above artists listed since turning 50. Even if you include Jazz greats, where there is a bit more luck with finding older artists still being creative...Prince compares well to anyone.

Final Word....Prince is still writing new songs, when most of his contemporaries have totally lost it like Sting and Billy Joel, or are just barely hanging on like Paul McCartney, and Don Henley.

[Edited 7/15/10 22:14pm]

[Edited 7/15/10 22:31pm]

i don't know how to answer this. I guess it depends on what you prioritize, and how good you think his last few albums are.

If you prioritize sales of albums or tour $$$, he's probably doing just swell. Maybe not as swell as the Stones, U2, or Madonna, but right up there.

If you value new work, or artists pushing themselves to make quality product, he's probably on par w/ most. It's kind of subjective; his new stuff reminds me of McCartney's new stuff, actually: a little limp, sometimes pretty, fun enough, but not terribly exciting. I think Bob Dylan schools everyone as far as new songs go.

As far as productivity, he's number 1, easy.

I left out Bob Dylan...maybe because I know his songwriting is still epic, but his voice is well, to put it mildly, not that great. Dylan's music is pretty much stuck in one genre, which he does very well in. I left out John Mellencamp, Elton John, Lionel Richie and a few others. I left out Madonna, because, even though she has matured as a writer, she doesn't really write that much. I see Prince in a class by himself among some old people who just don't write much, or take the easy way out with a remake album. I really admonish Sting for not re-grouping the Police earlier, and really fault him with not really being able or just refusing to write new material.

i think Bruce Springsteen and Dylan have gotten the most post 50 "critical acclaim" (at least from Rolling Stone from whom many mags, and industry types still take their cues) i think they all have experienced a "commercial fall off." i thought a Time to Love by Stevie was darn good. Got much rotation from me, the duet with Kim Burrell was a gem along with the one with his daughter and a few others.

i've never compared Prince with other artists. but i've listened to Sting's Brand New Day album more times than any of Prince's releases since NEWS.

stillwaiting said:

Kinda Cheap replying to my own topic, but I was too dumb to check to see how many characters you can place in a topic!!!

Prince over 50 releases:

Lotus Flow3r-outstanding

MPLS Sound- well, he was trying...a few very good songs, and some clunkers.

20Ten-still taking this one in...better than MPLS Sound

Now, let's compare Prince's output to other "Old" musicians who are legends:

Paul McCartney over 50 releases:

Chaos And Creation In The Backyard -just ok

Memory Almost Full - not much to talk about

Flaming Pie -a few good songs

Driving Rain - well, not terrible

Off the Ground-Are you Kidding Me?

Billy Joel over 50 releases:

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank)

(Joel has only recorded one single with one song of new material...and it really sucked.)

Don Henley/Eagles Over 50 releases:

Long Road Out Of Eden- About 2 great songs, 3 very good songs, and 9 or so barely good songs...and it only took them ten years after Henley's last solo project.

Stevie Wonder over 50 releases:

A Time To Love- now I love Stevie too much to say anything really negative, but this was a long wait after Conversation Peace, and at this point, I would hope he would simply open up his valut, and chill with the new songs.

U2 over 50 releases:

Well, none yet, but most of No Line on The Horizon was recorded when most members of the band were 47-49, so I'll cheat, and say this so called "masterpiece," took nearly 5 years to make, and had 3 real gems, 4 very good songs, and 4 clunkers. Prince scratched his back, and Lotus Flow3r came out, which kicks the ass out of U2's Horizon. U2 is my second favorite artist, but they took a back seat in this comparison. Horizon is better than MPLS Sound though.

James Brown over 50 releases:

It is not easy to get info on any of his Scotti Bros. releases. I have not heard enough to judge, but my friends who have, say he was past his prime, and was hardly even writing any of the material himself anymore.

Sting over 50 releases:

Well, let's see..

Sacred Love- took 4 years to make, and became his lowest selling album, which I can say about each subsequent album. This is not a bad record, but Sting has not recorded any original material since...except 4 a track here and there. God forbid he would try to write with the Police before the nice reunion tour. At least a new recording would not have made it look only like a bunch of rich seniors trying to cash in their chips.

Songs from the Labyrinth Remake album of songs from the time of Noah's ark, with the great classic instrument, the loot. Or was it Lute? The songs were remakes...sounds like Sting caught Rod Stewart disease in his old age.

If on a Winter's Night... A Remake Album. What a great Idea Sting has come up with. Remake a bunch of old songs. Nobody every could have thought of that!!! Ok, so he remade a few old Sting songs, and may have written another track or two, but I was halfway through this dull recording wishing Tony M was around....well, not that bad...but close.

Symphonicities A remake album...Where ever did Sting get such an original idea???? And not just any remakes, remake a bunch of Police and Sting songs. It's great that he doesn't have writer's Block...all this great new material!! Ok, so Sting has BECOME Rod Stewart.

To me, it is obvious, with just two releases, Prince has already accomplished as much or more than any of the above artists listed since turning 50. Even if you include Jazz greats, where there is a bit more luck with finding older artists still being creative...Prince compares well to anyone.

Final Word....Prince is still writing new songs, when most of his contemporaries have totally lost it like Sting and Billy Joel, or are just barely hanging on like Paul McCartney, and Don Henley.

[Edited 7/15/10 22:14pm]

[Edited 7/15/10 22:31pm]

well I NEVER liked Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley or James Brown at any point of their career so I guess its safe to say I like Prince better than them. Now he cant touch u2 at all in my opinion!! Sting is ALWAYS good but I like Prince better than Sting at any point of Stings career. I personally like Mellencamp better nowadays then Prince nowadays. Aerosmith is probally my favorite in the over 50 crowd. They have not made a bad album since they got back together. Honkin on Bobo was their last one and it was FANTASTIC!! I heard parts of their new one coming out soon and it may be their best yet. They have taken their time on this one and its sounds great!! Im not that big of a Madonna fan BUT I LOVE the way she promotes her new music live in concert. She sells out LARGE venues playing new music. Thats something for some reason Prince doesnt think he can do. I wish he would play some newer stuff. I would have in in the top five for sure possibly as high as 4. Aerosmith 1, u2 2, Mellencamp 3, then probally Prince but I would have to think about this a little more. I still buy all of his stuff though. I have not liked an album though since Emancipation. He usually has one or two songs per cd that i like which is about like any other average artist. For instance 20ten I only like 2 songs: Laydown and Compassion. They rest are pretty bland to me. I really dug F.U.N.K. and Cause and Effect. I wish he would have included those two on the cd. That could have made it four at least.

dandeeland said:

well I NEVER liked Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley or James Brown at any point of their career so I guess its safe to say I like Prince better than them. Now he cant touch u2 at all in my opinion!! Sting is ALWAYS good but I like Prince better than Sting at any point of Stings career. I personally like Mellencamp better nowadays then Prince nowadays. Aerosmith is probally my favorite in the over 50 crowd. They have not made a bad album since they got back together. Honkin on Bobo was their last one and it was FANTASTIC!! I heard parts of their new one coming out soon and it may be their best yet. They have taken their time on this one and its sounds great!! Im not that big of a Madonna fan BUT I LOVE the way she promotes her new music live in concert. She sells out LARGE venues playing new music. Thats something for some reason Prince doesnt think he can do. I wish he would play some newer stuff. I would have in in the top five for sure possibly as high as 4. Aerosmith 1, u2 2, Mellencamp 3, then probally Prince but I would have to think about this a little more. I still buy all of his stuff though. I have not liked an album though since Emancipation. He usually has one or two songs per cd that i like which is about like any other average artist. For instance 20ten I only like 2 songs: Laydown and Compassion. They rest are pretty bland to me. I really dug F.U.N.K. and Cause and Effect. I wish he would have included those two on the cd. That could have made it four at least.

So true! It always gets me when people say that Prince has to do "the hits" when he does a show or a tour. It kind of says a lot about how he feels about his own new music, and rightfully so.