Alright - so sometimes these list type threads are overkill, but 'f" it. I was thinking about this earlier today and was curious to get other folks' thoughts. Because there's only two albums from the 70s, I'm just gonna throw that into the 80's decade and call it one timeframe.

1978 - 1989 - 10/10

I would imagine that this time period is the reason most members of the org are here today. The depth and breadth of Prince's music during this timeframe is virutally unparalleled. So original. Each album breaking new ground and making new statements. Until the Batman soundtrack, each album rated probably between 8 and 10 out of 10, (OK so maybe For You and self titled don't rate that highly either). There's really no reason to go into much more detail other than to say it's vitually unfathomable to think about just how creative this time period was for Prince and his bandmates.

1990 - 1999 - 5/10

In retrospect, this decade rates a bit lower than my memory serves. At first, I would have originally thought this would have rated more like an 8 out of 10. But upon actually looking at the albums involved, many that I wore out back in college like Graffiti Bridge, Diamonds and Pearls and the Symbol album have dated rather poorly. I think Come and The Gold Experience have their moments, but tend to be vastly over-rated. Conversely, despite the horrid production values, I think Emancipation tends to get under-rated as there are many very strong songs buried in the sea of programmed drums and cheesy keyboard effects.

That leaves The Vault, Crystal Ball, Chaos and Rave. Most of the best stuff from those albums comes from the 80s. Outside of the acoustic album, which I think is mostly brilliant, there's simply not a lot of strong material there. Again, in retrospect, I am a bit suprised how much of the 90s material doesn't rate strongly with me. Had Graffiti Bridge and Emancipation been produced differently and the rap experiments not permeated many songs, I think there would have been a much higher vote from me.

2000 - 2010 (OK - let's include 2010 just for giggles) - 6/10

Perhaps an even bigger shock for me in retrospect as I would have thought the past decade would have been more like a 3 or 4 out of ten. But this decade includes all of the vastly underdated NPG Music Club internet tracks, ONA Piano - (the best album since Lovesexy IMO) and the very strong Lotusflower.

Just to clarify, the NPG tracks certainly aren't all brilliant, but there are LOT of great songs in there that many folks write off as garbage. In addition, there are usually at least 2 or 3 songs per album that I'm really drawn to. (The only exceptions being 3121 and Planet Earth, where I can't find one strong song on either). Lyrics aside I think the Rainbow Children has 4 or 5 good songs, Musicology has 3 great songs, and 2010 has 2 killer tracks. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I actually preferred the 2000s to the 90s. Wow. In some ways, that's sad.

What say you folks?

Hi Fenwick.

70's-80's - 9/10

90's - 8/10

2000's - 4/10

The early period up to Lovesexy was it for me, great bands, (nearly) flawless songs, brilliant outtakes, great gigs, fantastic, Prince at his best.

The 90's are just behind for me, another great period, amazing shows, tons of outtakes, all the side projects, a golden period indeed.

The 2000's have been a bit of a wash out for me, apart from TRC and the ONA Piano album and tour it has been rather flat imo.

70s/80s =

90s =

00s =

NouveauDance said:

70s/80s =

90s =

00s =

Neat.

TheDigitalGardener said:

Hi Fenwick.

70's-80's - 9/10

90's - 8/10

2000's - 4/10

The early period up to Lovesexy was it for me, great bands, (nearly) flawless songs, brilliant outtakes, great gigs, fantastic, Prince at his best.

The 90's are just behind for me, another great period, amazing shows, tons of outtakes, all the side projects, a golden period indeed.

The 2000's have been a bit of a wash out for me, apart from TRC and the ONA Piano album and tour it has been rather flat imo.

Hey my friend

I suspect yours will be the more popular "answer". And before I went back and actually looked at the albums involved, I would have thought my answer to be exactly like yours. Especially since 3121 and Planet Earth rate so lowly for me.

But so much of the 90s stuff has dated poorly for me. Maybe the 90s has more mediocre and less flat out "bad" material than the 2000s, but I guess the highs from the 2000s are much higher, which makes me think of it more fondly.

TheDigitalGardener said:

NouveauDance said:

70s/80s =

90s =

00s =

Neat.

Greatness.....

Fenwick said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

Hi Fenwick.

70's-80's - 9/10

90's - 8/10

2000's - 4/10

The early period up to Lovesexy was it for me, great bands, (nearly) flawless songs, brilliant outtakes, great gigs, fantastic, Prince at his best.

The 90's are just behind for me, another great period, amazing shows, tons of outtakes, all the side projects, a golden period indeed.

The 2000's have been a bit of a wash out for me, apart from TRC and the ONA Piano album and tour it has been rather flat imo.

Hey my friend

I suspect yours will be the more popular "answer". And before I went back and actually looked at the albums involved, I would have thought my answer to be exactly like yours. Especially since 3121 and Planet Earth rate so lowly for me.

But so much of the 90s stuff has dated poorly for me. Maybe the 90s has more mediocre and less flat out "bad" material than the 2000s, but I guess the highs from the 2000s are much higher, which makes me think of it more fondly.

You have a point with a lot of the 90's material being dated, a lot of it is very of it's time. However, i think that some of that had to do with Prince's choice of having Tony M up front quite a lot in the early part of the 90's.

I think that musically the 90's were quite a powerful time for Prince despite the faux rapping. And the energy and power of the live shows makes the 90's a memorable period for me.

1978 For You - 5/10
1979 Prince - 6/10
1980 Dirty Mind - 10/10
1981 Controversy - 10/10
1982 1999 - 10/10
1984 Purple Rain - 10/10
1985 Around The World In A Day - 9/10
1986 Parade - 9/10
1987 Sign O' The Times - 10/10

1988 Lovesexy - 9/10
1989 Batman - 8/10

11 releases = 96

1990 Graffiti Bridge - 8/10

1991 Diamonds And Pearls - 2/10

1992 Symbol - 3/10
1993 Gold Nigga - 5/10
1993 The Hits / The B-Sides - 9/10

1994 1-800-New-Funk - 4/10
1994 Come - 4/10

1994 Black Album - 10/10
1995 Exodus - 7/10
1995 The Gold Experience - 8/10
1996 Girl 6 - 10/10
1996 Chaos And Disorder - 8/10
1996 Emancipation - 6/10
1997 Crystal Ball - 9/10
1997 The Truth - 7/10*

1997 Kamasutra - 2/10*
1998 Newpower Soul - 6/10
1999 The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale - 9/10
1999 Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic - 6/10

12 (*or 14) releases = 88

2000 Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic - 7/10

2001 The Very Best Of Prince - 8/10
2001 The Rainbow Children - 6/10
2002 One Nite Alone(Piano Demos) - 10/10
2002 One Nite Alone... Live!/It Aint Over Box-Set - 4/10

2003 Xpectation - 7/10
2003 N.E.W.S - 6/10

2004 The Chocolate Invasion - 8/10

2004 The Slaughterhouse - 7/10

2004 C-NOTE - 6/10
2004 Musicology - 3/10
2005 Ultimate - 10/10
2006 3121 - 7/10
2007 Planet Earth - 1/10
2008 Indigo Nights - 3/10

2009 Lotusflow3r - 7/10

2009 MPLSoUND - 4/10*

2010 20TEN - 5/10

15 (*or 16) releases = 91

I crossed out the ones that I think should be disallowed for obvious reasons. The Black Album really skewed the 90s decade by being officially released so late.

Anal-retentive edit.

[Edited 1/3/11 10:48am]

78-89 = 10

90 - 99 = 8

00 -10 = 8

I was also, not surprisingly, thinking about this recently and had much the same reaction as the OP (although I FAR prefer 3121 to PE). I find the lukewarm stuff of the 90s far less appealing than the experimental stuff of the noughties (with PE being the exception: the only Prince album i actively DISlike).

78-89 Remmebering that the first decade inlcudes For You, I'd give it

9.5

(don't get me wrong, I love for You, but I think his 90s and noughties stuff mostly beats it).

90-99

7.5

00-10

8.5

squirrelgrease said:

1978 For You - 5/10
1979 Prince - 6/10
1980 Dirty Mind - 10/10
1981 Controversy - 10/10
1982 1999 - 10/10
1984 Purple Rain - 10/10
1985 Around The World In A Day - 9/10
1986 Parade - 9/10
1987 Sign O' The Times - 10/10

1988 Lovesexy - 9/10
1989 Batman - 8/10

11 releases = 96

1990 Graffiti Bridge - 8/10

1991 Diamonds And Pearls - 2/10

1992 Symbol - 3/10
1993 Gold Nigga - 5/10
1993 The Hits / The B-Sides - 9/10

1994 1-800-New-Funk - 4/10
1994 Come - 4/10

1994 Black Album - 10/10
1995 Exodus - 7/10
1995 The Gold Experience - 8/10
1996 Girl 6 - 10/10
1996 Chaos And Disorder - 8/10
1996 Emancipation - 6/10
1997 Crystal Ball - 9/10
1997 The Truth - 7/10*

1997 Kamasutra - 2/10*
1998 Newpower Soul - 6/10
1999 The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale - 9/10
1999 Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic - 6/10

12 (*or 14) releases = 88

2000 Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic - 7/10

2001 The Very Best Of Prince - 8/10
2001 The Rainbow Children - 6/10
2002 One Nite Alone(Piano Demos) - 10/10
2002 One Nite Alone... Live!/It Aint Over Box-Set - 4/10

2003 Xpectation - 7/10
2003 N.E.W.S - 6/10

2004 The Chocolate Invasion - 8/10

2004 The Slaughterhouse - 7/10

2004 C-NOTE - 6/10
2004 Musicology - 3/10
2005 Ultimate - 10/10
2006 3121 - 7/10
2007 Planet Earth - 1/10
2008 Indigo Nights - 3/10

2009 Lotusflow3r - 7/10

2009 MPLSoUND - 4/10*

2010 20TEN - 5/10

15 (*or 16) releases = 91

I crossed out the ones that I think should be disallowed for obvious reasons. The Black Album really skewed the 90s decade by being officially released so late.

Anal-retentive edit.

[Edited 1/3/11 10:48am]

Hey bro

Interesting way of doing things. So, if I remove Black Album Crystal Ball and The Vault from your 90s decade and put them in the 80s, that leaves you with 60 points over 11 albums.

Average score - 5.45454545454545454545454545454545454545

That leaves 91 points over 16 releases for the 2000s - or 5.6875

Henceforth, one can conclude you like the 2000s better than the 90s.

and

wasitgood4u said:

I was also, not surprisingly, thinking about this recently and had much the same reaction as the OP (although I FAR prefer 3121 to PE). I find the lukewarm stuff of the 90s far less appealing than the experimental stuff of the noughties (with PE being the exception: the only Prince album i actively DISlike).

78-89 Remmebering that the first decade inlcudes For You, I'd give it

9.5

(don't get me wrong, I love for You, but I think his 90s and noughties stuff mostly beats it).

90-99

7.5

00-10

8.5

Indeed. Same thing as what Digital Gardener said in his second reply too (particularly regarding Tony M). I wore Graffiti Bridge, D&P, Symbolina and Gold Experience out through college and my early 20s. So I certainly have a very strong nostalgic connection to that era.

But the music itself just leaves me wanting so much more upon relistening today.

Fenwick, I know this thread is a decade rating, and i'm not going to get into individual albums, but i seem to recall you rate the ONA Piano album quite highly?

Squirrel gave the album 10/10, i would give it 9/10, how would you rate that particular album?

we're fortunate to be able to discuss Prince in relationship to decades

1978 - 1979: 6/10

1980 - 1984: 8/10

1985 - 1988: 9/10

1989 - 1995: 7/10

1996 - 2000: 4/10

2000 - 2010: 5/10

[Edited 1/3/11 11:19am]

Fenwick said:

squirrelgrease said:

1978 For You - 5/10
1979 Prince - 6/10
1980 Dirty Mind - 10/10
1981 Controversy - 10/10
1982 1999 - 10/10
1984 Purple Rain - 10/10
1985 Around The World In A Day - 9/10
1986 Parade - 9/10
1987 Sign O' The Times - 10/10

1988 Lovesexy - 9/10
1989 Batman - 8/10

11 releases = 96

1990 Graffiti Bridge - 8/10

1991 Diamonds And Pearls - 2/10

1992 Symbol - 3/10
1993 Gold Nigga - 5/10
1993 The Hits / The B-Sides - 9/10

1994 1-800-New-Funk - 4/10
1994 Come - 4/10

1994 Black Album - 10/10
1995 Exodus - 7/10
1995 The Gold Experience - 8/10
1996 Girl 6 - 10/10
1996 Chaos And Disorder - 8/10
1996 Emancipation - 6/10
1997 Crystal Ball - 9/10
1997 The Truth - 7/10*

1997 Kamasutra - 2/10*
1998 Newpower Soul - 6/10
1999 The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale - 9/10
1999 Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic - 6/10

12 (*or 14) releases = 88

2000 Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic - 7/10

2001 The Very Best Of Prince - 8/10
2001 The Rainbow Children - 6/10
2002 One Nite Alone(Piano Demos) - 10/10
2002 One Nite Alone... Live!/It Aint Over Box-Set - 4/10

2003 Xpectation - 7/10
2003 N.E.W.S - 6/10

2004 The Chocolate Invasion - 8/10

2004 The Slaughterhouse - 7/10

2004 C-NOTE - 6/10
2004 Musicology - 3/10
2005 Ultimate - 10/10
2006 3121 - 7/10
2007 Planet Earth - 1/10
2008 Indigo Nights - 3/10

2009 Lotusflow3r - 7/10

2009 MPLSoUND - 4/10*

2010 20TEN - 5/10

15 (*or 16) releases = 91

I crossed out the ones that I think should be disallowed for obvious reasons. The Black Album really skewed the 90s decade by being officially released so late.

Anal-retentive edit.

[Edited 1/3/11 10:48am]

Hey bro

Interesting way of doing things. So, if I remove Black Album Crystal Ball and The Vault from your 90s decade and put them in the 80s, that leaves you with 60 points over 11 albums.

Average score - 5.45454545454545454545454545454545454545

That leaves 91 points over 16 releases for the 2000s - or 5.6875

Henceforth, one can conclude you like the 2000s better than the 90s.

and

Those 80s outtakes and the Black Album really helped put a spit-shine on the 1990s.

NelsonR said:

we're fortunate to be able to discuss Prince in relationship to decades

80s (including 78 and 79): 10

90s: 8

00s: 2 (TRC doesn't count for that score. That album is a 10).

TheDigitalGardener said:

Fenwick, I know this thread is a decade rating, and i'm not going to get into individual albums, but i seem to recall you rate the ONA Piano album quite highly?

Squirrel gave the album 10/10, i would give it 9/10, how would you rate that particular album?

Hey my friend

Absolutely 10/10. It's his best album since Lovesexy IMO.

Many folks around here whose opinions I really respect think that it is an album of unpolished throw away tunes.

I think it is highly original, beautifully recorded/produced and virtually perfect. It is hands down the single reason why I rate the 2000s over the 90s. The 90s have nothing that reaches me like this album does. (And I don't count the Black Album or Crystal Ball as 90s).

The first verse of Avalanche is a cringeworthy moment lyrically, but the song itself is constructed so beautifully that I give that a pass as well. It is the only post 1988 P. album that I know 100% of the time hit play on it, I am not skipping a single track. How about you?

9 out of 10 is obviously a very high score, but what about it keeps it from being a 10?

^^Oh and I must note that I consider TBA an 80s album.

Regardless of when it came officially out, I got it since 88 and it's absolutely linked for me to the SOTT/Lovesexy era.

[Edited 1/3/11 11:20am]

vitriol said:

80s (including 78 and 79): 10

90s: 8

00s: 2 (TRC doesn't count for that score. That album is a 10).

Wow! Vitriol you actually have the 2000s as a "2" outside of TRC ? Why so high?

I figured you would have given it a zero!!!!!

Fenwick said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

Fenwick, I know this thread is a decade rating, and i'm not going to get into individual albums, but i seem to recall you rate the ONA Piano album quite highly?

Squirrel gave the album 10/10, i would give it 9/10, how would you rate that particular album?

Hey my friend

Absolutely 10/10. It's his best album since Lovesexy IMO.

Many folks around here whose opinions I really respect think that it is an album of unpolished throw away tunes.

I think it is highly original, beautifully recorded/produced and virtually perfect. It is hands down the single reason why I rate the 2000s over the 90s. The 90s have nothing that reaches me like this album does. (And I don't count the Black Album or Crystal Ball as 90s).

The first verse of Avalanche is a cringeworthy moment lyrically, but the song itself is constructed so beautifully that I give that a pass as well. It is the only post 1988 P. album that I know 100% of the time hit play on it, I am not skipping a single track. How about you?

9 out of 10 is obviously a very high score, but what about it keeps it from being a 10?

Thanks.

I cannot put my finger on exactly why i rate it 9 and not 10. I guess there is just something telling me that it is not 100% perfect.

It may be that it is not a true solo piano and voice album, but this is just a very mild niggle on my part. I agree that it is beautifully put together and is a true highlight from that period. I have used the album in the past to play to people who think that Prince was a one trick poney.

I agree - whatever you do with crystal Ball, there's no way the Black album can be seen as anything but 80s, in my view.

I just want to point out that I've noticed tha most fashions, music and clothes in particluar, work in 20 year cyles - whatever was dominat in the previous decade tends to feel icky for the entire following decade. It's normally only after 20-odd years that that begins to wear off.

Now, some stuff is truly timeless - SOTT has never sounded dated to me, for example - but I gotta say, I coudln't listen to PR much from around 89 to the mid- to late-nineties (I know that doesn't strictly follow my 20-year rule but you get the gist).

Bottom Line - the nineties are due for a comeback any time now. In fact, in some ways it's already started: the last time I saw hoodies everywhere was in 1990 - and then they disappeared for 2 decades, just liked flared pants did between 77 and 91...

squirrelgrease said:

Those 80s outtakes and the Black Album really helped put a spit-shine on the 1990s.

Oh and by the way, regarding your individual ratings, I largely agree with your assesments.

A point or two here or there aside, there are only four I strongly disagree with, two higher and two lower

New Power Soul - you have 6/10 - I have 1.5/10 - Loathe that album. Only Kamasutra, 3121 and Planet Earth rate lower.

ONA Live - you have 4/10 - I have 8/10 - It doesn't bother me that the tracks come from different performances. I think they breathe a ton of life into the TRC tracks. I enjoy this album more and more over the years. (Although I have to concede that the aftershow disc is an f*ing mess).

Musicology - you have 3/10 - I have 6.5/10 - What Do You Want Me To Do, Musicology and Call My Name are monster tunes.

3121 - you have 7/10 - I have 1.5 out of ten - I can take the title track (especially live), and that's it. Loathe this album.

vitriol said:

^^Oh and I must note that I consider TBA an 80s album.

Regardless of when it came officially out, I got it since 88 and it's absolutely linked for me to the SOTT/Lovesexy era.

[Edited 1/3/11 11:20am]

Absolutely. It was nice to have a good quality cd of the album, but i was a tiny bit disappointed when it was given an official release, it took some of the gritty mistique away from it.

[Edited 1/3/11 11:33am]

Fenwick said:

Wow! Vitriol you actually have the 2000s as a "2" outside of TRC ? Why so high?

I figured you would have given it a zero!!!!!

Well, a zero is what that decade really deserves if we take out TRC, X and NEWS.

But I wanted to kick off the year being ultra-positive...

78-89: 9

90-99: 9

00-09: 5

10-+: So far, 4.

vitriol said:

Fenwick said:

Wow! Vitriol you actually have the 2000s as a "2" outside of TRC ? Why so high?

I figured you would have given it a zero!!!!!

Well, a zero is what that decade really deserves if we take out TRC, X and NEWS.

But I wanted to kick off the year being ultra-positive...

vitriol said:

Oh and I must note that I consider TBA an 80s album.

Regardless of when it came officially out, I got it since 88 and it's absolutely linked for me to the SOTT/Lovesexy era.

Exactly my thoughts. But then I thought, what if Roadhouse Garden was released in 1998? Would I have changed it's decade of relevance in that case? I'm not gonna be the guy who screws up the space-time continuum and wakes up one morning with a combination mullet/jheri-curl hairdo.

Fenwick said:

3121 - you have 7/10 - I have 1.5 out of ten - I can take the title track (especially live), and that's it. Loathe this album.

Really?

Did you miss the SNL performance of Fury? Admittedly the album version doesn't hold a shade to it, but it still gives me warm fuzzies by association every time I hear it. I think Black Sweat is a great Prince song (even with the annoying whistle). Love is a brilliant composition, in my view, different from most anything he's done. The Dance is also a strong track and i love Satisfied (I prefer it to On the Couch, but you should at least give them even steven, no?)

I used to like the Word, but it's preachiness gets on my nerves now and I detest Incense and candles and BLAB (best acronym ever!). But Lolita's cute and what Get on the Boat laccks in songwriting prowess it makes up for in jammability.

And then there's the title-track of course.

i WAY prefe this to Musicology (which I think is boring), mainly coz it has edge, for the most part. How can you rate it so low?