Thinking about the magical days of extended 12"versions and all those incredible B-Sides there now seems no point in releasing these anymore - not just for P but also for many others. Here's why-

1] mass, top 40 radio won't play anything new by him

2] singles promote an album, if radio ain't playing him then he has many other tricks / gimmicks up his sleeve to promote an album i.e. newspaper giveaways, dowloads etc

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

4] without a big label picking up the tab it's financial suicide - the returns are minimal

5] a single now needs lots of TV appearnces as back-up - he ain't going back on the treadmill like he did with rave only to get embarrassed by the chart figures again!

If I were P I would solely continue to focus on 'the big project' and [much to mine and yours saddness] forget singles!

funkyhead said:

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

He keeps trying, miserably, to emulate whatever flavour of the month is in the charts in terms of Black artists' pop, but they're either left to die radio/video singles (Chocolate Box) or he doesn't release them at all (Laydown).

Both these examples are complete dog shit BTW, I'm just saying I think he does write songs for the top 40 still.

NouveauDance said:

funkyhead said:

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

He keeps trying, miserably, to emulate whatever flavour of the month is in the charts in terms of Black artists' pop, but they're either left to die radio/video singles (Chocolate Box) or he doesn't release them at all (Laydown).

Both these examples are complete dog shit BTW, I'm just saying I think he does write songs for the top 40 still.

daft Q, but was Choc box released as a proper single?.

Not a physical release no - at least I don't think so, I lost count on Prince's official/promo CD singles way back around Rave.

funkyhead said:

Thinking about the magical days of extended 12"versions and all those incredible B-Sides there now seems no point in releasing these anymore - not just for P but also for many others. Here's why-

1] mass, top 40 radio won't play anything new by him

2] singles promote an album, if radio ain't playing him then he has many other tricks / gimmicks up his sleeve to promote an album i.e. newspaper giveaways, dowloads etc

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

4] without a big label picking up the tab it's financial suicide - the returns are minimal

5] a single now needs lots of TV appearnces as back-up - he ain't going back on the treadmill like he did with rave only to get embarrassed by the chart figures again!

If I were P I would solely continue to focus on 'the big project' and [much to mine and yours saddness] forget singles!

it's pointless for ANYONE to release a physical single any more.

digital is another story.

Sad but imo Prince is old and has lost his appealing towards the broader audience.

I still think he should be gentle and release more product to us = his fanbase:

Singles / downloads - on iTunes and other sites

including:

Extended versions / B-sides / Outtakes

(^ in case the inspiration to create hasn't been lost. Prince used to be super prolific, is he still??)

Also: Prince should make music videos again,

even the videos haven't been good since "Gold" in late 1995.

Promotion and Prince.... has been a catastrophe for a long time, seems like Prince doesn't care about his career anymore.

thedance said:

Sad but imo Prince is old and has lost his appealing towards the broader audience.

I still think he should be gentle and release more product to us = his fanbase:

Singles / downloads - on iTunes and other sites

including:

Extended versions / B-sides / Outtakes

(^ in case the inspiration to create hasn't been lost. Prince used to be super prolific, is he still??)

Also: Prince should make music videos again,

even the videos haven't been good since "Gold" in late 1995.

Promotion and Prince.... has been a catastrophe for a long time, seems like Prince doesn't care about his career anymore.

Agree with the first parts of your post, but disagree with the latter part. Videos like "The One", "Come On", "Betcha By Golly Wow!", "Somebody´s Somebody", even "Te Amo Corazon" or "Black Sweat" and "Cinnamon Girl", especially "Cinnamon Girl" were, in my opinion, quite good, don´t you think? The "Musicology" video wasn´t too bad, either, but I found the song a bit boring. The video for "A Million Days" was ok....but my favorite video of the last decade is probably "Cinnamon Girl". I know people can´t stand that song ( I think it was interesting social commentary, just like back in the days) but I really liked the style of that video.

What I didn´t like were those horrible, low budget NPGMC videoclips, like "Daisy Chain" and all those other NPGMC-only releases.

thedance said:

Sad but imo Prince is old and has lost his appealing towards the broader audience.

I still think he should be gentle and release more product to us = his fanbase:

Singles / downloads - on iTunes and other sites

including:

Extended versions / B-sides / Outtakes

(^ in case the inspiration to create hasn't been lost. Prince used to be super prolific, is he still??)

Also: Prince should make music videos again,

even the videos haven't been good since "Gold" in late 1995.

Promotion and Prince.... has been a catastrophe for a long time, seems like Prince doesn't care about his career anymore.

i think he still makes tonnes of videos BUT alas never release them!

I lost interest in singles years ago.

KoolEaze said:

thedance said:

Sad but imo Prince is old and has lost his appealing towards the broader audience.

I still think he should be gentle and release more product to us = his fanbase:

Singles / downloads - on iTunes and other sites

including:

Extended versions / B-sides / Outtakes

(^ in case the inspiration to create hasn't been lost. Prince used to be super prolific, is he still??)

Also: Prince should make music videos again,

even the videos haven't been good since "Gold" in late 1995.

Promotion and Prince.... has been a catastrophe for a long time, seems like Prince doesn't care about his career anymore.

Agree with the first parts of your post, but disagree with the latter part. Videos like "The One", "Come On", "Betcha By Golly Wow!", "Somebody´s Somebody", even "Te Amo Corazon" or "Black Sweat" and "Cinnamon Girl", especially "Cinnamon Girl" were, in my opinion, quite good, don´t you think? The "Musicology" video wasn´t too bad, either, but I found the song a bit boring. The video for "A Million Days" was ok....but my favorite video of the last decade is probably "Cinnamon Girl". I know people can´t stand that song ( I think it was interesting social commentary, just like back in the days) but I really liked the style of that video.

What I didn´t like were those horrible, low budget NPGMC videoclips, like "Daisy Chain" and all those other NPGMC-only releases.

lol, just remembered the Dasiy chain video, wasn't he playing b-ball in it?. I actually think that would have been a minor hit!

^ OK, I actually agrees with you, KoolEaze, to Musicology and Black Sweat being good videos. I have to admit that.. but I don't like the Cinnamon Girl video, but that's probably because I think the song is so poor.

The One video is quite good also, but not for a leading single, a ballad, I would had preferred a good video for the mid tempo song Come On.

Maybe music videos are off topic here?

- or maybe not, they are all about promoting a single, right.....

thedance said:

^ OK, I actually agrees with you, KoolEaze, to Musicology and Black Sweat being good videos. I have to admit that.. but I don't like the Cinnamon Girl video, but that's probably because I think the song is so poor.

The One video is quite good also, but not for a leading single, a ballad, I would had preferred a good video for the mid tempo song Come On.

Maybe music videos are off topic here?

- or maybe not, they are all about promoting a single, right.....

So you have a problem with the song /single choice rather than the style of the videos in question?

By the way, what exactly do you dislike about Cinnamon Girl? I´m just curious because so many people hate the song AND the video. I really like the video, reminds me a bit of A-Ha´s Take On Me and those mid 1970s Ralph Bakshi films (Lord of the Rings, Wizards, Fire and Ice, the whole rotoscope technique thing going on). As a song, it is right there with Annie Christian, Live 4 Love, Dance On, or any other of his social commentary songs. He´s always done a bit of social commentary every now and then. Sure,it´s not the kind of song I go back and listen to on a regular,but neither is Annie Christian. I´m just trying to understand why people passionately dislike that song. I thought it was a brilliant reflection of what was going on post 9/11 in America.

^ KoolEaze: Cinnamon Girl is a political song, I have to give a bit respect to that, even the suicide bomber video is hmmmmmm......... controversial, bombing an airport. There's probably a meaning with it, but isn't it controversial, say Prince should support that (I'm not saying he is.... and wasn't that last bombing of the airport removed from the final released music video?)....

About the song itself, a dull rocker, doesn't move me. Actually it doesn't sound much like "Prince music" to me. A bad cousin to Cream, Peach...... But it's hard to say whay a certain song does not move one. I own the album and the cd single, and I have listened to the song a lot, still it does not move me. I still think it deserves maybe 4/10 though, imo.

Singles are pointless. U2 still does it, and I have to buy them as imports, as it is still done in Europe to a point. I wish all the extended versions would just get another release, like Rave In 2, which was not the Holy Grail, as some Rave fans say, but at least it is another view of the album. I'd buy a companion to every album if it was 79 minutes long with a few demos, and extended versions. Forget the remixes, as it is just some DJ Hack ruining the song 90% of the time. Does anybody listen to the Cream remixes anymore? I never could...the Gett Off EP was the last time there were decent remixes...and he screwed us all by never releasing the original 6-7-91 mix. I don't even know where to find it. I've got 300 concerts on cd, but can't find the stinking original Gett Off. Shut Up Already Damb!!!

If he released a catchy dance oriented single, or a rock ballad that crossed over to a high school rocker crowd (the lyrics would have to be pop, like a high school type vibe) and then made a great promo video for it with good dancing (doesn't even have to be him), then maybe it would catch. And he would have to pay to play.

But I wish he would release some kid of epic rock song like "Hotel California" and put himself in a more natural look (simple wavy hair, no eye liner) and actually show himself playing the drums all the way through (ala Hotel California) in a "live" performance video. It would not only break stereotypes of Prince, but it might seem fresh in the current line up of music you hit.

It might not hit unless the song was really relevant to high schoolers, but it would be a great image for him that shoots beyond what other male R&B are doing.

^^ A high school type vibe song done by a 52 year old would be just.......shit, and weird.

In fact, not weird, just shit.

[Edited 2/11/11 9:15am]

errant said:

errant said:

funkyhead said:

Thinking about the magical days of extended 12"versions and all those incredible B-Sides there now seems no point in releasing these anymore - not just for P but also for many others. Here's why-

1] mass, top 40 radio won't play anything new by him

2] singles promote an album, if radio ain't playing him then he has many other tricks / gimmicks up his sleeve to promote an album i.e. newspaper giveaways, dowloads etc

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

4] without a big label picking up the tab it's financial suicide - the returns are minimal

5] a single now needs lots of TV appearnces as back-up - he ain't going back on the treadmill like he did with rave only to get embarrassed by the chart figures again!

If I were P I would solely continue to focus on 'the big project' and [much to mine and yours saddness] forget singles!

it's pointless for ANYONE to release a physical single any more.

digital is another story.

This is one of the very few times I agree with Errant on something.

TheDigitalGardener said:

^^ A high school type vibe song done by a 52 year old would be just.......shit, and weird.

In fact, not weird, just shit.

[Edited 2/11/11 9:15am]

so he's on the right track right?

ufoclub said:

But I wish he would release some kid of epic rock song like "Hotel California" and put himself in a more natural look (simple wavy hair, no eye liner) and actually show himself playing the drums all the way through (ala Hotel California) in a "live" performance video. It would not only break stereotypes of Prince, but it might seem fresh in the current line up of music you hit.

It might not hit unless the song was really relevant to high schoolers, but it would be a great image for him that shoots beyond what other male R&B are doing.

I think that's a great idea.

Aerosmith had had hit singles in their old age... well Aerosmith did in the mid 90's. The lyrics were high schoolish, and the videos featured youngsters being wild...

I guess Prince tried this with Cinnamon Girl, but I never thought that song was good. Never felt like listening to it.

ufoclub said:

Aerosmith had had hit singles in their old age... well Aerosmith did in the mid 90's. The lyrics were high schoolish, and the videos featured youngsters being wild...

I guess Prince tried this with Cinnamon Girl, but I never thought that song was good. Never felt like listening to it.

Back in the 90's, some old people could still get radio airplay. Can anybody name a top 40 hit from anyone over 40 since 2005? I can't off the top of my head, but other than Maybe Madonna, I doubt there are more than one or two. Even U2's Vertigo wasn't really played on anything other than the classic rock stations or the Alt Rock ones...and that was 2004 anyway. The game has changed.

Fams may love his appearance here on the org, but Prince creeps the younger generation out.

Girls actually have a 'eww' reflex to him, as was evident when his Planet Earth era Verizon add

was played in the theaters.

So, Prince has an image issue to get past. But this isn't a problem. There are plenty of

odd looking or strange folks.

What Prince has to do is write a damned good tune, with lyrics that are comprehensible

and agreeable, and show off a little bit on guitar.

His last few efforts have been good for fans--albums that aren't terrible, but not exactly

great either. 20Ten was the sleepiest auto-pilot of an album Prince ever released.

He has to stop that shit if he wants to recapture the singles market.

Physical singles are out--when I speak of singles I mean downloads.

Most of the fans I know are fed up with him though, and just download his stuff

for free anyways--I think lotusflow3r.com was the last straw for the ones who

weren't already just downloading it for free because of the music club debacle.

I don’t give two tugs of a dead dog’s dick about physical formats for singles or albums and neither do most people. Prince needs a cheap one-click-to-buy music web site and nothing else.

nastyarse said:

Fams may love his appearance here on the org, but Prince creeps the younger generation out.

Girls actually have a 'eww' reflex to him, as was evident when his Planet Earth era Verizon add

was played in the theaters.

There has always been a healthy section of girls/boys/people creeped out by Prince and his appearance...this is not generational and has little to do with Prince's age.

Even in the 80's (which oddly was more tolerant of men being androgynous) there were plenty of straight laced chicks that said "eww" to Prince.

errant said:

funkyhead said:

Thinking about the magical days of extended 12"versions and all those incredible B-Sides there now seems no point in releasing these anymore - not just for P but also for many others. Here's why-

1] mass, top 40 radio won't play anything new by him

2] singles promote an album, if radio ain't playing him then he has many other tricks / gimmicks up his sleeve to promote an album i.e. newspaper giveaways, dowloads etc

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

4] without a big label picking up the tab it's financial suicide - the returns are minimal

5] a single now needs lots of TV appearnces as back-up - he ain't going back on the treadmill like he did with rave only to get embarrassed by the chart figures again!

If I were P I would solely continue to focus on 'the big project' and [much to mine and yours saddness] forget singles!

it's pointless for ANYONE to release a physical single any more.

digital is another story.

Finally somebody with the voice of reason!

They phased out singles in the United States when the recording industry was pushing people to buy full length CDs by pop stars. Between the "Now" CDs and legal downloading, that's how people are buying their music, or if it was featured on a TV show, a few thousand might go find it that way as well.

The future of how people buy music is definitely a big question mark. Prince was trying different ways on the internet 10 years too early, and even though he got some ideas from Ani, she also tours a lot every year and sells her CDs and merch at the shows.

Physical product is mostly for collectors. Even though the internet's dead, so are music stores.

i think physical singles are just about done.....for all artists....prince will never get another top 40 hit unless radio start playing something...

.

but when he is selling ten times the albums ciara is selling and she has had recent hits then i dont think he should be too bothered about it....he has had more hits than most major artists so he has done all that....

.

[Edited 2/12/11 1:12am]

errant said:

funkyhead said:

Thinking about the magical days of extended 12"versions and all those incredible B-Sides there now seems no point in releasing these anymore - not just for P but also for many others. Here's why-

1] mass, top 40 radio won't play anything new by him

2] singles promote an album, if radio ain't playing him then he has many other tricks / gimmicks up his sleeve to promote an album i.e. newspaper giveaways, dowloads etc

3] he doesn't write 'top 40 hits' anymore - no doubt this will spark a debate about whether that's because he can't cut it or won't do it!

4] without a big label picking up the tab it's financial suicide - the returns are minimal

5] a single now needs lots of TV appearnces as back-up - he ain't going back on the treadmill like he did with rave only to get embarrassed by the chart figures again!

If I were P I would solely continue to focus on 'the big project' and [much to mine and yours saddness] forget singles!

it's pointless for ANYONE to release a physical single any more.

digital is another story.

lol, exactly, physical singles barely sell, some of the hardcore fans who like collecting things still buy them, but most acts don't even bother now. In regards of Prince, this question has not been relevant for 10 years. I wonder that until he retires or passes away, will there always be fans who will be pressed about "but why can't Prince have a hit again??????"...

No he should not. Digital is what is now. I still buy physical formats because I am a music nerd. Most people download now. That is why cd selections have about dissapeared in stores.