i dont know enough about how the industry works these days, but id assume not. everything these days seems to be pre packaged and really producer driven. the coorporate fat cats dont need any "one man band"s changing the rules and doing what they wanna do

[Edited 11/10/11 5:22am]

No, I don't think Prince would make it in today's industry. Why - because the industry and most of the public don't care if someone has actual talent. That's very clear and obvious when you see the bunch of talentless people releasing records, touring and making millions.

If I had the time, I could make a list a mile long to show all the talentless people who are now considered so-called singers, musicians, entertainers. People today don't seem to appreciate or even know what real talent is. They just want to be entertained by someone who looks good (or different) and who go after the shock value. There are a small number out there that I think are quite talented, but I would say 85% are not and 15% are.

I remember reading in a similar thread not too long ago something along the lines of:

Prince is Prince because he did what he did, when he did it.

hollywooddove said:

This is a tough concept, because prince has so heavily influenced today's music. But imagine prince is 18 now, music had developed to be just where it is now. Digital takeover, rap, MTV and it's lack of music videos anymore.... Could prince still rise back up to his status if he were a new upcoming talent?

That's so true!!!

And I agree. Prince is Prince. I have no idea if he would be successful. I think he will be successful, tbh.

No, Pop culture is too easy to make it in

and too many 'entertainers' out there

and in the 1980's there was no cyberspace

the mystery of not being able to get to things people and places

so easily was good ground for people like Prince Madonna & Michael

1990's 2000's everything and everyone are easily accessible

It's a very different industry and world isn't it.

Prince didn't have a real breakout commercial hit until his fifth album. Would he even get to album #5 these days on a major?

hollywooddove said:

This is a tough concept, because prince has so heavily influenced today's music. But imagine prince is 18 now, music had developed to be just where it is now. Digital takeover, rap, MTV and it's lack of music videos anymore.... Could prince still rise back up to his status if he were a new upcoming talent?

No............timing is 3/4 of the battle.

Yes, he would be successful & it all would just depend on who was there 2 help him.

Since he has the talent & ability but he would be so young, only the right person could accomplish the correct guidance, not 2 mention the money that would be invested 2 produce his success.

NouveauDance said:

Prince didn't have a real breakout commercial hit until his fifth album. Would he even get to album #5 these days on a major?

Very unlikely. In this day and age you can dropped from poor single sales before you even get a chance to release your debut! Happens all the time.

NouveauDance said:

It's a very different industry and world isn't it.

Prince didn't have a real breakout commercial hit until his fifth album. Would he even get to album #5 these days on a major?

Personally I think because of the fact that he is naturally a hard worker, and is just plain and simple genuis as a young and hungry man, he would most def be able be pretty damn huge. One of his skills was to turn lame ideas into something great. He could do to other new genres what OutKast did for hip hop, yet maybe bigger. He is like a genuis, yet minimalistic collage of almost everything that was great before him.

If Prince was born into the new generation, then we don't know if he would be playing funk guitar, but he would probably still be very sex oriented which I personally think has alot to do with born personality as well as the environment, but genres, fashion, industry and technology would give him other choices. Being born into band land with friends like Morris Day and Andre Cymone, as well as jazzy parents does influence you in some way.

What would we call the fanatics, Nelsonites? Are today's fourteen year olds brats worse than they were in 79 and would he and his handlers be able to weather the " gay " and all the insults that would come his way? Who knows, the talent would eventually shine but would a PR swoon ever happen if he had millions in his account by twenty-one ?

uuhson said:

Empress said:

MarquessMarq said:

xLiberiangirl said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

NouveauDance said:

Graycap23 said:

Whatsinit4me said:

Militant said:

UncleGrandpa said:

I think the biggest hindrance he would have now is that the labels don't invest in artist development like before. When prince signed in 1978 I think Warners was offering 5 album deals under the expectation only that each album would outsell the previous one. This gave the artists a chance to build a following and polish thier talents along the way. In 1978 (correct me if I'm wrong) Warners signed Devo, Van Halen, Prince and the B-52s and invested in helping these acts improve; by the time each had released the fifth album they were successes.

I agree the scene is very producer driven but this certainly isn't the first time the landscape seemed to be dominated by mediocre talent singing trite songs; the difference now is that it's a lot tougher to break out as an underground or niche artist. "I wanna be your lover" was a "hit" but Prince remained a fringe artist until maybe 1983 -- as others have said I don't think he would have been given that chance today, certainly no one would have bankrolled a movie which is what really put him over the top...

It's quite unfair to say, but I haven't heard any new artist on his level that hasn't got any attention. Actually when come to think of it, I have yet to hear any musician after him on his level. If you're a music prodigy you will atleast get a bit recognition if you're talented enough. And if you're working hard it will pay off. I love artists like Van Hunt, but dude doesn't make hot pop hits like Prince did, and he doesn't have the charisma. He also doesn't have as catchy hooks. Prince built a persona and had an advantage because of himself demanding attention as well as being very entertaining and writing super catchy yet somewhat weird music. In many ways, it should be even easier to get the music out there. Making music is almost free now if you have a computer. If you have a cheap recording system you'll get close to pro sound with some skills. It's easy to drown with all the competition, but Prince as a young man doesn't have that much competition.

I LOVE Prince. I love . But sadly, no.

I mean, think about it.

Justin Beiber?

Selena Gomez?

Miley Cyrus?

Victoria Justice?

Someone with the talent, charisma, stage presence, and sheer musical ability like Prince/ would sadly not stand a chance of making it in music today if he was 18. Too good to even think about it.