Just a thought given the state of the market that P has a pretty big decion to make on his next CD i.e. carry on with the Prince Lite commercial sound that worked very well for Muicology and 3121 or does he try to devlop the ideas on 2010 a lot further and go back to his classic sound. If I were him and had my commercial head on I'd go for P-Lite !.

Saddens me to say it but I doubt an album with say a Purple Rain sound, hell even backed with a Revolution reunion would be commercially viable now - those sounds are way outdated for mass appeal and I suspect would bomb commercially.

Prince won't have a commercial success, regardless of the music, unless he releases it with the backing of a proper label and gives it the appropriate promotion. In other words, Prince will not have another commercial success.

funkyhead said:

Just a thought given the state of the market that P has a pretty big decion to make on his next CD i.e. carry on with the Prince Lite commercial sound that worked very well for Muicology and 3121 or does he try to devlop the ideas on 2010 a lot further and go back to his classic sound. If I were him and had my commercial head on I'd go for P-Lite !.

Saddens me to say it but I doubt an album with say a Purple Rain sound, hell even backed with a Revolution reunion would be commercially viable now - those sounds are way outdated for mass appeal and I suspect would bomb commercially.

Musicology was not commercial sucess because of the sound. I love musicology with my heart, but it was not commercial sounding except for a few tracks. What got Musicology and 3121 most of their sucess was more promotion than sound. I feel that Prince doesn't really seek commercial sucess too much, but a new album will more than likely sound good to us hardcore fans anyways.

Quick, name All of the artists age 54 or over who had huge commercial success in 2008 or later with 4 million or more albums sold in the US with at least one Top 5 hit, and 3 Top 40 hits from the album? The answer would be NOBODY. Old artists do not sell. People over 35 have been programmed to listen to oldies stations where you get Raspberry Beret, Kiss, and maybe five other Prince songs. Madonna's 2008 and 2012 albums have sold around 1.5 million in the US COMBINED!

I hate to say it, but Prince came out with an album that sounded like Purple Rain and SOTT combined, it might get to 2 million in sales with crazy promotion, but in reality, if Prince releases something in the next 24 months, it will probably sell 200,000 to 600,000 at best, and it will require some sort of advertising tie in or some unique strategy.

At this point, even U2 can't sell in the US anymore. They are the biggest touring act by far in the last 20 years, and moved just over 1 million from their last album. They are a few years younger than Prince, but they are too old for a hit at this point.

Anything short of a miracle, and Prince has no more exposure or hits...

What miracle would have to take place?

Imagine an album like the one I mentioned above, with the power of Purple Rain and SOTT. Imagine some huge blockbuster movie with Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and some hot young star, and that they like Prince's album, and it serves as the soundtrack.

Even with that miracle, it might not even get past two million.

Of course it would bomb commercially. Not even his "hard core fans" agree on what makes a great album.

Genesia said:

Of course it would bomb commercially. Not even his "hard core fans" agree on what makes a great album.

If he made an album that over 75% of the hard core base felt was a cross between PR and SOTT, I think it would get props, but sales? Hell No.

Genesia said:

Of course it would bomb commercially. Not even his "hard core fans" agree on what makes a great album.

True.

stillwaiting said:

Quick, name All of the artists age 54 or over who had huge commercial success in 2008 or later with 4 million or more albums sold in the US with at least one Top 5 hit, and 3 Top 40 hits from the album? The answer would be NOBODY. Old artists do not sell. People over 35 have been programmed to listen to oldies stations where you get Raspberry Beret, Kiss, and maybe five other Prince songs. Madonna's 2008 and 2012 albums have sold around 1.5 million in the US COMBINED!

I hate to say it, but Prince came out with an album that sounded like Purple Rain and SOTT combined, it might get to 2 million in sales with crazy promotion, but in reality, if Prince releases something in the next 24 months, it will probably sell 200,000 to 600,000 at best, and it will require some sort of advertising tie in or some unique strategy.

At this point, even U2 can't sell in the US anymore. They are the biggest touring act by far in the last 20 years, and moved just over 1 million from their last album. They are a few years younger than Prince, but they are too old for a hit at this point.

Anything short of a miracle, and Prince has no more exposure or hits...

What miracle would have to take place?

Imagine an album like the one I mentioned above, with the power of Purple Rain and SOTT. Imagine some huge blockbuster movie with Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and some hot young star, and that they like Prince's album, and it serves as the soundtrack.

Even with that miracle, it might not even get past two million.

.....Actually you're SO right about this. LOL

It's sad but the truth, you came with the facts..WHICH IS..Hits are out the question if he manages one, it won't even be in the vein of the millions. That's why he sung in 'Prince & The Band'...Make a Mil over night..lol

He makes his millions alright, but not through CD's but extensive touring....lol

Touring is where the money is..his next album will sell roughly in the hundreds of thousands...nothing in the Million vein, even if he was the soundtrack to a popular movie..

Nice perspectives!

stillwaiting said:

Quick, name All of the artists age 54 or over who had huge commercial success in 2008 or later with 4 million or more albums sold in the US with at least one Top 5 hit, and 3 Top 40 hits from the album? The answer would be NOBODY. Old artists do not sell. People over 35 have been programmed to listen to oldies stations where you get Raspberry Beret, Kiss, and maybe five other Prince songs. Madonna's 2008 and 2012 albums have sold around 1.5 million in the US COMBINED!

I hate to say it, but Prince came out with an album that sounded like Purple Rain and SOTT combined, it might get to 2 million in sales with crazy promotion, but in reality, if Prince releases something in the next 24 months, it will probably sell 200,000 to 600,000 at best, and it will require some sort of advertising tie in or some unique strategy.

At this point, even U2 can't sell in the US anymore. They are the biggest touring act by far in the last 20 years, and moved just over 1 million from their last album. They are a few years younger than Prince, but they are too old for a hit at this point.

Anything short of a miracle, and Prince has no more exposure or hits...

What miracle would have to take place?

Imagine an album like the one I mentioned above, with the power of Purple Rain and SOTT. Imagine some huge blockbuster movie with Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and some hot young star, and that they like Prince's album, and it serves as the soundtrack.

Even with that miracle, it might not even get past two million.

Pretty much spot on.

FnkyManifesto7 said:

Musicology was not commercial sucess because of the sound. I love musicology with my heart, but it was not commercial sounding except for a few tracks. What got Musicology and 3121 most of their sucess was more promotion than sound. I feel that Prince doesn't really seek commercial sucess too much, but a new album will more than likely sound good to us hardcore fans anyways.

And so is this. The material on Musicology and 3121 weren't hits - the projects were commercial peaks because of promotion, but the songs aren't classics, they haven't joined the Prince canon. The closest they came was the Black Sweat stinkface getting gif'ed for memes. Maybe that does constitute a hit today, I dunno!

I think Prince knows this, that's why he obviously can't be bothered busting his arse promoting a record the old way - the past several releases he gets some nice pocket change for a one-off deal with chainstores or newspapers, and they serve as promo for tours where his real pay packet is now. It's smart really, from a financial perspective if nothing else.

NouveauDance said:

stillwaiting said:

Quick, name All of the artists age 54 or over who had huge commercial success in 2008 or later with 4 million or more albums sold in the US with at least one Top 5 hit, and 3 Top 40 hits from the album? The answer would be NOBODY. Old artists do not sell. People over 35 have been programmed to listen to oldies stations where you get Raspberry Beret, Kiss, and maybe five other Prince songs. Madonna's 2008 and 2012 albums have sold around 1.5 million in the US COMBINED!

I hate to say it, but Prince came out with an album that sounded like Purple Rain and SOTT combined, it might get to 2 million in sales with crazy promotion, but in reality, if Prince releases something in the next 24 months, it will probably sell 200,000 to 600,000 at best, and it will require some sort of advertising tie in or some unique strategy.

At this point, even U2 can't sell in the US anymore. They are the biggest touring act by far in the last 20 years, and moved just over 1 million from their last album. They are a few years younger than Prince, but they are too old for a hit at this point.

Anything short of a miracle, and Prince has no more exposure or hits...

What miracle would have to take place?

Imagine an album like the one I mentioned above, with the power of Purple Rain and SOTT. Imagine some huge blockbuster movie with Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and some hot young star, and that they like Prince's album, and it serves as the soundtrack.

Even with that miracle, it might not even get past two million.

Pretty much spot on.

FnkyManifesto7 said:

Musicology was not commercial sucess because of the sound. I love musicology with my heart, but it was not commercial sounding except for a few tracks. What got Musicology and 3121 most of their sucess was more promotion than sound. I feel that Prince doesn't really seek commercial sucess too much, but a new album will more than likely sound good to us hardcore fans anyways.

And so is this. The material on Musicology and 3121 weren't hits - the projects were commercial peaks because of promotion, but the songs aren't classics, they haven't joined the Prince canon. The closest they came was the Black Sweat stinkface getting gif'ed for memes. Maybe that does constitute a hit today, I dunno!

I think Prince knows this, that's why he obviously can't be bothered busting his arse promoting a record the old way - the past several releases he gets some nice pocket change for a one-off deal with chainstores or newspapers, and they serve as promo for tours where his real pay packet is now. It's smart really, from a financial perspective if nothing else.

In my opinion Prince should just go on a show that young people tune into, like he did with Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.

Showing up on Total Request Live, then insulting the host, and touting how he's going to have special guest stars like Larry Graham and Chaka Khan is sure to get the young folks riled up.

Genesia said:

Of course it would bomb commercially. Not even his "hard core fans" agree on what makes a great album.

Preach!!!

What's a hardcore fan album?

It's all subjective.

One man's this is another man's that.

...and on the business front, that's already been answered.

[Edited 7/2/12 11:52am]

imago said:

In my opinion Prince should just go on a show that young people tune into, like he did with Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.

Showing up on Total Request Live, then insulting the host, and touting how he's going to have special guest stars like Larry Graham and Chaka Khan is sure to get the young folks riled up.

He could be a judge on American Idol, and it might give him a few extra sales, but he could spend $20 million promoting a killer album, and barely sell anything.

[Edited 7/2/12 12:01pm]

All of them do anyways.

No matter what quality wins in the end!

imago said:

In my opinion Prince should just go on a show that young people tune into, like he did with Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.

Showing up on Total Request Live, then insulting the host, and touting how he's going to have special guest stars like Larry Graham and Chaka Khan is sure to get the young folks riled up.

But if today he was to go on a hit show, like say.. The Voice and say that he'll be touring with Andy Allo/McKee i still don't think many young people will know who he's talking about.

What about a Prince & The Revolution reunion c.d. album/tour.

The public probably wouldn't even be aware that he had a new album out if he did unfortunately.

Yes, but if he marketed it at the chart teens who love Lady GAGA and all these rappers with bizarre names like Wiss Karlifer or whatever, it would bomb too. Much worse than his usual self indulgent ballads is the trend chasing drum machine nonsense.

The chart music now is aimed at pre teens and people with an IQ of 65 - 85 and most Prince fans have at least an average level of intelligence and are usually over 25 (There are a few glittering exceptions, so don't get annoyed). Music has just degenerated so far since the 80s prime of Prince.

Its unfair, even the very good and commercially friendly album 3121, did bomb, okay it was #1 for 1 week and its debut week, it fell like a lead balloon afterwards, and barely struggled gold, all of his other #1's were mega platinum smashes. 3121 sold as many copies as the usual Top 20 album like Gold Experience or Come.

Its sad but a good and thoughtful album like the ones you are proposing will win him some more love and respect from us, but not really any commercial success unless there is 180 degree seismic shift in musical tastes by the chart based fans.

[Edited 7/4/12 16:09pm]

When I hear the music nowadays I think that every album from Prince can be commercial, but I think that he doesn't care. He just want to have fun and do things he likes. I should do the same in his position.

If Prince put out an album that even only contained two songs that had a sound and lyrics that teenagers could really relate to, then he would have a hit album. Those albums in the 80's had lots of songs with lyrics that teenagers liked, identified with, and sang.

Pop music hits have been about getting the teenage market since the beginning.

oh yeah, he would have to make music videos and take photos promoting those two songs and the album that also seem cool to teenagers.

[Edited 7/6/12 4:35am]

ufoclub said:

If Prince put out an album that even only contained two songs that had a sound and lyrics that teenagers could really relate to, then he would have a hit album. Those albums in the 80's had lots of songs with lyrics that teenagers liked, identified with, and sang.

Pop music hits have been about getting the teenage market since the beginning.

oh yeah, he would have to make music videos and take photos promoting those two songs and the album that also seem cool to teenagers.

[Edited 7/6/12 4:35am]

The problem with this is that he is a grown man of 54, why would he sing anything appealing to a teenager?

That time in his life is over.

I think he should ditch the commercially viable aspect and just do him. After all these years and all he has done, he has a right to just make music for himself, for fun, for whatever and for his fans.

He is not Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga and would look ridiculous trying to compete with them.

BklynDiamond said:

ufoclub said:

If Prince put out an album that even only contained two songs that had a sound and lyrics that teenagers could really relate to, then he would have a hit album. Those albums in the 80's had lots of songs with lyrics that teenagers liked, identified with, and sang.

Pop music hits have been about getting the teenage market since the beginning.

oh yeah, he would have to make music videos and take photos promoting those two songs and the album that also seem cool to teenagers.

[Edited 7/6/12 4:35am]

The problem with this is that he is a grown man of 54, why would he sing anything appealing to a teenager?

That time in his life is over.

I think he should ditch the commercially viable aspect and just do him. After all these years and all he has done, he has a right to just make music for himself, for fun, for whatever and for his fans.

He is not Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga and would look ridiculous trying to compete with them.

You're right. I don't think he should go for this. But there are ways to do it without seeming really shallow. I like most all his output just the same all the way up to 20ten (basically on a first listen, on their own, I've only been into a small number of songs on each of his albums except for The Black Album), so I'm not complaining. Although, these last two years, it's been no album output.

ufoclub said:

If Prince put out an album that even only contained two songs that had a sound and lyrics that teenagers could really relate to, then he would have a hit album. Those albums in the 80's had lots of songs with lyrics that teenagers liked, identified with, and sang.

Pop music hits have been about getting the teenage market since the beginning.

oh yeah, he would have to make music videos and take photos promoting those two songs and the album that also seem cool to teenagers.

[Edited 7/6/12 4:35am]

Depends on your definition of "hit album." If you mean selling 500,000 to 1 million, that is still possible, but probably not likely. If you mean 1.5 million or more, he would have to have shit rappers like Wiz Kafoola on lead vocals, and have Lil Shit with his vocal effects, with Prince in the background. But then it wouldn't really be a Prince album, would it? He already failed with Auto Tune on There'll Never B Another Like Me, and I hope he avoids following a trend in the future, but he's been in that trap with the latest fads, or always trying to get the new slang in his lyrics (My Medallion with Bling Bling, Get Yo Groove On, etc..).

So a hit for Prince? If you really think a Prince album will ever sell again, it would take a miracle of the magnitude we can't seriously expect.

It would be like expecting Prince to play 30 songs a night with all the lyrics complete, with world class musicians on every instrument in the band, and with no background singers singing lead. Prince is not capable of this. He would never pay a band that was full of serious musicians.

imago said:

In my opinion Prince should just go on a show that young people tune into, like he did with Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.

Showing up on Total Request Live, then insulting the host, and touting how he's going to have special guest stars like Larry Graham and Chaka Khan is sure to get the young folks riled up.

I think that when the Rave project flopped despite all the power of Clive Davis + a big record label push + a global round of TV appearances it proved that P no longer had the commercial pull when it came to record sales. It must have been an awful ego dent as Clive worked his magic with Santana with great success.

his hardcore "fans" have been divided since 1985, so...

Prince needs a new hit single to reconquer the mainstream audience; fuck his never-satisfied hardcore fans, I mean it: fuck'em

JoeTyler said:

his hardcore "fans" have been divided since 1985, so...

Prince needs a new hit single to reconquer the mainstream audience; fuck his never-satisfied hardcore fans, I mean it: fuck'em

it will only happen in Europe where the radio is slightly more free + the love & respect for him here is still very high. Fans of very artist are always divided, hell I hated Kiss when it first came out. The hard core [& i am certainly one of them] are frustrated because we know what he is capable of - unlike say Elton, Stevie etc who really shot their loads years ago P's piss poor albums are [IMHO] down to very poor decision making, the lack of a producer or at least strong musical influences such as W&L to guide him. His mojo is there live but for whatever reason he is holding it back on albums. I also feel that he has lost faith in the whole idea of an album as a form of artistic statement.