Instead of atwiad, parade and Sott, what if he released a few more 1999/PR- albums....would he have been more popular with the casual bandwagoners? Or would he have been pigeonholed more like Rick James As a straight up
Funkster/r&b pop act? Did he actually prolong his career and credibility by being daring instead of safe and not do the expected ?

The public had already turned on him, so I think it would have only been marginally more successful.

Plus, he would have been seen as a 'genre' artist like the metal, grunge or techno acts out there that are denouncing those labels these days.

He did the correct thing in constant reinvention. The world already had predictably safe (Michael Jackson), and pop friendly (Madonna) artists. Prince carved a higher-brow niche for himself.

His issues lie in how offputting his personality and actions are, and lack of promotion.

imago said:

The public had already turned on him, so I think it would have only been marginally more successful.

Plus, he would have been seen as a 'genre' artist like the metal, grunge or techno acts out there that are denouncing those labels these days.

He did the correct thing in constant reinvention. The world already had predictably safe (Michael Jackson), and pop friendly (Madonna) artists. Prince carved a higher-brow niche for himself.

His issues lie in how offputting his personality and actions are, and lack of promotion.

Great response!

because he would have had to have lived three lives at the same time? like how they ended Star Trek The Next Generation?

Cx

He'd be no more than a footnote in music history. I think that we're all very glad he chose not to do that.

He'd more like other artists who had one big project and then coasted.

tbh, I'm not sure how easy it would be after Purple Rain - it wasn't just a success it was a phenomenom. So it isn't just like he had one big song that everyone can point to now like Rick James, or Cyndi Lauper say (you know what I mean) - it was the whole project, era defining. Unless he fucked up big style with drugs or something and his music went totally to shit, I don't think he could've just been a 'one hit wonder' - keeping focused and having an ungodly amount of musical talent really got in the way of him being that.... Isn't it a pity?!

[Edited 9/4/12 2:29am]

I don't know. Probably faded out a little/lot sooner. Look at what Bowie did. He kept trying to re-make Let's Dance for the next 3 years and the law of diminishing returns set in almost immediately with regard to quality control AND general interest by him and the record-buying public.

On the other hand, I think that Prince may have been better served with throwing a FEW more PR-type tracks on ATWIAD and still been able to keep the kaleidescopic psychedelic vibe The Dance Electric in place of Temptation? She's Always In My Hair instead of The Ladder? All Day All Night instead of Tamborine or America?

Same overall end result, artistically from his point of view. Perhaps a more commercially and crave satisfying record on our end, though.