...had it not followed "Purple Rain"?
[This message was edited Sun Mar 9 16:47:52 PST 2003 by lovebizzare]
[This message was edited Sun Mar 9 16:51:57 PST 2003 by lovebizzare]

No, I think PR helped it.

theSpark said:

Reallly? Please expand

Well, do you mean success at radio? Aside from Raspberry Beret, and Pop Life, the songs seem more experimental, which I like, and PR has more "radio friendly" songs on it.

I think alot of people picked it up after discovering Prince with purple rain.

TheSpark is right. Without Purple Rain's multi-platinum success and chart domination the year before, ATWIAD wouldn't have been a #1 album. It's too esoteric for that. Almost any album he would have released after a behemoth like PR might have placed similiarly on the pop chart. Release it after any album except PR and as much interest isn't there. But it's one of the smartest releases of his career.

Supernova said:

Supernova, please explain how you see this as his smartest release of his career. I think just the opposite. I love ATWIAD, but I think it was too excentric of an album to release immediately after PR.I actually think it hurt him. I think if 1999, Sign o The Times, or even Controvery were released directly behind PR, Prince would have been even bigger than he actually was. Releasing ATWIAD at that time and not touring the U.S. with the Sign O The Times tour are two things I think Prince is STILL paying for.

Besides strings and some sitars and mandolins what REALLY separates Purple Rain from Around the World in a Day?

chickengrease said:

Around The World In A Day is Purple Rain pt II.

Anji said:

I disagree, as I've said before, I think of Around the world in a day as a second cousin to Purple Rain

lovebizzare said:

Everyone does.

VelvetJ said:

Because it showed that he wasn't going to pander to the masses by very easily releasing a Purple Rain clone. It would have been non-conducive to his continuing development as an artist to take the easy way out by coming up with an audio sequal to Purple Rain. Maybe a lot of people don't understand that, but that process would be boring to a musician who wants to continue to challenge himself and his audience.

Sure, it hurt him commercially-speaking as compared to where he was the previous year, but that's the chance you take when you're about more than just hit singles. Prince taking chances on his own schedule, on his own terms, is what he's always been about (except when he exhibited a punch the clock type of complacency at one time during the next decade - but that's another thread). I'm sure he wouldn't have minded being "bigger" than he was after PR, but he decided not to cater to the famously fickle, temporary whims of the mainstream at that time. That's to his credit. It's easy to be a "pop star" for a finite amount of time. It shows more mettle when you're after a higher bar aesthetically, and you swing for the fences there.

And even if he would have tried for PR II (or something more commercial than ATWIAD) there is always a mainstream backlash down the road after blockbuster albums. If you ask me, ATWIAD is not a top tier album in his catalog - but what it symbolizes on a long term basis is more important for someone who wants to be around for the long haul. It's a 180 degree turn.

And like you, I also think he made a mistake by not touring the US after SOTT, though I don't know the reason(s) for that. Maybe there are details about that that we don't know.

Supernova said:

There's only one problem with this. It's so well said that there's nothing left to be said.

Brendan said:

I couldn't have put it better myself. Well said, Brendan.

Supernova.

Anji said:

I agree it's basically a Re-Hash of PR.same Concept for "Paisley Park" as with "When Doves Cry" without the Bass.Prince got alot of Air-Play for "Around the World in a Day"."Raspberry Beret","Pop Life","America" got alot of Air-Play not to Mention "She's always in my hair","Hello",&"Girl".AMerica was basically baby I'm a star part 2."The Ladder" was Purple Rain meets the Beatles 'Revolution".in fact this was the Album that truly saw Him allow His Musical Influences out in the open more than any album before&the results weren't always so Hot IMHO.for someone who appeared Scared of there Success He had a trip out way of showing it.this Album is Very Accessible on alot of levels.but I agree with Jesse Johnson as well after Jesse&the fellas left Prince didn't find His Groove back until He put the Whole "Sign o The Times" Together.the Flower Power Era wasn't to Cool IMHO.