Ok I know this will be very controversial here on the org but Controversy and MPLSound, imo are Prince's best albums. I love funky new wave and those 2 albums combine those elements perfectly. What do you guys think??

I try and like MPLSound but just can't seem to love it. If "No More Candy..." would have been pulled straight from 1982, it would sound so much better because Prince just made better sounding music back then, no matter the media.

Can't go wrong with Controversy seeing how it was that single that got me into Prince back before 1999 shook the world.

Dirty Mind

1. Purple Rain
2. Sign O' The Times
3. Lovesexy
4. 1999
5. Controversy

1999

Sign of The Times

Controversy

Lovesexy

I think these four define Prince. And I can listen to these without skipping a song

It wasn't officially released but I'll go with Camille followed very closely by The Black Album and The Love Symbol

Frederick96 said:

1999

Sign of The Times

Controversy

Lovesexy

I think these four define Prince. And I can listen to these without skipping a song

I really want to get into Lovesexy but can't for some reason. I'm gonna give it another listen. Alphabet Street is my jam though and I love i wish U heaven.

Purple Rain and Sign 'O' the Times are THE Prince LPs. Essentially flawless.

Shockedelicus said:

Purple Rain and Sign 'O' the Times are THE Prince LPs. Essentially flawless.

.

1. Purple Rain

2. Sign O' The Times

3. 1999

4. Lovesexy

5. Parade

.

then:

Around The World In A Day,

The Gold Experience,

Controversy,

Dirty Mind

1999, Purple Rain, Sign o The Times,

My personal favs: Parade 1986, Prince 1979.

LiLi1992 said:

1999. Such a perfect, cohesive collection of songs.

controversy99 said:

LiLi1992 said:

1. Purple Rain
2. Sign O' The Times
3. Lovesexy
4. 1999
5. Controversy

Ding, ding, ding -- we have a winner! I'll add The Gold Experience as # 6 And if you want the absolute best, imo that's 1999. . [Edited 4/22/13 21:23pm]

Really? Was that one good? Isn't that when he fell off?

dancerella said:

controversy99 said:

dancerella said:

Really? Was that one good? Isn't that when he fell off?

Yes, it's good. He didn't fall off until Emancipation. Many folks say 93-95 was the second "classic" period, after 80-88. He released Come, TGE, Exodus, and the video version of The Undertaker. Plus he recorded Chaos & Disorder, much of The Vault: OF4S, some of Girl 6, and much of Crystal Ball. It was a truly prolific period with roughly 7 albums of material in 3 years and much of it top rate! And TGE is the cream of the crop.

Now I'm intrigued.I have to give it a listen.

Sign O the Times is his best work IMO. I have never tired of it after all these years.

As for the Gold Experience, it's a very solid cd. Still listen to it regularly.

what did he fall off of?

controversy99 said:

dancerella said:

Really? Was that one good? Isn't that when he fell off?

Yes, it's good. He didn't fall off until Emancipation. Many folks say 93-95 was the second "classic" period, after 80-88. He released Come, TGE, Exodus, and the video version of The Undertaker. Plus he recorded Chaos & Disorder, much of The Vault: OF4S, some of Girl 6, and much of Crystal Ball. It was a truly prolific period with roughly 7 albums of material in 3 years and much of it top rate! And TGE is the cream of the crop.

chriss said:

what did he fall off of?

controversy99 said:

dancerella said: Yes, it's good. He didn't fall off until Emancipation. Many folks say 93-95 was the second "classic" period, after 80-88. He released Come, TGE, Exodus, and the video version of The Undertaker. Plus he recorded Chaos & Disorder, much of The Vault: OF4S, some of Girl 6, and much of Crystal Ball. It was a truly prolific period with roughly 7 albums of material in 3 years and much of it top rate! And TGE is the cream of the crop.

he fell off the wagon train called inspired, profilic, incredible music creation. he's gotten back on for short rides here & there, which is great. but i think it's reasonably clear if you compare 93-95 to, say, 97-99, that there was a drop off.

1. Sign o the times

2. 1999

3. Parade

4. Dirty Mind

5. Purple Rain

6. The Gold Experience

7. Controversy

thedance said:

Shockedelicus said:

Purple Rain and Sign 'O' the Times are THE Prince LPs. Essentially flawless.

.

1. Purple Rain

2. Sign O' The Times

3. 1999

4. Lovesexy

5. Parade

.

then:

Around The World In A Day,

The Gold Experience,

Controversy,

Dirty Mind

1. Purple Rain

2. Sign O' The Times

3. The Rainbow Children

4. 1999

5. Lovesexy

then:

Parade

Around The World In A Day,

The Gold Experience,

Controversy,

Dirty Mind

For me, Lovesexy is the 1 with absolutely no skippers. Though, even if I wanted to skip I couldn't because it's all one track.

Sign is a close second but there are a couple of skippers on there for me.

Sign O The Times.

Lovesexy is a close second.

Then 1999.

SchlomoThaHomo said:

For me, Lovesexy is the 1 with absolutely no skippers. Though, even if I wanted to skip I couldn't because it's all one track.

Sign is a close second but there are a couple of skippers on there for me.

I got a tracked version purely by mistake, no idea how. Have loved Lovesexy from the day it was released. It is a real concept album and I bloody love it for that. The feel it generates is utter magic IMO.

1999

thedance said:

Shockedelicus said:

Purple Rain and Sign 'O' the Times are THE Prince LPs. Essentially flawless.

.

1. Purple Rain

2. Sign O' The Times

3. 1999

4. Lovesexy

5. Parade

.

then:

Around The World In A Day,

The Gold Experience,

Controversy,

Dirty Mind

ALMOST the same, but I'd put The Gold Experience way lower, 1999 before Sign o the times, and Parade before Lovesexy.

1. Purple Rain

2. 1999

3. Sign o the times

4. Parade

5. Lovesexy

then:

6. Around the world in a day

7. Dirty mind

8. Controversy

9. Batman (Yes, Im sure! Definately his 9th best... Sue me!)

10. Not sure...

SchlomoThaHomo said:

For me, Lovesexy is the 1 with absolutely no skippers. Though, even if I wanted to skip I couldn't because it's all one track.

Sign is a close second but there are a couple of skippers on there for me.

What are your SOTT skippers?

jasontate said:

I got a tracked version purely by mistake, no idea how. Have loved Lovesexy from the day it was released. It is a real concept album and I bloody love it for that. The feel it generates is utter magic IMO.

Yes, I agree. And the instrumentation is so varied, yet cohesive. Many horn and keyboard accompaniment going on - the breakdown instrumental parts from Anna Stesia and Glam Slam are incredible! - . And great vocal harmonies. Has an overall great vibe. Only When 2 R in Love sounds a bit different and out of context, otherwise, a long mix of songs that flows from begining to end.

BrazilianOnRaspberryBeret said:

SchlomoThaHomo said:

For me, Lovesexy is the 1 with absolutely no skippers. Though, even if I wanted to skip I couldn't because it's all one track.

Sign is a close second but there are a couple of skippers on there for me.

What are your SOTT skippers?

Always "It" because I find it quite boring, and I was going to say "Slow Love" but I actually like that one. Sometimes I'm just not in the right mood to listen to it. So really just "It."

I agree with what you and jasontate said about Lovesexy as well. Just pure magic, that record.