what's Prince best - and worst - career moves... in your opinion..


Imo:

Best career move, was to sign with Warner Bros. in 1977. The WB.-company really was supportive and made him a superstar, world wide, 1982 to 1988.


Imo:

Worst career move, was the symbol name change 1993 to 2000. It was cool in the beginning "Prince is dead - long live the New Power Generation" and all that.. but then became impossible, sometimes emberrassing. I saw the Gold concert in Den Bosch Holland, in early 1995. It was half a year before this album came out and a lot of the new material was played. Cool, but it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans. It was impossible, no one understood just why he gave up his name for a symbol.

Prince's career never was the same, even when he changed his name back to Prince. He is a living legend that is for sure - the greatest genius of his generation, but today, let's face it, no one (only the true funk soldiers - lol) - no one really cares about Prince's new music anymore.


Don't you agree with me, Prince killed his own career, with some really bad career moves.

thedance said:

what's Prince best - and worst - career moves... in your opinion..


Imo:

Best career move, was to sign with Warner Bros. in 1977. The WB.-company really was supportive and made him a superstar, world wide, 1982 to 1988.


Imo:

Worst career move, was the symbol name change 1993 to 2000. It was cool in the beginning "Prince is dead - long live the New Power Generation" and all that.. but then became impossible, sometimes emberrassing. I saw the Gold concert in Den Bosch Holland, in early 1995. It was half a year before this album came out and a lot of the new material was played. Cool, but it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans. It was impossible, no one understood just why he gave up his name for a symbol.

Prince's career never was the same, even when he changed his name back to Prince. He is a living legend that is for sure - the greatest genius of his generation, but today, let's face it, no one (only the true funk soldiers - lol) - no one really cares about Prince's new music anymore.


Don't you agree with me, Prince killed his own career, with some really bad career moves.

Well, did you read any reviews form the recent shows, if that is a dead career, Id take it any day of the week...between 25 and 30k saw him this week,, wtf are you talking about...and i might add, more people care anbout his music than your shitty post

BTW, stuck in snowpocalypse 2014 in Boston so I'll be trolling all posts ..lol

Best:

1999/Little Red Corvette singles and videos appealed to a wide audience.

Purple Rain movie and album

Releasing SOTT as a double album

Batman soundtrack put him back on the charts

Diamond& Pearls album was a great release, it showed the general public what Prince was all about without alienating them with 'difficult' music

The Hits/B sides was a great succes and he did a tour and all, he wasn't being 'dificult', played his hits and went with the flow..waw!

TMBGITW was a great single choice (don't like it at all )

Musicology was the return of the Prince people knew, the tour must have been great!! (have seen footage; DMSR in Detroit is my fav live clip since)

3121 great album

PE was 'a return to the Prince we knew' according to a Belgium magazine, I guess they missed both previous albums?? Still, a top3 (nr1 here and there) in European countries.

20Ten and the summer festivals really draw attention to the public in Europe, magazines and newspapers spending pages on his carreer, the free CD and the beautiful weather in Belgium at his concert (heavy rain during Purple Rain!)

W2America A goodbye from his well known sound and hits? It seems that way.

Worst :

Not waiting 2 release ATWIAD after Purple Rain, people in Europe just got to know him!!AITWAID should have been Dream Faktory or at least a best of AITWIAD&Parade!

Not participating on the We are the world concerts, was strange for many!!

Dubbing the SOTT movie, NOT releasing Strange relationship as a single and not touring the US! SOTT tour was hot news in Europe

Lovesexy and Livesexy in Dortmund are 2 of my all time fav Prince moments but maybe to difficult and again to soon after 2lp SOTT

After the comeback to succes on charts with Batman, why did he release GB?? And then a year later he released another comeback to the charts album with D&P. The general public didn't know what to expect from him anymore!

TGE was released to late after the mega hit, the tour was to early, a shame because the album was great.The whole Slave thing made him look ridicilous! The 'artist known as' however is very well known all over the world and was used in different series/movies or jokes!( Just yesterday a Belgium comedian who makes a show each year about the past year, talked about our new king " the king formerly known as Prince')

Not touring the world with his hits when he changed his name 2 Prince in 1999, while promoting Rave...

I love his 'new' career from Musicology "till PE but what happened after the O2 shows?? He was back in Europe, albums were sold, people knew he was back and then...he releases a triple album thing on the internet?? Lotusflower and MPLS should have been promoted and in stores fromnday 1!After Lotus..he did the PE trick once again in Europe, it seems Prince likes to make a 'comeback' ...once he was back in the picture, toured Belgium twice, he just disapeared.

He comes back with a good single 2y later, R"r love affair gets airplay but..no album, no tour just the badest look in decades!! Really...

Some fans don't agree, but I heard a radio dj talking about his musical hero Prince and says he founds it very difficult to like what he is doing these days. 'Live he sounds like a psychodelic ZZ Top'

Anyway, he made some big mistakes but he was right when people thought 'what is he doing??'He could have been bigger, he didn't choose a MJ or Witney career (all the way commercial)and maybe that just saved him! I mean, thedirty, bad boy is still alive.It's been since NPS or RC that I don't really follow his music , but I hope the next album will be something I like

[Edited 1/2/14 12:38pm]

[Edited 1/2/14 12:41pm]

[Edited 1/2/14 12:44pm]

The name change was just to get out his contract with WB! With a unpronouncible symbol, WB has no claim to any of those projects. Prince knew exactly what he was doing, however, I don't think he knew the ramifications and ridicule from the media and casual fans

joyinrepetition said:

The name change was just to get out his contract with WB! With a unpronouncible symbol, WB has no claim to any of those projects. Prince knew exactly what he was doing, however, I don't think he knew the ramifications and ridicule from the media and casual fans

In hindsight, artists give him major props now for as Mike Bland stated "putting it all on the line for what he believed in"..not too many folks got the courage nor balls to do that...

thedance said:

what's Prince best - and worst - career moves... in your opinion..


Imo:

Best career move, was to sign with Warner Bros. in 1977. The WB.-company really was supportive and made him a superstar, world wide, 1982 to 1988.


Imo:

Worst career move, was the symbol name change 1993 to 2000. It was cool in the beginning "Prince is dead - long live the New Power Generation" and all that.. but then became impossible, sometimes emberrassing. I saw the Gold concert in Den Bosch Holland, in early 1995. It was half a year before this album came out and a lot of the new material was played. Cool, but it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans. It was impossible, no one understood just why he gave up his name for a symbol.

Prince's career never was the same, even when he changed his name back to Prince. He is a living legend that is for sure - the greatest genius of his generation, but today, let's face it, no one (only the true funk soldiers - lol) - no one really cares about Prince's new music anymore.


Don't you agree with me, Prince killed his own career, with some really bad career moves.

Agreed. But he also damaged his career momentum at various points with poor single choices. Also his decision not to tour in the US for SOTT.

NoVideo said:

thedance said:

what's Prince best - and worst - career moves... in your opinion..


Imo:

Best career move, was to sign with Warner Bros. in 1977. The WB.-company really was supportive and made him a superstar, world wide, 1982 to 1988.


Imo:

Worst career move, was the symbol name change 1993 to 2000. It was cool in the beginning "Prince is dead - long live the New Power Generation" and all that.. but then became impossible, sometimes emberrassing. I saw the Gold concert in Den Bosch Holland, in early 1995. It was half a year before this album came out and a lot of the new material was played. Cool, but it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans. It was impossible, no one understood just why he gave up his name for a symbol.

Prince's career never was the same, even when he changed his name back to Prince. He is a living legend that is for sure - the greatest genius of his generation, but today, let's face it, no one (only the true funk soldiers - lol) - no one really cares about Prince's new music anymore.


Don't you agree with me, Prince killed his own career, with some really bad career moves.

Agreed. But he also damaged his career momentum at various points with poor single choices. Also his decision not to tour in the US for SOTT.

Just curious, where would you personally like to see Prince at present( career wise that is)? Since he has done sooo much danage

lwr001 said:

SuperSoulFighter said:

lwr001 said:

BTW, stuck in snowpocalypse 2014 in Boston so I'll be trolling all posts ..lol

I hope you don't end up jobless like Jimmy and Terry!

cocaine becomes charming and im talking bout things i dont know

Another thing to realize is that this washed up singer has one of the highest , if not the highest performance and licensing fee's n the business...If he sucked, as folks suggest, he wouldnt get his demands met, period!

Another huge mistake is his decision not to allow his material on YouTube. That is how an entire generation of fans is discovering music. He's leaving so many potential fans in the dark. And his failure to capitalize on his vast and impressive discogrpahy, and releasing the vault material that he knows fans desire more than anything and will buy in droves. He seems to enjoy teasing that and dangling that carrot over the fanbase.

There are so many things he could do. Like the beautiful reissues that Bowie has done. Keeps his name in the press, reminds people of his great works, gives fans additional material and better-sound quality product to enjoy, and also makes him $$$.

But he's content to release throwaway singles on obscure websites.

He could be so much bigger, so much more of a presence in the current music scene, and that has been true for the past 20 years.

NoVideo said:

Another huge mistake is his decision not to allow his material on YouTube. That is how an entire generation of fans is discovering music. He's leaving so many potential fans in the dark. And his failure to capitalize on his vast and impressive discogrpahy, and releasing the vault material that he knows fans desire more than anything and will buy in droves. He seems to enjoy teasing that and dangling that carrot over the fanbase.

There are so many things he could do. Like the beautiful reissues that Bowie has done. Keeps his name in the press, reminds people of his great works, gives fans additional material and better-sound quality product to enjoy, and also makes him $$$.

But he's content to release throwaway singles on obscure websites.

He could be so much bigger, so much more of a presence in the current music scene, and that has been true for the past 20 years.

My take is that he does exactlty what he wants. How dare someone tell another grown ass man who has been in the game for 35 plus years how to conduct his business.. its almost as if you need your friends and family to justify your aprreciation of his music,,If they think he is weird or hadnt had a hit etc its a reflection of you..i mean i gives a fuck but i've never gave that much of a fuck

NoVideo said:

Another huge mistake is his decision not to allow his material on YouTube. That is how an entire generation of fans is discovering music. He's leaving so many potential fans in the dark. And his failure to capitalize on his vast and impressive discogrpahy, and releasing the vault material that he knows fans desire more than anything and will buy in droves. He seems to enjoy teasing that and dangling that carrot over the fanbase.

There are so many things he could do. Like the beautiful reissues that Bowie has done. Keeps his name in the press, reminds people of his great works, gives fans additional material and better-sound quality product to enjoy, and also makes him $$$.

But he's content to release throwaway singles on obscure websites.

He could be so much bigger, so much more of a presence in the current music scene, and that has been true for the past 20 years.

lwr001 said:

joyinrepetition said:

The name change was just to get out his contract with WB! With a unpronouncible symbol, WB has no claim to any of those projects. Prince knew exactly what he was doing, however, I don't think he knew the ramifications and ridicule from the media and casual fans

In hindsight, artists give him major props now for as Mike Bland stated "putting it all on the line for what he believed in"..not too many folks got the courage nor balls to do that...

Half my post got cut off, but your right, Prince was absolutely right in what he did and music contract haven't been the same since.

joyinrepetition said:

The name change was just to get out his contract with WB! With a unpronouncible symbol, WB has no claim to any of those projects. Prince knew exactly what he was doing, however, I don't think he knew the ramifications and ridicule from the media and casual fans

I can assure you that changing his name to a symbol did not get him out of his contract with Warner Brothers.

Killed his career? He's done nothing to kill his career. He's done things that didn't go over well and he had a down period in the mid-to-late 90's, but his career is flourishing and has been since at least 2004.

Prince has had a longer, more productive and more lucrative career than any of his peers with the possible exception of Bruce Springsteen.

I really have to laugh at those who think someone can be in a constantly-changing business for over thirty years and not make some mistakes.

RodeoSchro said:

Killed his career? He's done nothing to kill his career. He's done things that didn't go over well and he had a down period in the mid-to-late 90's, but his career is flourishing and has been since at least 2004.

Prince has had a longer, more productive and more lucrative career than any of his peers with the possible exception of Bruce Springsteen.

I really have to laugh at those who think someone can be in a constantly-changing business for over thirty years and not make some mistakes.

I don't consider albums that come out and debut highly on the charts (in an era when an album selling barely 100k can often get to #1) thanks to his die-hard fans and then sink without a trace or a hit is "flourishing."

And I'd say Madonna has been far more lucrative than Prince, and so has U2.

Prince could be at that level of popularity now had he not sabotaged himself at every turn. And if folks think that Prince wouldn't love to be at that level of success, they are deluding themselves. We all know his ego. We all know how he loves to be "#1 at the bank". How he loves to proclaim "i've got too many hits!!!"

Problem is, he hasn't had a real hit in 20 years.

It's not that he's really struggling or is in trouble or not still succeeding at a certain level - - he is, obviously. It's just that it could be so much more. That's what's disappointing.

thedance said:

it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans.

Can someone PLEASE explain to me why this was ever an issue for anyone ?

Were you Prince's official spokesperson ? Why would you EVER feel the need to defend the stupid actions of this this guy ?

And ESPECIALLY to NON-fans ? Who on earth cares what they think ?

FunkyStrange said:

thedance said:

it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans.

Can someone PLEASE explain to me why this was ever an issue for anyone ?

Were you Prince's official spokesperson ? Why would you EVER feel the need to defend the stupid actions of this this guy ?

And ESPECIALLY to NON-fans ? Who on earth cares what they think ?

thanks you...what u eat dont make me shit....

NoVideo said:

RodeoSchro said:

Killed his career? He's done nothing to kill his career. He's done things that didn't go over well and he had a down period in the mid-to-late 90's, but his career is flourishing and has been since at least 2004.

Prince has had a longer, more productive and more lucrative career than any of his peers with the possible exception of Bruce Springsteen.

I really have to laugh at those who think someone can be in a constantly-changing business for over thirty years and not make some mistakes.

I don't consider albums that come out and debut highly on the charts (in an era when an album selling barely 100k can often get to #1) thanks to his die-hard fans and then sink without a trace or a hit is "flourishing."

And I'd say Madonna has been far more lucrative than Prince, and so has U2.

Prince could be at that level of popularity now had he not sabotaged himself at every turn. And if folks think that Prince wouldn't love to be at that level of success, they are deluding themselves. We all know his ego. We all know how he loves to be "#1 at the bank". How he loves to proclaim "i've got too many hits!!!"

Problem is, he hasn't had a real hit in 20 years.

It's not that he's really struggling or is in trouble or not still succeeding at a certain level - - he is, obviously. It's just that it could be so much more. That's what's disappointing.

you names two artists out of the literally thousands....why do u care how much he makes, what he says etc..madonna hasnt had a hit in damn near 20 years either nor u2 on the scale sof like a prayer or One

thedance said:

what's Prince best - and worst - career moves... in your opinion..

...it quickly became "a struggle" to be a fan and to defend this name change to non-fans. It was impossible, no one understood just why he gave up his name for a symbol.

Out of curiosity, how old where you when he changed his name to a symbol?...Because I left behind the days of defending my favorite musical artists to others back when I graduated high school.

That's also about the time I stopped taking celebrities so seriously. If anyone made fun of Prince's use of a symbol for his name back then, I was laughing right along with them ...When David Letterman took jabs at Prince's symbol-name on his show I was damn near falling on the floor laughing. However, I still played the ever-loving shit out of Pheremone, Endophinmachine and Billy Jack Bitch...wasn't embarrassed in the least. And the people who I played those songs (and others) to immediately loved them, even without knowing at first it was Prince.

As for Prince "killing his career", you and I have incredibly different definitions of what that means. To me, the moment any once-popular musical artist starts performing at county fairs, their career is DOA. So unless you expected Prince to be selling like Lady Gaga 35 years after his debut album, I'm having a hard time figuring out why anyone, anywhere, would claim Prince killed his career. The pop music landscape changes like a mf'er, so if you were fortunate enough and talented enough to have a 10-15 year run like Prince did, you're one of the rare ones...and if 20 years later you are still wowing people at sold-out concerts, your career can never legitimately be labeled as "killed".

Now...as for which moves were Prince's best and worst in terms of commercial impact, I'd say his best include doing the movie Purple Rain (it helped make him a global superstar)...the combo of parting ways with the Revolution/releasing SOTT (He desperately needed to reconnect to his earlier music, not sure staying with the Revolution would have done that)....finding a way of releasing TMBGITW on another label while also releasing The Gold Experience as "Symbol" instead of as "Prince" (the first was a huge hit and showed that he didn't need to rely on WB, and TGE is largely considered the last great, classic "Prince" album)...and the one-two punch of performing at the Grammy's with Beyonce followed by his incredible guitar solo at the RRHOF on While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Prince's career is still feeling the positive effects of those last two).

As for worst, doing both UTCM and Grafitti Bridge movies (both were terrible on an embarassing level)...the whole Slave/Symbol thing (very few understood--or even wanted to try to understand--why he was doing this)...releasing Betcha By Golly Wow as the first single from Emancipation (album could have sold twice as many copies with different singles)...abandoning multiple online ventures without seeing them through (his fans by and large were eager, he just dropped the ball over and over again)...and not finding a way of taking advantage of YouTube by refusing to show any of his videos/music (it's a great way for people to discover and connect to his earlier work--tons of kids out there STILL think "Darling Nikki" is an original Foo Fighters song lol).

lwr001 said:

NoVideo said:

I don't consider albums that come out and debut highly on the charts (in an era when an album selling barely 100k can often get to #1) thanks to his die-hard fans and then sink without a trace or a hit is "flourishing."

And I'd say Madonna has been far more lucrative than Prince, and so has U2.

Prince could be at that level of popularity now had he not sabotaged himself at every turn. And if folks think that Prince wouldn't love to be at that level of success, they are deluding themselves. We all know his ego. We all know how he loves to be "#1 at the bank". How he loves to proclaim "i've got too many hits!!!"

Problem is, he hasn't had a real hit in 20 years.

It's not that he's really struggling or is in trouble or not still succeeding at a certain level - - he is, obviously. It's just that it could be so much more. That's what's disappointing.

you names two artists out of the literally thousands....why do u care how much he makes, what he says etc..madonna hasnt had a hit in damn near 20 years either nor u2 on the scale sof like a prayer or One

While I agree with you it's not about the income you can't say Madonna hasn't had a hit since Like A Prayer.... Ray Of Light, Music and Confessions On A Dance Floor were all equal or bigger hits

I'm no expert on U2 but i'm sure they've had loads of hits in the last 20 years

lwr001 said:

madonna hasnt had a hit in damn near 20 years either

not true!

Soulstar77A said:

lwr001 said:

madonna hasnt had a hit in damn near 20 years either

not true!

show me a hit on par with Like a virgin etc...fuck , prince charted wth musicology, call my name (grammy r and b song of the yera) byut i uess since its r and b it doesnt count

deleted - langebleu - moderator

lwr001 said:

Soulstar77A said:

not true!

show me a hit on par with Like a virgin etc...fuck , prince charted wth musicology, call my name (grammy r and b song of the yera) byut i uess since its r and b it doesnt count

deleted - langebleu - moderator

Like A Prayer album 15,000,000

Ray Of Light album 20,000,000

Music album 15,000,000

Confessions On A Dance Floor 12,000,000

But then I consider Musicology at 2,000,000 to be a genuine hit (concert ticket sales included)

[Edited 1/2/14 14:56pm]

chopingard said:

lwr001 said:

you names two artists out of the literally thousands....why do u care how much he makes, what he says etc..madonna hasnt had a hit in damn near 20 years either nor u2 on the scale sof like a prayer or One

While I agree with you it's not about the income you can't say Madonna hasn't had a hit since Like A Prayer.... Ray Of Light, Music and Confessions On A Dance Floor were all equal or bigger hits

I'm no expert on U2 but i'm sure they've had loads of hits in the last 20 years

http://m.prnewswire.com/n...86481.html

chopingard said:

lwr001 said:

show me a hit on par with Like a virgin etc...fuck , prince charted wth musicology, call my name (grammy r and b song of the yera) byut i uess since its r and b it doesnt count

deleted - langebleu - moderator

Like A Prayer album 15,000,000

Ray Of Light album 20,000,000

Music album 15,000,000

Confessions On A Dance Floor 12,000,000

But then I consider Musicology at 2,000,000 to be a genuine hit (concert ticket sales included)

[Edited 1/2/14 14:56pm]

here is the thing, i dont care if its a hit to validate what i like unlike you..Prince has never moved numbers like u2 and madonna w/exceptrion of purple rain...i'll tell you this though, his run from 1980 to 1988 is unmatched...in terms of output, quality, tours etc...put that in your pipe and lets compare those numbers