Many great artists and bands have what is known as a "classic period" where they generally release a constant stream of really amazing and ground-breaking work. Notable artists such as Stevie Wonder and the Rolling Stones had one of these, but did Prince ever have one? Did he ever release a string of albums that were generally received as his "best work"? Prince was rather popular even from his first couple works. He was widely regarded for his "one man band" work on a lot of his earlier albums, including his first album, "For You," his self-titled album, "Prince," "Dirty Mind," and "Controversy," until he formed the Revolution and they did "Purple Rain."

Like with most artists, Prince released a lot of great albums and a couple not-so-great albums in his day. Whenever I talk to someone about Prince, they usually say "I prefer his older stuff," which I suppose is the general consensus, here.

There were times where, for a period, he was on top, then flopped with a couple albums, and then was on top again. "Musicology" is a testament to that. So tell me, does anyone consider there to be a "classic period" in which Prince released a string of his best work? I would say anywhere between "Prince" and "Love Symbol Album" could be considered his "classic period," because after that was the not-too-well received "Come," as well as the whole "Black Album" debacle. Of course, later, he would do "Emancipation," which is a pretty great album, but in between was some less-than-stellar work. So what do you all think? Give me your opinions.

1999 (album, not year) - Lovesexy

[Edited 12/24/14 3:04am]

I'd say 1980-88 personally, Prince is a very good album (although bogged down a bit by ballads), but Dirty Mind is where his genius truly starts for me.

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

That's right! I forgot The Revolution started to record with Prince even before "Purple Rain." They were on "1999" and stuff, too.

1980-1989 (peaking between 1982-1988)

1980-1989 (peaking between 1982-1988)

Dirty Mind thru Lovesexy

Honestly his two best...

1999 - Purple Rain era

Dream Factory/Crystall Ball - Sign O' The Times era

'80-'88

'92-'96

maybe '05-'07

CLASSIC Period

1978-1988

82-87

93- 96

08-Now

[Edited 12/24/14 20:32pm]

I'd say 1980-1988. The first 2 albums were not totally him yet and DM started the wilderness (even though I personally think P really lost it -in a good sense- with 1999), and while Lovesexy was still a hell of a weird musical thing, from Batman on his sound became a bit more generic and less innovative: a radio-friendly, generic song like The Arms Of Orion was just totally impossible on earlier albums (don't get me wrong I like it a lot, but it's totally generic).

One could say the classic years started in 78 and went as late as 1993 or even 1995 with TGE, though, basically including the whole WB era, and it would be fair enough, but I remember there was clearly a censensus as early as the early 90's that there was some kind of an artistic decline and that it had started with Batman.

I'd say 1980-1988. The first 2 albums were not totally him yet and DM started the wilderness (even though I personally think P really lost it -in a good sense- with 1999), and while Lovesexy was still a hell of a weird musical thing, from Batman on his sound became a bit more generic and less innovative: a radio-friendly, generic song like The Arms Of Orion was just totally impossible on earlier albums (don't get me wrong I like it a lot, but it's totally generic).

One could say the classic years started in 78 and went as late as 1993 or even 1995 with TGE, though, basically including the whole WB era, and it would be fair enough, but I remember there was clearly a censensus as early as the early 90's that there was some kind of an artistic decline and that it had started with Batman.

1978 - 1989

1980-88

1979-1988 and include every protege album, Sheena Easton singles, The Bangles, Patti, Chaka, Madonna. All of the outside stuff was that good too.

To me 8 albums make up Princes Golden Age, they are

.

1. Dirty Mind 1980 - Breakout funk punk sexiness, the manifesto and world according to PRINCE

2. Controversy 1981 - A solid follow up with inventive dancy jams and a template sex ballad.

3. 1999 1982 - Sexy, electronic and masterful along with irresistable pop and smouldering sex bombs.

4. Purple Rain 1984 - The big Rock and Roll soundtrack along with the most inventive and catchy pop ever.

5. Around the World in a day 1985 - Poppy psychedelia and some hot sex bombs, also the preachy Prince.

6. Parade 1986 - Feel good, Gallic pop, convincing ballads, and catchy dance tracks

7. Sign o the Times 1987 - the musical curates egg, a lexicon of popular music trends as interpreted by PRINCE

8. Lovesexy 1988 - The balletic love suite flush with melody enchantment and emotion. A sensual and aural mindtrip.

.

Using the numbers above, they are the most golden in this order, 7, 3, 6, 4, 1, 8, 2, 5. All are masterpieces that have a different and yet evolving sound. The peak is reached with Sign, but Lovesexy whilst not as good, also has a full sound and a solid concept.

.

He has good and great albums before and after this period, but there is not the consistently or inventiveness. As good as the Gold Experience, Art Official Age and Love Symbol are, they are occasionally unfocused full of lesser quality songs and add ons amongst the gems, whereas all these albums are stuck on quality. I have not added the black album, as he deliberately made it a lower quality album and it only saw wide release in 1994. Prince was apparently not in his best frame of mind when he wrote it and the fact Lovesexy was his atonement for it, makes Lovesexy seem better.

.

ATWIAD is the least essential, but still is an excellent album with a good Post Purple Rain feel and a slide towards the joyful assured pop of Parade. Prince was proving he was a genius and 80s dance pop borrowed much off the templates of these albums. To me Dirty Mind to Lovesexy was Prince's greatest winning streak. Only artists like David Bowie and Stevie Wonder could match him for so long a period of gold.

It lasted from '79 through '89, from Prince to Batman, the entire gamut of the 80's. It was a stream of critical accolades and hit singles all the way through.

Prince thru Lovesexy

The early 90s were still relevant but starting with Emancipation he suddenly just wasn't brilliant anymore but merely good and he has put out a ton of good music but nowhere near his "classic period"

chrisslope9 said:

82-87

93- 96

08-Now

[Edited 12/24/14 20:32pm]

how could 'now' be classic? I'm mean by pure definition of the word anything recent cannot be classic

1. 1.

   judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind.
2. noun

   noun: classic; plural noun: classics; plural noun: Classics; noun: Classic

   1. 1.

      a work of art of recognized and established value.

      "his books have become classics"

      synonyms:

      definitive example, model, epitome, paradigm, exemplar;

2001-2014

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