I agree. Thus far, 2000-2009 had more albums that I like (TRC, ONA piano and voice, 3121, N.E.W.S. and Lotusflower). However, since then, Prince has made some songs that outrank any individual song on the aforementioned cd's and three solid albums with 20Ten, Aol and HitnRun Phase 2.

So at this pace, he's on par to surpass the previous decade.

NorthC said:

I don't think it makes much of a difference. Say whatever you want about HNR 1, but it's the first album since Rainbow Children that sounds different from the ones before. All the other ones are more of the same. I enjoy both Musicology and AOA, but he's been going round in circles most of the time, sometimes a bit more rock, sometimes a bit more dance, sometimes a bit more funk, sometimes more successful that others and always with a Princey touch. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Name ONE artist (musical or otherwise) that hasn't gone full circle after some time?

NEWS BTW was one of the most unpredictable, not Prince sounding album of his whole career and it was after 2001.

But that's irrelevant, fact is that most artists including the greatest go full circle after some point: artists get an experimental phase trying to find their "voice" and once they have it they just keep going on. That's part of why people fancy most artists' prime years: the music wasn't better per se, it was just all over the place.

There are few exceptions: Miles was just totally stubborn in wanting to evolve, but on the other hand his trumpet playing or composition process was always more of the same after 1970 or so, he would just get younger musicians to update the sound.

Kate also was pretty impressively surprising with 50 Words For Snow, but will she even ever release anothe record?

Bowie also had some surprises left in him in the 90's but then he finally reached his "neoclassical" phase.

HitnRun Phase 1 was just Prince doing what Miles had done: get a rookie to update your sound. I didn't find it so efficient with Miles in the 80's and didn't find it very efficient with P and Josh either. There are just much better, fresher, more relevant producers out there today, same way there were better producers in the 80's than Marcus Miller and crew. If it doesn't come from the artist himself it's pretty meaningless anyway, it's artificial.

NorthC said:

Okay, I forgot NEWS. Sorry. But I wasn't making any judgements, just observing. And explaining why I don't think this decade is better or worse than the previous one. That's all.

I agree that it wasn't better than the last one, more like more of the same.

Sorry if it seemed I overreacted, it's just that I feel sometimes things should be put more into perspective (i.e. Prince is just another artist and shouldn't be expected to accomplish what few if any other have accomplished)

I agree totally, the albums of the 2010s are much better than the 2000s.

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2000's albums Start off badly and are very self indulgent, lots of Jazz and JW influence.

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Rave in2 joy fantastic - 5/10

The Rainbow Children - 6/10 (Music 9/10, Lyrics and sentiment - minus89765/10

One nite alone (All of them) - 4/10

NEWS - 4/10

All of NPGMC crap - 3/10 on a good day

Musicology - 5/10 SNOORREEEE

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Moving into later 2000s they improve, but they suffer from playing it safe and having

that horrible JW influence

3121 - 8/10

Planet Earth 7.5/10

Indigo Nights - 3/10 Dramatic self indulgent mistep

MPLSOUND - 7/10

Lotusflow3r - 8/10

Bria Valente Elixir - 2/10 Counted as you ahd to buy it.

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The later 2000s are better, but overall not a good decade, still 3121 was his first #1 in donkeys years.

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2010s

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20Ten - 8/10

Plectrum Electrum - 6.5/10

Art Official Age - 8.5/10

Hitnrun Phase 1 - 6/10

Hitnrun Phase 2 - 9/10

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Less albums, no live albums, no experimental JW crap and lately songs that draw on earlier influences, more hornz, funk and jazz sounding songs, catchier lead singles. The later 2000s had some decent albums, but the 2010s has had 3 good albums and 2 okay albums, where as the 2000s had two good albums (3121 and Lotusflow3r), 3 mediocre ones and a lot of crappy ones.

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Also the albums 3121 and Lotusflow3r are not as great as AOA and HNRP2, so making the decade highlights this decade higher already. Neither decade touches the 80s though, although the 10's may edge out the 90s which gave us Come, TGE and Symbol but also Newpowersoul, Rave and Emancipation.

Yes there's still time for your prediction BUT for me the 00s have it so far.

I have been really appreciating Lotusflow3r and MPLSound lately. Can't understand the hate on MPLSound....That IS THE PRINCE SOUND. Yeah the lyrics on TWNBAM might be a lil' cringeworthy but Prince has always been confident in his songs.

2001-2005 to me is one of his worst periods. Slaughternouse and CI are almost completely mediocre and forgettable. I am not a fan of RC (one of those hate it or love it thangs I reckon). Musiciology was half good.

but 2006 3121 thru MPLSound have been stellar. I never gave these albums the chance when they were released and now I love all three

The 10s started with a whimper (20TEN), hit new lows with Plectrum Electrum HNR Phase 1, but had the quite nice AOA and now Phase 2...if Phase 2 is any indication good things are coming.

I more or less said the same thing here about two weeks ago, so I'm glad I'm not alone

I had way more fun this decade as a fan than I did in the zero zeroes.

He has released a lot of music in a very short time lately, and the singles that ended up on the albums were a nice entrée.

So I don't care for some of the songs on PLEL and HnR1 has a couple of tracks that are overdonebut still both have that couple of songs that are top tracks.

There's five years left and I think he's creatively reenergized, but on the business side it's frustrating. Story of his life, I'm sure.

I read 'the 10's will end up better than the 80's' at first

I think the 00s will be better... but I'm ready to be proven wrong!

TRC, ONA, Xpectation, News, Musicology, 3121 and Lotusflower are all better albums than 20Ten, AOA, Plectrumelectrum, and the Hitnruns in my opinion.

TRC is an all time great Prince album and Lotusflower is nearly there and they're so far beyond anything that's been released in the 10s. There isn't a single 10s album that stands up as a good Prince album... there's some great individual songs though!

MonsterZeroTwo said:

Songs like Ain't About To Stop, U Know, etc. People my age have become accustomed to those kinds of sounds.

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Deleted: please comment constructvely if you disgree with the opinion expressed

langebleu - moderator

BartVanHemelen said:

MonsterZeroTwo said:

Songs like Ain't About To Stop, U Know, etc. People my age have become accustomed to those kinds of sounds.

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Deleted: please comment constructvely if you disgree with the opinion expressed

langebleu - moderator

Deleted - off topic

langebleu - moderator

BartVanHemelen said:

MonsterZeroTwo said:

Songs like Ain't About To Stop, U Know, etc. People my age have become accustomed to those kinds of sounds.

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Deleted: please comment constructvely if you disgree with the opinion expressed

langebleu - moderator

Deleted - off topic

langebleu moderator

BartVanHemelen said:

In on year, Prince has released more albums than D'angelo has managed to release throughout his whole 20-25 year long career. I was not even counting Liv Warfield and Judith Hill, which he without a doubt had alot to do with.

Don't get me wrong, Black Messiah are better than all of these. But I much rather have Prince release AOA (4 star), Plectrum Electrum (2,5 star), HNR P1 (2,5 star) and HNR P2 (4,5 star) in one year, than to wait 15 years for the next D'angelo album, that we might or not like. I'm afraid of playing D'angelo albums to death, since he doesn't really have enough material for me to choose from. And even though I enjoy Black Messiah more than all of these albums, the climaxes on Prince albums still beats anything D'angelo ever did. The confident and sexy falsetto climax is still a winner. It was never over used either on phase two. It was just a perfect little edge to an otherwise somewhat safe and soft sound.

Replica said: