As many of us are old school hardcore & I suspect like me have seen him countless time live [40+ for me!] do you agree that there is not 1 artist / band that comes close....literally in a class of his own. Of course there is an endless list starting with Elvis, MJ, Bowie, Hendrix, James Brown & many many others BUT P did it ALL...& then some. Hands down, no debate, THE BEST!

Who in your mind comes closest?

he's in that class for sure. James Brown was more dynamic, athletic and original but he wasn't playing guitar, piano but he had to be the major role model as bandleader. Mj was truly phenomenal onstage, i watched the wembley concert a couple weeks ago, easy to forget with all the baggage that came along later, just how great he was. One thing that differentiated MJ from Prince, Brown and the entire black musical tradition was the lack of improv, not that he couldn't have done it but he just seemed so perfectionistic about things that it left no room for flipping the script,also, put him onstage alone and you'd just have a singer/dancer who couldn't play. Elvis was a revolutionary for a lot of reasons, the genius of elvis was that he was fully aware that the "show is out there" as he once said, meaning that the show happens inside of the audience, not onstage. Many fine artists of all genres are too self absorbed to accept that. Jimi was a great guitarist, great showman, not really a dancer of course but quite a package as an artist. Bowie, Springsteen many many others who had the charisma that makes stars could be mentioned.

He's definitely one of many.

Prince was def one of the best. Freddie Mercury was also a hell of a performer. He really engaged with the audience a lot like Prince did, but in his own way.

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

Prince wins hands down, in saying that the estate need to focus on this very subject and release his live shows on DVD so people can witness it, not only by the people that went to the shows.

To me, it's Prince and ONLY Prince.

homesquid said:

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

skywalker said:

homesquid said:

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

THIS!!!

Homesquib.....Bruce?....seriously?!

skywalker said:

homesquid said:

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

And Prince did a comprised package of the three statements above in one Performance. "The Question Of U" 1990 Official Video. The Top Youtube comment goes:

"Seriously, the guy goes from playing piano to playing guitar to dancing ballet like it is nothing."

[Edited 4/3/19 7:28am]

Yes. And the greatest guitarist. And the greatest male vocalist. And one of the best bassist. And the best song writer.

Of all time? I don't know - I hear Beethoven was pretty great.

sulls said:

To me, it's Prince and ONLY Prince.

Yes, to me too, and I'm sure many of Prince most loyal and devoted fans feel that way, just as I'm sure that many other loyal and devoted fans of others performers feel the exact same way.

Prince was a really special live musical performer. Easily one of the greatest ever...if nothing else largely due to his incredible diversity of talents and skills.

He was an exquisite live vocalist...but so was Elvis and Freddie Mercury...but those cats couldn't play guitar like Prince could (let along piano and bass and drums).

He was also a great dancer and had loads of natural charisma.

So what I'm saying is that the other great live musical performers had certain awesome things about them, i.e., Freddie's voice and charisma, Elvis' voice and charisma, MJ's dancing, etc. - NO ONE had the diversity of talents Prince had.

He could entertain you just singing. Or dancing and singing. Or by playing guitar...or piano...and singing...

ONE OF A KIND.

Yep, agreed! I saw Prince live many times and he never ceased to amazing me!

skywalker said:

homesquid said:

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

Your criteria is irrelevant to the central question in my opinion. I'm past tired of this "prince could play so many instruments" brag. So what? He didn't have the charisma nor stage presence as the three I listed. His perfomance was technically great but just not as exciting as his music. I saw Prince. Biggest disappointment of any concert I'd been to. I was a mega-fan at the time and it was just boring. Prince can play his ass off but no special connection with the audience

Freddie, MJ and Bruce easily top Prince. Prince wouldn't even be in my Top 10 when it comes to live.

[Edited 4/3/19 10:42am]

skywalker said:

homesquid said:

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

Prince did the same dance moves for decades, too.

steakfinger said:

skywalker said:

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

Prince did the same dance moves for decades, too.

he wasn't as repetive as everyone else, james did the same moves too, mj had everything choreographed to a t and he never did a performance without the tired moonwalk. Prince had better musicianship to offer when his body crapped out, that's what makes him different, he had layers and layers to his gifts. I still think he could have just given up performing altogether, and if his hands were as bad as they say, he still could have been a greater producer/composer which wouldn't have put the wear and tear on his hands but he could have still grown. They say Duke Ellington kept climbing right up to his death, I always, always assumed Prince would be like that but I was wrong.

Yes. Or at least in my lifetime. I can't speak for those that came before or will come after because I never saw them. But definitely, in my lifetime.

Of course he is, but I am extremely biased.

homesquid said:

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

EmmaMcG said:

Of the ones I've actually seen, I'd put Prince and Bruce Springsteen about level with each other. Maybe I'd be tempted to put Prince out first on his own because I like his music slightly more but if I'm being honest, I'd say they're equal. I never saw James Brown but from what I've seen on TV, I'm sure he'd be in the mix. Possibly Elvis too.

Ditto, my thoughts exactly.

By the way - there is no right or wrong answer to the OP. Whoever you like the best, that's the best as far as you're concerned. I can't tell you that you're wrong about that any more than you can tell me I'm wrong about my favorites.

skywalker said:

homesquid said:

Absolutely not.

Better than Prince:

1. Freddie Mercury

2. Michael Jackson

3. Bruce Springsteen

1. Freddie: Not a good dancer. Not as athletic as Prince. Dabbled in guitar, but left the heavy lifting to Brian May.

-

2. MJ: Couldn't play instruments live. STuck to the same dance routines for decades. Lip Synced WAAAAAY to much.

-

3. Bruce: He's got the stamina, the crowd control, and is a marathon man. That said. He didn't move/dance for shit. His voice has got two gears. You've seen one Springsteen show, you've seen them all.

jcurley said:

homesquid said:

Your criteria is irrelevant to the central question in my opinion. I'm past tired of this "prince could play so many instruments" brag. So what? He didn't have the charisma nor stage presence as the three I listed. His perfomance was technically great but just not as exciting as his music. I saw Prince. Biggest disappointment of any concert I'd been to. I was a mega-fan at the time and it was just boring. Prince can play his ass off but no special connection with the audience

Freddie, MJ and Bruce easily top Prince. Prince wouldn't even be in my Top 10 when it comes to live.

[Edited 4/3/19 10:42am]

God MJ again. Nonsense. I saw the bad. MJ doesn't engage at all. He's not human or charismatic enough. He doesn't even try as you know he's putting on a show. That's what MJ fans want. A spectacular. To be honest why I personally didn't enjoy it as you have to be about 8 yrs old to get anything from it. And the legacy of MJ is all this bloody choreography. With Prince its fluid and fun. Even as a Prince obsessive when I saw him live it always amazed me how reachable he was. Funny and intense. Takes you on a rollercoaster of the full spectrum of what it is yo be a musician and artist. Bruce Springsteen by his own testimony saud as such. Elton John and Kate Bush both said he is the greatest performer they had ever seen...and theyre right.

i used to think all he did was the same old moves but after he died, i began watching more of his later stuff, it wasn't true, of course he kept the spins and the moonwalk which were tired honestly but he did evolve, he evolved as a singer too, the voice on bad had a rough, little richard texture to it which he didn't have before. then, after the molestation scandal, he fought and fought but he was really too distracted to do much other than fight and destroy himself. seeing the later performances is honestly heartbreaking, this is it included, this was once a vibrant master and to see him a shell of himself kills me, that's not to get into how he stopped singing live after bad.