I mentioned I was getting into "Originals" and one of my co-workers then told me she was then going to buy the vinyl; this was going to be her introduction to Prince; she doesn't even know Purple Rain; I was going to say something to the extent "it's not his best" but I didn't.

So....to someone who doesn't even know Purple Rain what 5 Prince albums would recommend to start with???

I'll start:

Purple Rain.

The Gold Experience (pure power pop)

1999

Art Offical Age (best of the later period)

Ultimate Prince (for the 12 inchers)

Y'all?

NEWS

The Rainbow Children

Kamasutra

Xpectation

Indigo Nights

Purple Rain

Sign 'O' The Times

1999

Parade

Dirty Mind

SPOOKYGAS said:

NEWS

The Rainbow Children

Kamasutra

Xpectation

Indigo Nights

Hmm.

SPOOKYGAS said:

NEWS

The Rainbow Children

Kamasutra

Xpectation

Indigo Nights

In this order:

Purple Rain (a no-brainer, it's the hinge on his entire career with everything building up to it or reacting against it)
The Very Best of Prince (I honestly think this 1cd release is the best comp for a new fan, it doesn't overwhelm them with b-sides, extended versions or just too many songs to get their head around.)
Controversy (I prefer both Dirty Mind and 1999 but all the parts are in place in Controversy and they get their first taste of extended tracks and general weirdness without it going on too long)
What Time Is It? (giving them the straight up Mineapolis Sound pop-funk album so many people want when they first start getting into Prince, as well as pointing towards his bigger catalogue)
Sign O the Times (at this point it's time to dive in and see the depth and breadth of his work)

[Edited 6/27/19 2:29am]

Good question.

Leaving compilations / hit collections aside (that'll make it too easy) I'd choose...
1) Purple Rain
2) Diamonds And Pearls
3) The Gold Experience
4) The Chocolate Invasion
5) 3121

However, if I was including compilations I'd choose...
1) Ultimate Prince (for the 12" tracks ie. Kiss & She's always in my hair)
2) Prince 4ever (for Moonbeam Levels)
3) The Gold Experience
4) The Chocolate Invasion
5) 3121

A few honourable mentions would include...
One Nite Alone...
Xpectation
The Slaughterhouse

Purple Rain

3121

The Gold Experience

The Hits/B-Sides

Depends on newbie's general taste. But if one fits everybody, i'd go for the usual suspects of:

Purple Drain

SOTT

1999

Parade

ATWIAD

Mikado said:

SPOOKYGAS said:

NEWS

The Rainbow Children

Kamasutra

Xpectation

Indigo Nights

Hmm.

Right?! I have to assume this is a joke - because this is not a list for a noob. Well ... unless you want to turn him or her off Prince forever.

I mean ... Kamasutra? Really? Yikes.

For a noob, the key word is "accessible." You don't want anything too far removed from the kinds of music they already like. If they like fusion, N.E.W.S isn't a bad choice. But for most people, safe choices would be:

Purple Rain (because they're probably already heard some of it)

Sign O The Times (because of its enormous breadth and because it is arguably his greatest album)
Prince (because it's the first album to establish him as a potential hit maker)

1999 (because this is his actual breakout album)
Parade (because it's my personal favorite and I want everyone to love it)

[Edited 6/27/19 7:36am]

Purple Rain

Sign o' the Times

Lovesexy

Controversy

Dirty Mind

Everything from 1978-1990.

Genesia said:

Wolfie87 said:

Genesia said:

Sign O The Times (because of its enormous breadth and because it is arguably his greatest album)

How the hell do you really present SOTT to a newbie!?!?!? Personally I would play the newbie Scandalous The Rapture. Pink Cashmere and the end of Time waits for no one. And of course show the video of Prince in that song. That hair, those shades. Oh mama!

As an immersive, mind-blowing whole. That's how.

The fact that someone is a Prince newbie doesn't preclude the fact that they might have a wide musical background. Obviously, it depends on the person. But if Sign O The Times was the first Prince album I ever heard, I'd've gone out and gotten everything else I could get my mitts on right away. (Like I did the first time I heard 1999.)

Genesia said:

hard to recommend SOTT with the quality of the CD version

jfenster said:

hard to recommend SOTT with the quality of the CD version

I still have my original vinyl and it sounds great …

But by all means, let's ignore the artistry of Sign O The Times because you have to turn the volume up on the CD.

1) Dirty Mind — It's his first and shortest masterpiece, so it gives them enough to fall in love with without feeling like it's a giant commitment. It helps frame the rest of the best of his catalogue.

2) Sign O' the Times — Length being a nonissue, this should be the clear first record. It's his most diverse effort and the songwriting is incredible.

3) Parade — A perfect record that's somehow weird, funky, shy and delicate at once. It's got a top three recognizable song by P on it which can act as a good starting point.

4) 1999 — If the newbie wants Prince at his weirdest, horniest, most groundbreaking, this is the album to start with. Frontloaded with singles, the record becomes a warped ode to sex as it goes on.

5) Purple Rain — I mean, yeah.

Purple Rain

Diamonds & Pearls

Dirty Mind

1999

2010

Or just listen to The Hits/The B-Sides, The Very Best, Ultimate or 4ever.

This is a tough question, and it depends on the newbie. If the person seemed willing to explore more beyond the 5 and wanted a good starting point, I'd probably go for something like this:

4Ever: The most balanced set covering his Warner period
Anthology: To showcase his later career
Originals: To showcase the breadth of his impact at the height of his fame and reveal interesting corners of his psyche
Art Official Age: It's not covered by any of the above and is the best representation of the last part of his career, IMO
Small Club: To highlight his live prowess and promote the depth of his obsession with performing

I'd then recommend they check out studio albums corresponding to the tracks they liked best from the compilations.

If I felt the person didn't seem that likely to explore more, and I wanted to persuade them that it was worth it:

Purple Rain: It's been the gateway for so many for a reason.
1999: My personal favorite, the apex of his hunger and vision, IMO
Dirty Mind: Quick, thrilling, and formative
Sign o' the Times: Comprehensive and sprawling glimpse of all he could do
The Hits/The B-Sides: The value in the B-sides disc makes up for some of the retread with the studio albums, plus they get lots of the big hits missing from the studio albums.

To a "newbie" is an introduction, should be combined with his most iconic albums but also a compilation of hits, so after those they can discover the true gems and albums such as Parade and songs such as Anna Stesia and Joy in Reptition...

- PURPLE RAIN

- 1999

- SIGN O' THE TIMES

- THE VERY BEST OF PRINCE

- DIAMONDS & PEARLS

- Dirty Mind

- Parade

- Sign O The Times

- The Rainbow Children

- Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas DVD

That would be my suggestion. Dirty Mind is super accessible. Parade is perfect. Sign is ambitious. Rainbow Children is strange. Live At The Aladdin is the best offical live performance.


If she digs those 5, she'll be hooked.

Genesia said:

Wolfie87 said:

Genesia said: How the hell do you really present SOTT to a newbie!?!?!? Personally I would play the newbie Scandalous The Rapture. Pink Cashmere and the end of Time waits for no one. And of course show the video of Prince in that song. That hair, those shades. Oh mama!

As an immersive, mind-blowing whole. That's how.

The fact that someone is a Prince newbie doesn't preclude the fact that they might have a wide musical background. Obviously, it depends on the person. But if Sign O The Times was the first Prince album I ever heard, I'd've gone out and gotten everything else I could get my mitts on right away. (Like I did the first time I heard 1999.)

I would argue 1999 is better for roping in new fans because it has a consistent sound throughout. I heard SOTT as my second album and it didn't even process or make much of an impact, its breadth seemed more potent / understandable / mind-blowing after hearing the rest of his 80s catalogue... hands-down my fav Prince record btw, I just really don't think it's palatable for a "newbie" as the other 80s classics with a more singular (and accessible) sound.

And I do kind of assume new fans lack a "wide musical background" if it's 2019 and they're just hearing a Prince album for the first time, I think that's semi-resonable... "might" maybe but probably not probably.

My answer is still the best, go with mine.

Genesia said:

jfenster said:

hard to recommend SOTT with the quality of the CD version

I still have my original vinyl and it sounds great …

But by all means, let's ignore the artistry of Sign O The Times because you have to turn the volume up on the CD.

a newbie might neglect the artistry....judging from the sound level

Top 5 Prince Albums I'd Recommend to a Newbie?

1. 1999

2. SOTT

3. Parade

4. LoveSexy

5.