This for me is the true measure of the artist. I also think it's why he lost a lot of casual fans. Every album in this incredible run was completely different than the last, both in terms of music genre and direction:

1999 - sparse electro funk

Purple Rain - guitar rock

ATWIAD - psychedelic pop

Parade - horn driven french vaudeville (haha don't even know how to describe this)

SOTT - a true hybrid - guitar funk, pop, soul, dance........

The Black Album - beats driven nasty dance funk

Lovesexy - spiritual dense rich funk (again difficult to describe)

Is there any other artist who has taken their audience on such a journey? You expect something from Prince after listening to an album and the next one is in a totally different direction and sound.

INCREDIBLE.

[Edited 2/9/20 3:38am]

[Edited 2/9/20 3:39am]

callimnate said:

I’d even consider the albums prior to 1999.

yeah you're right. I suppose the first 2 were quite similar and on Controversy you can hear him morphing from Dirty Mind to the 1999 sound.

[Edited 2/10/20 4:36am]

1980 -1988. ... then he started dipping into the vault

Actually from 1977-1989 each album style was different. That is why this period is called the Golden era of Prince, the real Gold experience. And everything Prince was based off of it.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Actually from 1977-1989 each album style was different. That is why this period is called the Golden era of Prince, the real Gold experience.

I agree. The first two records have some things in common, and Controversy has some overlap with both Dirty Mind and 1999. But all those albums are still unique enough to stand on their own.

It really is an unbelievable run of albums.

Harps said:

This for me is the true measure of the artist. I also think it's why he lost a lot of casual fans. Every album in this incredible run was completely different than the last, both in terms of music genre and direction:

1999 - sparse electro funk

Purple Rain - guitar rock

ATWIAD - psychedelic pop

Parade - horn driven french vaudeville (haha don't even know how to describe this)

SOTT - a true hybrid - guitar funk, pop, soul, dance........

The Black Album - beats driven nasty dance funk

Lovesexy - spiritual dense rich funk (again difficult to describe)

Is there any other artist who has taken their audience on such a journey? You expect something from Prince after listening to an album and the next one is in a totally different direction and sound.

INCREDIBLE.

[Edited 2/9/20 3:38am]

[Edited 2/9/20 3:39am]

Great Topic and I agree....

and to theBolded...

Exactly why when anyone asks one of those stupid..

Pick only ONE Prince Album..I pick Parade..

Its sounds like no one and nothing else ever..

Timeless Joyful Masterful and deep.....

Who is Dr. Obvious here?

udo said:

Number23 said:

udo said:

Who is Dr. Obvious here?

[Snip - luv4u]

.

And you argument is?

udo said:

Who is Dr. Obvious here?

Well, [Snip - luv4u], if you actually read the post you would see that there is a question there, not just pointing something out.

I always believed this forum was to have conversations with other fans but for some reason it always attracts the complete bellends like yourself.

Over the years I have come to the assumption Udo is likely on the autistic spectrum. Autistic people have my full sympathy. If he is not though, then I would advise a good look in the mirror!

Harps said:

udo said:

Who is Dr. Obvious here?

Well,[Snip - luv4u], if you actually read the post you would see that there is a question there, not just pointing something out.

I always believed this forum was to have conversations with other fans but for some reason it always attracts the complete bellends like yourself.

.
A question?

The subject does not mention a question, does not contain a question mark and notices something obvious.
One question is hidden in the body of the message and it does not concern Prince.

It is about others that could have done similar stuff.

So why is thuis question on prince.org and in Prince: Music and More?

Only equalled by Bowie...who did it first !

Bowie is all I can come up with at the moment

[Edited 2/17/20 11:40am]

Harps said:

This for me is the true measure of the artist. I also think it's why he lost a lot of casual fans. Every album in this incredible run was completely different than the last, both in terms of music genre and direction:

1999 - sparse electro funk

Purple Rain - guitar rock

ATWIAD - psychedelic pop

[Edited 2/9/20 3:39am]

I agree with you fundamentally. I felt that very same way when I became a devoted Prince fan after Purple Rain and ATWIAD.

But Dirty Mind and Controversy have some crossover in terms of sound. I hear shades of "Something In The Water" in "The Beautiful Ones." And as Dave Hill points out in Prince: A Pop Life, musically there are some similarities between PR and ATWIAD.

Still, each concept stands on its own, and there are several noticeable departures in concepts, especially from: Prince to Dirty Mind and SOTT to Lovesexy.

Harps said:

This for me is the true measure of the artist. I also think it's why he lost a lot of casual fans. Every album in this incredible run was completely different than the last, both in terms of music genre and direction:

1999 - sparse electro funk

Purple Rain - guitar rock

ATWIAD - psychedelic pop

Parade - horn driven french vaudeville (haha don't even know how to describe this)

SOTT - a true hybrid - guitar funk, pop, soul, dance........

The Black Album - beats driven nasty dance funk

Lovesexy - spiritual dense rich funk (again difficult to describe)

Is there any other artist who has taken their audience on such a journey? You expect something from Prince after listening to an album and the next one is in a totally different direction and sound.

INCREDIBLE.

[Edited 2/9/20 3:38am]

[Edited 2/9/20 3:39am]

To answer the bolded- Kanye from '04-'16 (1st 7 albums).

Harps said:

Is there any other artist who has taken their audience on such a journey?

In terms of small-r rock and roll artists, I would say Stevie Wonder, whose run from, say, Music Of My Mind to Hotter Than July was arguably the greatest creative & commercial run in rock and roll history. I believe Jimi Hendrix was headed in that direction as well.

In terms of jazz, Miles (already mentioned) and Coltrane, and maybe a few others, pulled off similar creative runs.

Are we discussing Stevie Wonder in Prince: Music and More?!

udo said:

Are we discussing Stevie Wonder in Prince: Music and More?!

Check out udo playing mod!

Yes. Just as Miles, Trane, Dylan, Bowie, Kanye and others have.

Because the question was asked by the OP about other artists who had similar runs to Prince.

namepeace said:

udo said:

Are we discussing Stevie Wonder in Prince: Music and More?!

Check out udo playing mod!

.

Mod?

Simply asking....

Trying to raise some knowledge...

udo said:

namepeace said:

Check out udo playing mod!

.

Mod?

Simply asking....

Trying to raise some knowledge...

A careful review of the OP and the thread itself might be a good start.

Sorry for the superficial comment, but I truly love this topic, and P was breathtaking from his genius artist brain to his feet.

I mean, as if the awe inspiring music wasn't enough, his vision was generous (and fun!) enough to include outfits and matching shoes with sky/clouds, with letters/numbers...could go on and on.

The albums had connections with colors, with fonts...again could go on and on.

Wolfie87 said:

Haha, I did almost post a similar thread last month. But this was called, "which color is every Prince-album from 1980-1991. Based on style, context and vision. Dirty Mind: Red. Because of his bandana and the Graffiti on the wall. Controversy: Light Purple. He did balance out the purple with white shirts under his trenchcoat. 1999: Straight Up Purple/Cyberpunk Purple Purple Rain: Neon Purple, Around The World In A Day: Blue Parade: Black and White. S☮️TT: Peach and Black. The Black Album: Duh! Lovesexy: Pink and Polkadots. Batman: Don't know Graffiti Bridge: Early 90's neon. The 80's is trying to die. D&P: Yellow. [Edited 2/9/20 7:38am]

Batman era does include the magnificent red suit.

why is anyone yet 2 attmept the challenge itself?

namepeace said:

A careful review of the OP and the thread itself might be a good start.

.

Again?!

It shows the art of moderation is needed.

namepeace said:

Harps said:

Is there any other artist who has taken their audience on such a journey?

In terms of small-r rock and roll artists, I would say Stevie Wonder, whose run from, say, Music Of My Mind to Hotter Than July was arguably the greatest creative & commercial run in rock and roll history. I believe Jimi Hendrix was headed in that direction as well.

In terms of jazz, Miles (already mentioned) and Coltrane, and maybe a few others, pulled off similar creative runs.

Glad you included Hotter Than July, because I think it was his last great album, not as great perhaps as the ones before, but great nonetheless. As great as his run in the seventies was, David Bowie had a similar run, even to greater extent, Black Sabbath should be there. And a forgotten one here, the great Al Green from his 1971 Al Green Gets Next To You up to Belle album, it could be even better than Stevie Wonder's run, although not as diverse.

AaronReturn2005 said:

why is anyone yet 2 attmept the challenge itself?

because it's true?