I would agree with that assumption....The sounds and production on "1999" were absorbed by some of the top R&B and pop artists of that time...But I'm sure P was digging on artists like Kraftwerk, Gary Numan and Afrika Bambatta who probably inspired some his great moments on "1999".

SPYZFAN1 said:

I agree.Bands like Ready For The World were obviously heavily influenced by this album.

SPYZFAN1 said:

The sounds and production on "1999" were absorbed by some of the top R&B and pop artists of that time.

Wolfie87 said:

This album still sounds extremely unique, to this day.

Indeed.

There used to be an argument that Michael Jackson heard Prince's "1999" and recreated that fanfare type intro on the Roland Jupiter keyboard. I don't buy that too much only because of the super close proximity of the albums releases being a month apart in 1982. But, "1999" was a single in September of that year, so I suppose it's possible. MJ & Q were in a crunch and down to the wire with Epic pressuring them to finish the album. The title track also took two months to record, employing sound effects of creaking doors, dogs howling, and even recording MJ in a bathroom stall at sone point.

However, it's an interesting idea to see by two of the 80s three biggest acts sorta do the same thing around the same time. Was there a musical Zeitgeist they were both tapped into? Did Rod Temperton and Prince both hear something similar to produce a song with a similar intro? We'll never know.


Bootsy recreated an even more similar intro on his What's Bootsy Doin'? album. The second track, "Subliminal Seduction (Funk Me Dirty)", copies a "1999"-esque intro.

I think both 1999 and Thriller are hardcore blue prints. Both use the Linn, have a commonality with keyboards and songwriting approach, sound effects, production aesthetics, employ R&B, pop and rock sensibilities. I would say that 1999 was a bit behind ooonnnlllyyy because Q&MJ used live horns, whereas Prince relied on synths. Thriller had a less-electronic feel because of that (among other elements). 1999 has a cold, computerized approach which fits the lyric makeup of the album. Live horns seem to add an organic warmth to the record. It feels approachable in a different way. 1999 is approachable, but not in the same way.

It seems we always look to 1984 as the pinnacle year for music, yet 1982 has a definite vibe going. While Thriller wasn't released until the end of the year, it was recorded in 1982, while all that other whatever was going on in the musical 'verse. They're both unique, interesting, and a blueprint.

edit: meant to say: good topic!

[Edited 12/13/20 12:32pm]

TrivialPursuit said:

Unlikely, but it was one record that everyone was a fan of, and those are few and far between and create an impact you can't really quantify.

1999 is probably his best album. Prince at his most eclectic. The songs are just worlds you get lost in. He didn't give a fuck on this album and it shows.

TrivialPursuit said:

I think both 1999 and Thriller are hardcore blue prints. Both use the Linn, have a commonality with keyboards and songwriting approach, sound effects, production aesthetics, employ R&B, pop and rock sensibilities. I would say that 1999 was a bit behind ooonnnlllyyy because Q&MJ used live horns, whereas Prince relied on synths. Thriller had a less-electronic feel because of that (among other elements). 1999 has a cold, computerized approach which fits the lyric makeup of the album. Live horns seem to add an organic warmth to the record. It feels approachable in a different way. 1999 is approachable, but not in the same way.

[Edited 12/13/20 12:32pm]

But that's just it. To me, on 1999, the synths are what make it sexy. The horns on Thriller don't make it sexy. That was the big difference between Prince and Michael. Prince was provocative and seductive. Michael was fun and happy, more mainstream. It all depends on your what you're looking for.

nope. not the most influential.

but def one of the most influential.

I believe I have read people saying it was highly influential on Chicago House and Detroit Techno? Which pretty much leads to half of the electronic dance music of today.

It's probably less an influence on pop music though in that it stops being a pop album 3 tracks in. It's definitely kept its reputation as a result of this, people who are looking fore more than 10 singles find an album they can dig into and live with for a while. I suppose it's pretty out there for a commercial pop album, especially when compared to his contemporaries, and that in itself is a big thing; getting these quite weird ideas into the houses of non-weird people and opening their eyes and ears a little.

[Edited 12/14/20 7:43am]

In the Air Tonight (the song).

[Edited 12/14/20 8:01am]

emesem said:

In the Air Tonight (the song).

[Edited 12/14/20 8:01am]

Yeah, that's a good call.

FanAllMyLife said:

But that's just it. To me, on 1999, the synths are what make it sexy. The horns on Thriller don't make it sexy. That was the big difference between Prince and Michael. Prince was provocative and seductive. Michael was fun and happy, more mainstream. It all depends on your what you're looking for.

I never said it was a bad thing. And we're talking about a production and songwriting blueprint for the 80s. Given the vastness of 80s popular music, I'd say there was more than enough room for both of these masterpieces.

masaba said:

1999 is probably his best album. Prince at his most eclectic. The songs are just worlds you get lost in. He didn't give a fuck on this album and it shows.

it is his best album.

jaawwnn said:

I believe I have read people saying it was highly influential on Chicago House and Detroit Techno?

The 808 drum machine and othe gear played as bif if not bigger role. So did Planet Rock and Kraftwerk.

[Edited 12/14/20 18:02pm]

lavendardrummachine said:

jaawwnn said:

I believe I have read people saying it was highly influential on Chicago House and Detroit Techno?

The 808 drum machine and othe gear played as bif if not bigger role. So did Planet Rock and Kraftwerk.

[Edited 12/14/20 18:02pm]

I didn't say he was the only influence, come now. This is a thread about whether or not 1999 was influential.

[Edited 12/15/20 3:12am]

Wolfie87 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

There used to be an argument that Michael Jackson heard Prince's "1999" and recreated that fanfare type intro on the Roland Jupiter keyboard. I don't buy that too much only because of the super close proximity of the albums releases being a month apart in 1982. But, "1999" was a single in September of that year, so I suppose it's possible. MJ & Q were in a crunch and down to the wire with Epic pressuring them to finish the album. The title track also took two months to record, employing sound effects of creaking doors, dogs howling, and even recording MJ in a bathroom stall at sone point.

However, it's an interesting idea to see by two of the 80s three biggest acts sorta do the same thing around the same time. Was there a musical Zeitgeist they were both tapped into? Did Rod Temperton and Prince both hear something similar to produce a song with a similar intro? We'll never know.


Bootsy recreated an even more similar intro on his What's Bootsy Doin'? album. The second track, "Subliminal Seduction (Funk Me Dirty)", copies a "1999"-esque intro.

I think both 1999 and Thriller are hardcore blue prints. Both use the Linn, have a commonality with keyboards and songwriting approach, sound effects, production aesthetics, employ R&B, pop and rock sensibilities. I would say that 1999 was a bit behind ooonnnlllyyy because Q&MJ used live horns, whereas Prince relied on synths. Thriller had a less-electronic feel because of that (among other elements). 1999 has a cold, computerized approach which fits the lyric makeup of the album. Live horns seem to add an organic warmth to the record. It feels approachable in a different way. 1999 is approachable, but not in the same way.

It seems we always look to 1984 as the pinnacle year for music, yet 1982 has a definite vibe going. While Thriller wasn't released until the end of the year, it was recorded in 1982, while all that other whatever was going on in the musical 'verse. They're both unique, interesting, and a blueprint.

edit: meant to say: good topic!

[Edited 12/13/20 12:32pm]

I hear you, but I will counter the argument that while Thriller is more warm in sound etc. I have heard that sound before. And specifically when I recently heard Jermaine Jackson Feelin' Free from his Let's Get Serious album 1980. That is Wanna Be Startin' Something two years before MJ. Yes, 1999 is way colder in sound. But who the hell has heard Something In The Water, since or before?! Like Questlove said in his Prince set DJ'n about the song 1999 "I mean, the drum programming was revolutionary" I've heard many examples of Lady In My Life in different variations before Thriller. A standard cookie cutter Ballad. But International Lover?! [Edited 12/13/20 12:46pm]

I agree. Thriller was a gigantic success but it wasn't very innovative at the time, and it wasn't very influential either. In a way, Thriller probably was that much of a success precisely because it wasn't too groundbreaking for mass appeal. If any MJ album had a strong and long lasting influence, it was Dangerous (a decade after its release, pretty much every dance music video you'd see on MTV still sounded like the Riley tracks on Dangerous!!).

.

1999, on the other hand, may indeed be the most era-defining record of the 80's, at least when it comes to dance music. The way it used the synths and drum machine was pretty unique at the time. Granted, an orgy of synth and drum machines was already going on, particularly in UK and Japan, but the way Prince applied these patterns to R&B, funk and dance music was unheard of.

Next thing you know, everything tried to sound like Prince on 1999, and that would last until well into 1989, when new jack swing and hip-hop took over. The effect would be long lasting, though: after being outcast alongside all things 80's in the mid to late 90's, the "1999 sound" was a major element of the synthpop/electrofunk revival that began with the electroclash movement in the early 2000's, and it's remained a staple of dance music ever since.

MotownSubdivision said:

Wolfie87 said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Wolfie87 said: