If Prince had died tragically in 1988 (after Sign O The Times and before Lovesxy was released) what difference do you think it would have made in regards to his legacy? Would Paisley Park be the new Graceland? Would Lovesexy have been bigger than Purple Rain? Would the vault have yielded hits for years after? Would he be an even larger cult figure (i.e. Hendrix & Morrison) I think the answer to all of these questions is yes but I was just curious as to y'alls take on this. Sort of a sick "What If" but interesting none the less.

if he had passed away right then... and warners had also put out the black album soon after... he would be a huge legend. Death always brings about the power of martyrdom and legacy with celebrities

OK Maybe he'd be a legend had he died in 1988...

Still I prefer an underrated ALIVE Prince in 2003 and for many years to come.

PANDURITO said:

So do I. Really that's what started me to think about this. It's a damn shame people seem to appreciate an artist more after he's dead.

Prince would have been rock/R&B's Tupac...spitting out albums after his death.

No one wants to talk about Prince dying.

one2three said:

True, but I'm really curious as to how Lovesexy would have been received. It seems to be a fav among many of us but was not a hit with the average record buyer. If he had passed, I think Lovesexy would have been his biggest selling and most fondly remembered album ever. People would have known this was the last of the REAL Prince albums. Sure they would have released albums made up of old tracks but none would have been complete works like Lovesexy was. Combine that with the spiritual nature and great music on the album and I think it would have been a lock for a Grammy nod at the very least. That brings us back to the question; why does it take death to make us appreciate life?

intha916 said:

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone" seems to sum this up nicely.

Re: Lovesexy, if it had come out after Prince's 'passing', do you think it would have been released in the same way, i.e. as one long single track? I don't think so. It would probably have been greatly messed around with. Plus, it wouldn't have come out until way after the rushed-to-market cash cow greatest hits album.

Max

PANDURITO said:

!!! Without doubt!!!