Until then, I thought that P would never release a greatest hits compilation, since each album was a coherent artistic unit that shouldn't be broken up, and also because he was more interested in making new music than cashing in on his former success.
Sure, it was a commercial success (wasn't it?) but it changed the way fans saw Prince (more commercial) and non-fans (just another successful pop act - "and now i've got all the good stuff, don't need to pay attention any more").
Ironically, his attempt to break with WB made him come across as more of a sell-out than he had b4. Until '93. he had an image of always doing what he wanted, regardless of what any1 thought. Since then he has appeared 2 b constantly chasing success and public favor. Even if this is not true, that's the image.

What do u all think?

I'm thinking he prolly didn't have a choice in the matter.

wasitgood4u said:

The Hits package was a very classy and wonderful survey of his music. The 80's were all about hit singles, and Prince certainly made sure to include a radio-friendly track or two on each album. But the collection of songs on that set is a great introduction to him, especially for younger people who weren't around for his heyday. Once you've exhausted that set, and start to pick up each of his albums, it only gets better.

By 1993, I think Prince's reputation started to go downhill due to some of his oddball publicity stunts, and people started to quit taking him seriously. The Hits collection really puts him in a good light again.

The 3rd disc of B-sides was a great way to wet people's appetite for his unreleased stuff as well.
[This message was edited Mon Jun 23 9:34:30 PDT 2003 by Tom]

Reply to Shorty:

I doubt it. Up until then he kept pretty tight control of his career. Neil Young has managed 2 stand his ground and refused 2 let them release a greatest hits despiute lots of pressure.
I think P was under a lot of pressure, wanted 2 get out of the contract and so threw hsio hands up and said: "do what u want".
[This message was edited Mon Jun 23 9:35:49 PDT 2003 by wasitgood4u]

wasitgood4u said:

Very true!

I don't think it was that big of a success.

It's no Immaculate Collection.

2 CDs - sales will have been spread across the 2 CDs, with a percentage of buyers getting both, but the majority of casual listeners purchasing the one which had their favourite songs on.

I don't think you can blame the Hits package on his commercial decline - that was all his doing with his short-sighted decisions and disasterous business and publicity ventures.

you are right, i thought prince would be the last artist to release a greatest hits package. it so wasn't him to do that.

i figured at the time it must be wb thing.

but you are right it all went ropey from there.

Good responses.
Tom: I wasn't arguing whether or not the Hits was a good package (it is - except that the B-sides were meant 4 the fans who there4 had 2 buy a double-disk of songs they already had ).
I was saying that it's the real turning-point in his career. Ppl point 2 the name-change or the release of certain albums, but 4 me it was The Hits.

Shorty said:

I was thinking the same thing

Hi Angel

It was Prince's fault and of course he had a say in it, he signed that huge record contract. The failure of the Lovesexy album and the success of the Batman soundtrack changed the way Prince went about making music. He realised you could have greater commercial success by 'playing the game' so to speak. When he signed that huge deal with WB he knew damn well what he was getting himself into. Prince basically saw the $$$ signs and sold his ass down the line, his music became sanitised and in the process we lost the enigma that was Prince. Prince's problem is that he won't admit he made a huge mistake and today it's not changed, until he does this we won't ever get another great Prince album. The Prince of the last decade or so has spent all his time trying to make a point. The Prince of 1980's couldn't have cared less and that's the difference.

I think he had a choice.

He had a choice when Warners wanted to release a best of in 1991, so he must have had a say in the release of this one.

However from what we glean from Days Of Wild and other such materials, we can safely say Prince wanted little to do with the project.

It is a good collection, lots of stuff like Head and Adore that really shouldn't be on a "Hits" collection (from a strictly commercial POV).

I was always peeved at why the Batman and the Parade singles bar Kiss were not represented.

There must have been a conscious decision there by Prince/Warners not to include this material, especially since Batdance was a huge hit and a #1 in the USA.

WildheartXXX said:

Good point, very good point - most of Prince's projects post-name change have been made with something to prove in mind.

Although, I think he's always wanted to prove something, especially with albums like Dirty Mind, Purple Rain, ATWIAD and (what would've been a statement Crystal Ball) - Sign O' The Times.

Maybe the point he was trying to make changed, from an an overtly artistic one to a more business or fiscal orientated one.

WildheartXXX said:

LOL! nice theory anyway..

Pretty much everything Prince did from the 90's til now was a fatal mistake. That's why most people have no idea what he's doing now, nor do they care anymore.

I don't think releasing "The Hits" was a fatal mistake.By 1993,it was long overdue.At a certain point,every artist needs to take time out and reflect on everything that they've accomplished.Unlike many other fans on this site,I don't see nothing wrong with having hits and commercial success.It was notable that Prince's greatest hits set consisted of THREE CDs (and it still left out several other big hits!).Let's see how many of today's "hot" artists will be able to release a multi-disc career retrospective like that someday.

It was what he had to do to fulfill and be released of his contract to WB.

Allowing them to release the BLACK album was also a contract fulfillment.

Billboard Magazine ran a story on it not to long ago...

This was a WB decision, no Prince's.

This was when the creative control battle started up between them for control and WB said fuck it and put it out.

.

Fatal? No. I believe he's still making music. I do think it was a giant step towards his break/freedom from WB. WB was good for him as an up and coming artist but a grown man doesn't need somebody else telling them how to do their job.

the mistakes imo at this time,not releasing Love Sign with Warner, not releasing Days Of Wild , releasing Come and touring the year after for the Gold Exp, releasing I Hate U as the firs single of Gold even if he wanted to piss his record compagny then

The Hits collection is what made me a Prince fans. I loved the two CDs and wanted more so I ended up buying the original albums and then some. I do think that hearing the songs out of context and, in most cases, heavily edited takes away much of the musical experience and I'm glad that I explored Prince's music more on my own. However, the Hits was a good starting point for me and I'm sure for many other new Prince fans. So in that sense, I don't think that releasing it was a mistake.

Of course I didn't buy the Hits when it came out in '93, I was 12 then and listening to Pearl Jam. I bought it about two years ago when I was a sophomore in college.
[This message was edited Sat Jun 28 17:31:11 PDT 2003 by jessyMD32781]

wasitgood4u said:

Eh? I didnt have 2 buy both single discs AND the triple - I just bought the triple on the same day of release... I can't speak 4 AmericA, but in England, they were all released 2gether - u took your pick.
U would have 2 be just Prince nutz 2 buy all formats - why te hell would u wnna do that???

SANSKER7 said:

There are some who say that the Hits were the "straw that broke the camels back".

I think that Gold was ready and could have made WB & Prince happy.The Gold fiasco was a huge mistake by both parties.

EVIL WHITE MALE & I would agree on about 0.0001% of the time but I agree to a certain point about the 90's.Nothing Prince did came out ok in that decade.

Funny how people think Prince had nothing to do with the Hits Package.

It was not part of "getting out of the warner contract".

It was part of the "signing a new deal".

Think about it. If he had nothing to do with it, then why...

1. Did he do a new photo shoot for it?

2. Ask Alan Leeds to do the text?

3. Give SIX new tracks to the set?

4. Get his way in leaving the Batman Singles off it (He insisted is was a "Project", even though Batdance was a world wide smash?)

5. Why Did Tracks like Head make it on there, but not songs like Girls & Boys, which was a huge single in many countries?

Come on Prince got his way with this package too. The Greatest hits package from 2001 is far more what Warner would have picked.

Tom said:

im a very very new prince fan and this was the first album i bought, it turned me from someone mildly interested in his music into an obsessive fan:)

because i am such a new fan i know very little about the WB and "The Gold" fiasco (didnt even know there was one...)
[This message was edited Sat Jun 28 21:05:33 PDT 2003 by ally85]

ally85 said:

this set did the same 4me.
liked the hits i heard on radio.,,,
took a chance & spent $65au on the 3cd box which would turn me on2 a new universe of music & lovesexiness.

ally,u seem 2 b where i was 4 years ago.
i then bought Rave in the summer of '99/'00 & then it was on!

ally: listen 2 this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radi...nce_01.ram
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radi...nce_02.ram

u need RealPlayer 2 hear it...
it is a great audio documentary featuring associated artists,ex-bandmembers & critics.
it was done earlier this year.
great insight in2 the big issues in prince's life & career.
it's better than any book cuz it is audio & ur hearing it from ppl who have lived it for the last 25 years.
...& a very cool thing 4 a new P fan i would think.
Njoy my fellow Aussie

thanks for that!

muleFunk said:

well from what i know... Come was meant 2 b a longer album...
with tracks that ended up on Gold & CB (Acknowledge Me,Days O' Wild,Endorphinemachine,Interactive,etc...)
i guess this would have been ready at the beginning of 1994 since he was playing E/machine & Come in the 2nd half of 1993.
that would have been a killer album...
but im happy with the way Come sounds with the 10 tracks & Solo & Papa & Orgasm r fine thank u very much!

.

realised i didnt need 2 post this msg Edit
[This message was edited Sun Jun 29 0:39:14 PDT 2003 by Joshy]

+ releasing Power Fantastic on this compilation( on the bsides records) was a mistake too imo

wasitgood4u said:[quote]Reply to Shorty:

I doubt it. Up until then he kept pretty tight control of his career. Neil Young has managed 2 stand his ground and refused 2 let them release a greatest hits despiute lots of pressure.


Ur, no, Neil has released four Greatest Hits compilations:

"Decade"
"Lucky Thirteen"
"Mystery Train"
"The Best of Neil Young" (Reprise Vinyl 1981)


He has yet to release "Archives".

And NO ONE puts pressure on Neil these days. He does what the fuck he wants and the record company gives him free reign. Just check out his latest album, "Greendale".

Guess what? He's with Reprise, part of WB.