I've been reading a lot lately about how artists market their work, and how they establish "brands" for themselves that they build on over the years, and how the stronger an artist's "brand recognition" becomes, the more fans they're able to pull in. The artist might change their "position" - they might explore different influences or go for a different kind of project here or there - but they depend on their "brand" to keep audiences familiar with them.

Think about it - no matter how much Madonna changes, she's still Madonna. There's a certain part of her that's survived the husbands, the Eastern Mysticism, the sex stuff, and all her various hair colors. Underneath it all, there's a "brand" that we know as Madonna, that's every bit as dependable as what we can expect when we pop open the top of our favorite can of soda.

Prince has done something very risky in the past decade or so. He's dismantled his brand almost completely, and has deconstructed those aspects of his creative/public persona that people had become familiar with. He didn't just change his position - he changed everything. There was the name change. Then "Emancipation". Then the name change back. Then the NPG label. Then the JW conversion.

The only constant, I suppose, has been the music - namely his guitar and piano work. But has that been the core of his brand identity from the start? I always saw those talents as pieces of the whole, not the center of what he's about.

Prince's "brand" is all over the place, and that's why the casual listener thinks his last album was Diamonds & Pearls. And now, his latest album is probably gonna wind up in the Jazz section of the wrecka stow - yet another reason for people to go WHUUUH??

If there were a way for Prince to tie it all together - the past, the present, and whatever he wants to lay out for the future - he could draw the larger, more casual audiences back in...he could maintain his current positioning, and maybe even turn a few people on to his beliefs...and he could make the kind of money to free NPG up to release more material more frequently, with better resources of distribution.

Prince deserves better? Darn skippy he does.

Thoughts?

Let me do just one video, for a good song and I ensure you it will be a world wide nr. 1 !

But heee, he doesn't want that !

He chooses the difficult way...i think there's no way back to the mainstream audience.
Despite of all the 'extravaganza' i like his recent work/personality as long as he is such a great live performer!

xtraloveable said:

Well, he's sworn off videos...no photos on the new album, no direct communication on his website - I'm shocked he's putting out a DVD of himself this summer...it's like, does he want to be a star or the man behind the curtain? Which is it?

He chose art over commercialism. Madonna is a product based on an image. The supposed fans who bailed after D&P were only fans of the perceived Prince 'image' and not the music. Those of us who stayed on this roller coatser ride stayed because we like roller coasters (music) and not his sexy little ass. Prince's 'brand' is music, not any certain style or era, just music. If we like it, fine. If not, we are not obligated to anything.

LittlePill said:

good observation

i like rollercoasters

i like prince's music

and i love his sexy little ass

FunkMistress said:

hi mistress!

FunkMistress said:

<---got this one on my ... !

LittlePill said:

Recent events lead me to believe image and commercialization are quite important to Prince.

Anxiety said:

They always will be but for Prince, unlike other commercially driven artists, to a lesser degree. He's always going to try to make money off of his music and why shouldn't he? The way I see it is if you love making music and can make money doing something you love to do then do it. I wish I could.

LittlePill said:

NOT THE SEXY ASS???

Harumph! Speak for yourself. .

NuPwr319 said:

OK I'll rephrase it. We stayed for the music and not JUST his sexy little ass.

DISCLAIMER: LittlePill has never given two shits about Prince's sexy little ass, penis, chest, arms, legs, eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, or any other body part. Just for the record.

As much as we like to think, and he likes to portray that's it's all about the music - we all know that's not strictly true.

Is that what makes him interesting to us, the dichotomy of wanting to be artistic, and being recognised?

Personally I think Prince could have both, but he chooses a more difficult path to things - that's his trip, so he does what he wants - I wouldn't want him or anyone else to do anything other than what they want to do, but I think if Prince made a few nips and tucks to his promotional and business practices, he could be in a better position artistically and commercially.


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[This message was edited Wed Jul 30 9:36:33 PDT 2003 by Romance1600]

- I'm shocked he's putting out a DVD of himself this summer...it's like, does he want to be a star or the man behind the curtain? Which is it?[/quote]




Dorothy...step forward to recieve you gift!!!


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