Forget any other influences that detract from Prince's work (either from his own 'third-party reported' opinions on life, or other fans' view on his work), let's use this thread to celebrate Prince's brilliance when it comes to the music.

Tell us why you love Prince's music, and share your reasons as to why his music has become such a large part of your life.

If you've got a criticism, don't post it here.

This thread is intended purely as a channel for those who have found his music to be an inspirational soundtrack to their lives. Let's face it, the reason that we're all here is because we enjoy Prince's music. Some of us (like me) love all of it, and some of us like only a certain element of it, but ultimately we all love Prince's work.

Don't worry if you feel that your opinions might sound like they're sycophantic or ass-kissing, just post your reasons for loving Prince's music.

And one other thing - don't criticise anybody else's view on this thread, thanks.

His music inspires my best 2004 Art Work. Both old & new. I know many that may not like his music,IMO I think 4 jussa 'bout everybody's gotta have @least 1 Prince song they really like. Whether ur a fan or not(casually or hardcore). Newayz he inspires my Art work the most.

I'm gonna pick one on thing. Maybe it's the whole, "produced, arranged, composed and performed by" thing, but sometimes with Prince's music you feel like you can hear the way he thinks, musically, when recording a song. The multi-layered vocals help too.

There's a real clarity. It sounds so...right, that you understand it and can't help but wonder at the way everything moulds together so harmoniously. Like Moonbeam Levels. That's the sort of music that you lean back in your chair at when listening, and properly listen to all the song's constitutent parts. Sometimes (like in my case the first time i heard Dirty Mind) it's one of those times when you could have sworn that you've known the song all your life.

That's enough ass-kissing from me for one night.

Haystack - I've thought about this, since reading your thread, but I really can't explain what makes his music so good. All I can do, is recount how I felt when Prince first entered my life.

The first time Prince entered my radar was with 'Little Red Corvette' in 1983. I was eleven at the time. I remember the song being played almost constantly on the local radio station -Piccadilly 1152.

The first few times I heard the song, I thought it was just a run-of-the-mill U.S. power ballad. The power ballad ruled the early to mid 80s. It wasn't until I saw the video, that I realised that this wasn't another Toto, Chicago or Boston. In those days, there were only three television channels in Britain. I think I only saw the video once. The U.K. now has the most music T.V. channels of any country in the world - odd when you think about it... There was something about the video which was compelling and slightly 'sexual'. His dancing. His appearance. It was as if I was viewing something taboo. I didn't understand the line about 'Trojans' until a couple of years later, when I realised they were a brand of condom. Nevertheless, something in the video registered in my pre-pubescent mind that the song was definitely dirty in some way.

A couple of years passed before I purchased my first Prince record. It was the 1985 reissue of '1999' backed with 'Little Red Corvette'. I guess 1985 was the first year that I started buying records. Prior to that year, my main interest lay in Super Hero comic books. I still loved 'Little Red Corvette' but it was simply another record in my collection. I'd seen all the Purple Rain videos and all the hype from the movie, but none of the songs interested me in the same way as 'Little Red Corvette' did. Even in 1984, Prince (to my eyes) seemed slightly retro. His glam-rock meets pimp costumes - the jheri curls - the guitar histrionics - it all seemed to belong to another era.

Then the Around The World videos... Prince seemed different again. 'Raspberry Beret' peaked my interest - I always found the cough in video funny. I don't know why. He just seemed dated. I can't explain it, because I listen to those songs now and they don't seem to belong to any time or place.

Then 'Kiss' came out. It didn't sound like anything else I'd ever heard before. I'd never heard anything that weird in my life. I even found him attractive in the video. I'd never thought of him as being attractive before then. I never realised how young he was. He'd always seemed like a dirty old man dressed in purple lurex, previously. I bought the Parade album on my 14th birthday. I took the cassette home dropped it into my crappy stereo and my jaw dropped open.

When I first heard 'Christopher Tracy's Parade' I sat up straight wondering if the tape had gotten mangled up. I couldn't tell if it was going backwards, if it was stuck or if it was meant to sound like that. I stopped the tape, rewound it and listened again. The drums, the scream, the horns tootling away, sounding like they were painting colours in my head. I played that tape at least three times a day - every day - until I could afford more Prince.

I heard an academic once say that there isn't a single plotline to any play or movie which hadn't already been written by Shakespeare. I feel the same way about Prince. There isn't one song which hasn't already been written by him first.

I love me some Haystack threads

I became a fan at age 13...the first song I ever heard was Little Red Corvette. Being jobless, I scrimped and saved every last penny I had and when I finally had enough saved...I purchased the Hits 1 & 2. I was ob-SESSED with every last note...every last crescendo on that album. I had never heard such mind-blowing lyrics before, such amazing harmonies, such a beautiful voice. I was a fan for life.

His music, to me, brings happiness...thoughfulness, sadness, more inspiration than I can speak of...feelings I can't even put into words. When you hear that man's music...you know what he's thinking. You know what he was feeling when he wrote those songs.

I can listen to some of his songs over and over again...I mean like 100 times over again. I find something new and different every single time I listen. I've completed my collection, finally...and am now starting on some 'alternative' Prince music

I admire Prince...for all that he is. He is an amazing musician with many, many talents. I tell people how his music has changed my life...and no matter what Prince does in his lifetime, I will always be proud to be a fan

His new music inspires great bowel movements.

Thanks Prince for making me regular.

What's great about it? Writing... performance... diversity... experimentation... style...