After listening to the new Al Green album and loving every minute of it, it got me wondering if other artists who are a little out of touch with what made them so great to begin with might catch fire again if they hooked up with artists that have been greatly influenced by them. That's what happened on Al's album and I think it could work with Stevie and Prince and possibly others.

What if Andre 3000 and Big Boi produced Prince's next album? Or if The Roots did an album for Stevie? I can see Prince sounding a lot like his Revolution heyday and Stevie sounding like he took a second musical sabbatical to New York circa 1971.

Is this a good idea?

worked out great for Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. sometimes all it takes is working a little bit outside of your usual comfort zone or circle. produced their best results in decades.

CynicKill said:

It will never happen. Do you think Stevie or Prince are dissatified with their current music? I really doubt it. They aren't and probably never were doing it for Billboard magazine or Soundscan. Prince has the ego, but Prince has also proved when he wants a hit, he had do it. He may not like it but he knows it'll chart. They are going to make music they like because that is much more satisfying. Stevie might do it and we may never hear it but Prince will probably never consider the idea.

SUPRMAN said:

Rave was hit??

funkpill said:

We're talking about "Black Sweat" I'm sure, or the Musicology album as a whole.

Cinnie said:

What about Prince's history.

I Wanna Be Your Lover, was a deliberate hit. He owned WB some money and he only had a three album deal, so he said he had to give them a hit.
Then Dirty Mind, slow seller but critics could not get enough.
Controversy, again needed to come out swinging, might want them to bankroll a movie or something. . .
1999 building on the crossover success of Controversy, the title track stalled but has had at least 5 separate chart runs.
The appearance of the video for Little Red Corvette opened up the Top Ten to Prince, now a star.
Diamonds and Pearls - sold well, 5 hit singles (?)
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
Musicology
3121

We know Prince made hits in the past, but the industry has changed so I wanted to bring forth more recent examples of how he still knows how to do it.

so serounding past mega star musicians with musicians that are inspired by there music? i think it worked greatly for al green , but i dont know if that would suit everyone. maybe stevie wonder should get around with alicia keys and john legend among others . andre 3000 with prince mmm . a classic example of a case where it adds nothing : michael jackson.

Cinnie said:

on the other hand, there's Musicology, but I think we can all agree that one was only a hit because of a loophole in the charting system, which was quickly closed BECAUSE of that album.

Yeah, he can get a hit album, just on name recognition alone. But a hit song? He hasn't had one of those in 14 years. I really don't know that the conventional wisdom that he can score a hit when he wants to is true anymore

santana did it with supernatural . although i dont think that they are fans of his music. he had his most succesfull album ever

Xcalibre said:

Was I the only one who saw and heard "Black Sweat" everywhere?

I know I need to go check out this new Al Green record, but I really don't see anything wrong with Stevie's last recording.

Cinnie said:

I didn't hear it anywhere but on BET like twice. Except, you know, when I played my own copy of the CD

Xcalibre said:

I heard it in stores (not just music stores), and heard people playing it in cars, and at parties.

CynicKill said:

Maybe for Stevie that would work, but not for Prince. First, Prince manages to still function and stay oddly current in todays music scene. Second, if Prince wanted to make the kind of music he did 25+ years ago... all he has to do is drag out his old Linn drum machine and synthesizers, go in his thousand+ song vault and do 1999/Purple Rain part 2. Lastly, even if you don't like his back catalog of the last 15 years, if you wade through the "what was he thinking" songs...he has written and produced some great music (he's just not putting them all on one album). Prince is a totally different animal for sure....He definitely does not need to be "produced". These guys are trying to be like him.
[Edited 6/7/08 14:00pm]

Someone needs to get MJ & Janet away from the Hip-hop producers.....these are people who have totally strayed away from the good music they use to make.

PFunkjazz said:

Co-sign.