AM I RIGHT?

They all played their part.

Thousands of acts all over the world released music in the 1980s, so how can most of it be Prince (or anyone else)? Did he release more records than everybody else combined? Even if that was possible, that wouldn't be most, maybe half.

bluegangsta said:

They all played their part.

I'd agree. And let's be clear. Bon Jovi led the pack with hair bands, dare I say more than Motley Crue or any other rock band or heavy metal act. Slippery When Wet was their Thriller. You couldn't get way from it.

I don't know who said that about GM, but while he was huge with Faith, that album didn't come out until 1987, so 2/3 of the decade was over already. Wham! had some US hits, but were much larger in the UK.

Madonna - definitely on the same plateau as Prince, and MJ. Like A Virgin, True Blue, Purple Rain, Thriller and Bad are watershed moments in the decade, starting from 1982, right through to 1987. Hell, even Like A Prayer was released in 1989, and bookended the decade.

Prince had his surge with PR, and while us fans were certainly in touch with subsequent projects, the general public wasn't humming "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" or "If I Was Your Girlfriend". "U Got The Look" is the thing that kept him relevant, as did "Kiss", and "Alphabet St". Because again, ask someone if they know "I Wish U Heaven" instead of "Alphabet St.". Yes, he released an album a year, but didn't have nearly the hit he did with Purple Rain. His average sales always (to that point) leveled around 3M records. After, they might have gone up a bit, but he certainly wasn't on radio with SOTT or Lovesexy the way BAD turned out 5 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles. The only other album to do that...wait for it... is Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

So no, most 80s music was not Prince music. To us, he was everywhere. To radio and the charts, he was hit n' run.

cjmc2006 said:

AM I RIGHT?

Prince was the most prolific artist of the decade. He was billboard #1 artist followed by Hall & Oates, Billy Joel, Madonna and MJ. On the World Scene - Prince was also the top artist (With 5 # 1 Albums, and 28 top 20 singles) Madonna was second ( 3 #1 Albums and 23 top 20 singles), U2 was 3rd ( 4 #1 Albums, and 17 top 20 singles), MJ was 4th ( 2 # 1 Albums and 24 top 20 singles). Bruce Springsteen was 5th ( 3 #1 Albums and 16 top 20 singles). Prince also made had many of his songs covered by other artist - most notably Cyndi Lauper - When U Were Mine, Melissa Morgan - Do Me Baby, The Bagnles - Manic Monday... Sheena Easton - Strutt. And of course record in 1989 by a huge hit in 90 Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares to U. He was pretty much everywhere in the 80's.

Tontoman22 said:

Prince was the most prolific artist of the decade.

So you know every single performer in all countries, genres, and languages on Earth who released music in the 1980s to determine this?

TrivialPursuit said:

bluegangsta said:

They all played their part.

I'd agree. And let's be clear. Bon Jovi led the pack with hair bands, dare I say more than Motley Crue or any other rock band or heavy metal act. Slippery When Wet was their Thriller. You couldn't get way from it.

I don't know who said that about GM, but while he was huge with Faith, that album didn't come out until 1987, so 2/3 of the decade was over already. Wham! had some US hits, but were much larger in the UK.

Madonna - definitely on the same plateau as Prince, and MJ. Like A Virgin, True Blue, Purple Rain, Thriller and Bad are watershed moments in the decade, starting from 1982, right through to 1987. Hell, even Like A Prayer was released in 1989, and bookended the decade.

Prince had his surge with PR, and while us fans were certainly in touch with subsequent projects, the general public wasn't humming "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" or "If I Was Your Girlfriend". "U Got The Look" is the thing that kept him relevant, as did "Kiss", and "Alphabet St". Because again, ask someone if they know "I Wish U Heaven" instead of "Alphabet St.". Yes, he released an album a year, but didn't have nearly the hit he did with Purple Rain. His average sales always (to that point) leveled around 3M records. After, they might have gone up a bit, but he certainly wasn't on radio with SOTT or Lovesexy the way BAD turned out 5 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles. The only other album to do that...wait for it... is Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

So no, most 80s music was not Prince music. To us, he was everywhere. To radio and the charts, he was hit n' run.

I smell clickbait, and doggone it, I fell for it.

I agree wholeheartedly. For most of the 80's, I felt the musical universe revolved around Prince and was frustrated with those who stopped listening after Purple Rain and a few radio hits.

But a simple review of my 80's smart playlist on iTunes shows there were more than a few big fish in the big pond of that era.

From New Wave to Rap to even New Jack, there were plenty of sounds that define the era.

You can't tell the whole story of 1980's Music without Prince, but there's a ton of material left even if you could.

cjmc2006 said:

AM I RIGHT?

no, I mean these people got their first and 2nd peeks of fame here as a result

Whitney Houston Sade Cindy Lauper Janet Jackson...

What I meant about this statement was most 80s artist are known because of hit songs where PRINCE was known for creating a SOUND. He is def one of the least disposable(alongside MJ) artists that was big n the 80s.

MotownSubdivision said:

No, you're wrong. There was far, far, far too much going on musically in the 1980s to claim Prince was the center of it all. [Edited 3/27/17 11:37am]

Co-sign.

cjmc2006 said:

I wouldn't dismiss everyone else just to elevate Prince. They all influenced each other. Friendly competition which resulted in better music all around.

Se7en said:

This is a case for the wayback machine...

Se7en said:

I wouldn't dismiss everyone else just to elevate Prince. They all influenced each other. Friendly competition which resulted in better music all around.

Agreed! So much great music from the 80's, my fave decade .