Another one gone. Another one whose influence exceeded the imagination and forever changed the musical landscape. Like Bowie, Haggard and Frey earlier this year, Prince’s death reminds us that certain artists are capable of making an everlasting impression, and when they leave us, there’s a hole that’s hard to fill. Prince, however, was more than an innovator, providing us with lessons that will linger as long as music continues to inspire, entertain and remain part of the eternal conscientiousness. He himself once said, “A strong spirit transcends rules,” and the way he lived his life proved that statement was correct.
Here then, is a list of Prince’s ten most significant accomplishments…
CONSTANT REINVENTION
His constant reinvention made him a singular artist every bit as chameleon-like as David Bowie, Neil Young, Bob Dylan or any other performer intent on changing a persona with each succeeding album. In Prince’s case, he altered his direction early on. The five albums released prior to 1984 reflected an artist unafraid to tackle taboos (an early album was named Controversy for that very reason), or to explore his own parameters. His big breakthrough, Purple Rain, made him a superstar, both on record and on screen, yielding a string of classic songs that forever became an indelible part of his musical catalog. Known variously by his different monikers, the former Prince Rogers Nelson became Prince, an unlikely solitary symbol, the Artist Formerly Known As Prince, and eventually the once and forever Prince he was known as originally.
SUCCESS IN ALL MEDIUMS – ALBUM SALES, FILM & SUPER BOWL XLI
He succeeded in all mediums. With record sales in the realm of 100 million albums sold, and 40 top 40 hits to his credit (including five that reached number one), Prince could have easily rested on his laurels. However, the film version of Purple Rain also established him as a singular presence on film, a brooding anti-hero whose obvious reverence for Jimi Hendrix made him an icon that could be admired across the board, regardless of race, genre or sexual persuasion. Although he only made a single film, he arguably conquered it in only a single bow. With his 2007 Super Bowl XLI appearance, he succeeded at doing the same on the tv screen, garnering an incredible 140 million viewers and causing many commentators to proclaim it the greatest Super Bowl halftime show of all time.
TRIUMPH FOR ARTISTIC INTEGRITY
Prince gave a lesson in how to triumph in a contentious record company relationship. When Warner Bros. tried to constrict his output, Prince reacted by releasing an excessive amount of new material in rapid succession. When the company refused to budge, he wrote the word “Slave” across his cheek, demonstrating his resolve for the world to see. He eventually launched his own label, Paisley Park Records and found new means of distribution, releasing his five CD set Crystal Ball through his own website prior to finding its way to the stores. An earlier effort, The Black Album, which Warner Bros. had refused to sanction, became a much-ballyhooed bootleg until it found a legitimate release well after the fact. Prince and Warners eventually reconciled, but not after he showed he was determined to face off in an effort to maintain his artistic integrity.
GENRES GALORE
There were few musical genres Prince was reticent to tackle. Throughout his career, he continued to experiment and dabble in various forms, transcending rock, pop, funk, R&B and free form jazz, all of which made his sound exhilarating and unexpected. His fan base included people of all races and ages, male and female, straight and gay. Indeed, his androgynous stage presence and unmistakable mystique made him a star in every sense, whether he appeared as a rocker and a poser or a sage and philosopher.
WRITING HITS FOR OTHERS
Generosity was always a hallmark of Prince’s career. He wrote several songs that became hits for others, including the Bangles (“Manic Monday”), Sheena Easton (“Sugar Walls”) Cyndi Lauper (“When You Were Mine”), Sinead O’Connor (“Nothing Compares 2 U”) and Vanity 6 (“Nasty Girl”). Clearly, his impact on pop went well beyond his own output.
MENTORSHIP
Prince not only wrote for other artists, but he mentored them as well. Vanity 6 and the members of his various back-up bands included. Not all became stars, but the association with Prince still served as a springboard that generated them added awareness.
GENEROSITY
Fans benefited from Prince’s generosity as well. He once gave away tickets to a series of shows in Britain by bundling them in a U.K. newspaper. On occasion, he would even include concert tickets with his albums.
NO YOUTUBE, SPOTIFY, ETC
Unlike many artists who used Youtube to gain greater exposure, Prince succeeded in removing all his videos from the outlet in order to ensure he could control his own image without outside interference. His performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to George Harrison is one of the few that remain, although his version of Radiohead’s “Creep” is also visible, thanks in large part to the group’s efforts in persuading him to let it remain.
HOW MANY ALBUMS?
Prince was remarkably prodigious. In a career that spanned 38 years, he released 39 albums, an average of just over one per year. There is also word of vaults full of unreleased recordings, so expect many new Prince albums through the future.
STUBBORN BUT STRONG
He wasn’t afraid to change his stance, especially when it came to his morals. After releasing a string of controversial songs filled with sexual innuendo early in his career, he later became a Jehovah’s Witness and repudiated those earlier efforts. It takes a rare individual and a singular artist to admit, rightly or wrongly, he or she erred whether wrong or right.
The Prince is Gone, but his legacy ensures he will continue to rule.
