Prince
Country	United States
Years active	1978–present
Genre(s)	Rock, pop, R&B, soul, funk, funk-rock, funk metal, New Wave, dance, psychedelic rock, hip-hop
Label(s)	Universal Arista NPG Records Warner Bros. Columbia

Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958), known as (or, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince) from 1993 to 2000, is a popular and influential American musician. His music has spanned myriad styles including funk, pop, rock, R&B, soul, and hip-hop, and he is widely regarded as a musical genius and the definition of the “Minneapolis sound.” He is also known to have hundreds of songs unreleased in a vault under his own alias, as well as other names. Regarded as a perfectionist, Prince has a reputation as being difficult to work with, and for being highly protective of his music. He writes, composes, and produces most of his music single-handedly, and plays most of the instruments on his albums. He also is a well-known songwriter for other artists, and some of those songs have topped the charts as well. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... For Popular music (music that is popular, rather than of a specific genre or style), see Popular music. ... Rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars, a bass guitar, and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as keyboards (organ, piano synthesizers) and horns (saxophone, trumpet, trombone) are common in some styles, however, horns have been omitted from newer subgenres... Rhythm and blues (or R&B or even Runub) was coined as a musical marketing term in the United States in 1949 by Jerry Wexler at Billboard magazine, and was used to designate upbeat popular music performed by African American artists that combined jazz, gospel, and blues. ... Soul music is a combination of rhythm and blues and gospel which began in the late 1950s in the United States. ... Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music. ... The Minneapolis sound is a hybrid mixture of funk, rock, pop, and new wave that was masterminded by Prince in the late 1970s. ...

Biography

Uptown: Early years

A young Prince composing in 1977

Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Mount Sinai Hospital on June 7, 1958 to John L. Nelson and Mattie Shaw. John L. Nelson played in a jazz trio The Prince Rogers Trio, hence Prince's birth name. There are a number of myths regarding Prince’s ethnicity and gender, some spread by Prince himself. The most pervasive is that he is the child of a black father and white mother, a myth later bolstered by the cult film Purple Rain starring Prince and fellow artists Morris Day of The Time, and Apollonia. In more recent years, it has been noted in numerous publications that Prince’s parents are in fact African-American. His mother had Italian ancestry. After the birth of his sister, Tika Evene in 1960, Prince saw his parents gradually drift apart. Prince’s parents formally separated and he had a troubled relationship with his stepfather causing him to run away from home. He lived briefly with his father, who bought him his first guitar. Later, Prince moved in with a neighborhood family, the Andersons, and became friends with their son, Andre Anderson (later called Andre Cymone). Image File history File links A young Prince composing his first album in 1977 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links A young Prince composing his first album in 1977 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Lakes Motto: En Avant Location Location in Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jazz trio gigging in minneapolis, father of prince (artist). ... Purple Rain is a 1984 movie directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Prince and William Blinn. ... Morris Day, born on December 13, 1957 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is an American musician and composer. ... The Time were a funk and dance-pop ensemble of the early- and mid-80s. ... Born Patricia Kotero, Apollonia Kotero is a swimsuit model from California. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... Andre Cymone (born Andre Anderson) is a bassist, songwriter and record producer. ...

Prince and Anderson joined Prince’s cousin Charles Smith in a band called Grand Central, formed in junior high school. Initially his involvement was just part of a mainly instrumental band that played clubs and parties in the Minneapolis area. As time went by and Prince's musical knowledge broadened he found himself dictating the arrangements to the rest of the band. Before long he had become the band's frontman. By the time Prince had entered high school, Grand Central evolved into Champagne and started playing original music already drawing on a range of influences including Sly Stone, James Brown, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. Frontman (also front man) is a slang term for the lead singer of a music group. ... Sly Stone on The Ed Sullivan Show performing Everyday People, December 28, 1968. ... James Brown, known variously as: Soul Brother Number One, the Godfather of Soul, Mr. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... James Marshall Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and cultural icon. ...

In 1976, he started working on a demo tape with producer Chris Moon in a Minneapolis studio. He also had the patronage of Owen Husney, to whom Moon introduced him, allowing him to produce a quality demo. Husney started contacting major labels and ran a campaign promoting Prince as a star of the future, resulting in a bidding war eventually won by Warner Brothers Records. They were the only label to give Prince creative control of his songs and offered him a contract. See also: 1975 in music, other events of 1976, 1977 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events January-February January 7 - Kenneth Moss, a former record company executive, is sentenced to 120 days in the Los Angeles County Jail and four years probation for... Warner Brothers Records is a record label which was launched on March 19, 1958 by Warner Bros. ...

Controversy: 1975–1981

Pepe Willie, husband of Prince's cousin, was an influential presence in Prince’s early career. Willie acted as mentor and manager, along with Husney, for Prince in the Grand Central days, and employed Prince in the studio for his own recordings. In 1977, Willie formed 94 East, a band with Marcy Ingvoldstad and Kristie Lazenberry. Willie enlisted the talents of Prince and Andre Cymone as session musicians for their studio recordings and in 1986 released the re-recorded tracks (except for Prince and Cymone’s parts) from 1975–1977 as Minneapolis Genius. In 1995, the original recordings with Prince and Cymone were released by Willie as 94 East featuring Prince, Symbolic Beginning. See also: 1976 in music, other events of 1977, 1978 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events In this year, the St. ... 94 East was a Minneapolis- based funk group formed in 1977 by Pepe Willie, the husband of Princes cousin. ... See also: 1985 in music, other events of 1986, 1987 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 23 - The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee... See also: 1974 in music, other events of 1975, 1976 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 2 - New York City U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen rules that former Beatle John Lennon and his lawyers can have access to Department of... See also: 1994 in music, other events of 1995, 1996 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 18 - Jerry Garcia wrecks his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California. ...

Prince’s first album for Warner Bros, released in 1978, was titled For You. The majority of the album was written and performed by Prince, except for the song Soft and Wet (Music by Prince; Lyrics by Prince and C. Moon). Tommy Vicari was the Executive Producer in For You. Starting with For You, one can read in all of Prince’s albums the now ubiquitous legend: Produced, Arranged, Composed and Performed by Prince. Prince spent twice his initial advance recording the first album, which sold modestly, making the bottom reaches of the Billboard 200, while the single “Soft and Wet” performed well on the R&B charts. In the album For You, Prince used Prince’s Music Co. for publishing his songs. See also: 1977 in music, other events of 1978, 1979 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 14 - The Sex Pistols played their final show (until a 1996 reunion) at San Franciscos Winterland Ballroom. ... For You is Princes debut album, released in October of 1978, when the artist was 20 years old, and bearing the classic tag, Written, composed, performed, and recorded by Prince. It is generally regarded as a promising but insubstantial early effort, containing somewhat monotonous light urban funk. ... The Billboard 200 is a listing of the 200 highest selling music albums in the United States, published weekly in Billboard magazine. ... Rhythm and blues (or R&B or even Runub) was coined as a musical marketing term in the United States in 1949 by Jerry Wexler at Billboard magazine, and was used to designate upbeat popular music performed by African American artists that combined jazz, gospel, and blues. ...

By 1979, Prince had recruited his first backing band with Cymone on bass, Gayle Chapman and Matt Fink on keyboards, Bobby Z on drums and Dez Dickerson on guitar. Prince intentionally enlisted a multi-racial, mixed-gender group, much like the backing band of one of Prince’s most salient influences, Sly Stone. He recorded his second, self-titled album still mostly on his own, which made the Billboard 200 and contained two R&B hits in “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?” and “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” These two R&B hits were performed [1] on January 26, 1980 on the TV show American Bandstand with his first backing band. For his second album, Prince used Ecnirp Music [2] - BMI for publishing his songs, which he would also use for the album Dirty Mind. See also: 1978 in music, other events of 1979, 1980 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events Stevie Wonder uses Compact disc technology in recording his album The Secret Life of Plants Disco reigned supreme in 1979, with several #1 hits from The Bee... Doctor Fink (a. ... Bobby Z Rivkin is a Jewish American musician and producer who was a member of Princes former band, The Revolution. ... Dez Dickerson is a guitarist who was a member of Princes former band, The Revolution. ... Sly Stone on The Ed Sullivan Show performing Everyday People, December 28, 1968. ... Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? is the US followup single to Princes first big hit, I Wanna Be Your Lover. It is also Princes first rock and roll inspired single release, though it didnt phase the Top 40 charts. ... I Wanna Be Your Lover is Princes first big hit, getting him frequent R&B airplay and chart success. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) is a collecting society that protects composers intellectual property in the communications business, especially radio. ...

Prince first attracted attention for the colorful clothes he put on his 5 foot, 2 inch frame. He wore high-heeled shoes and boots, and when questioned by the press he remarked he liked the way he looked in them. In his early years, he liked to dress provocatively. He also was known to strongly flaunt and express his sexuality while on stage and in his music, which had people questioning his sexual orientation early on. This bought him some trouble as an opening act for The Rolling Stones’ two Los Angeles Coliseum shows in 1981, where he was infamously pelted with garbage whilst wearing underwear and a trenchcoat. Prince was actually booed off the stage that night, a clip of which was later used by Prince for his “Pop Life” single in 1985 (if you listen, you can actually hear one member of the audience yell, “Throw the bum out!”) Sexual orientation describes the direction of an individuals sexuality, often in relation to their own sex or gender. ... The Rolling Stones are a British rock band that rose to prominence during the British Invasion of the 1960s. ... For the Walt Disney Company film, see Trenchcoat (movie). ...

In 1980, Prince released Dirty Mind, a solo effort released using the original demos. On stage, Lisa Coleman replaced Chapman in the band, who felt the sexually explicit lyrics and stage antics of Prince’s concerts conflicted with her religious beliefs. Dirty Mind was particularly notable for its sexually explicit material. See also: 1979 in music, other events of 1980, 1981 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events January January 1 - Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II. The only other pop music acts to be created MBEs are the Beatles and... Dirty Mind is the third album by Prince, released October 1980. ... Wendy and Lisa are a musical duo comprised of musicians Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin that formed in the mid 1980s. ...

Prince supported Rick James in a 1980 tour with the label “punk funk” being applied to both artists, although it didn’t sit comfortably with Prince. He recorded the album Controversy, released in 1981, with the single of the same name making international charts for the first time. In October of 1981, Prince perfomed “Partyup” on Saturday Night Live. Starting with the album Controversy, Prince used Controversy Music [3] - ASCAP for publishing his songs, which he would use for his following sixteen records until Emancipation came out in 1996. Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr; February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004) was an American funk and soul musician, who worked as a singer, keyboardist, bassist, record producer, arranger, and composer during his long career. ... Controversy is Princes 4th album, released in 1981. ... See also: 1980 in music, other events of 1981, 1982 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 10 - Revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadways Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith February 14... The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) is an organization known as a collecting society that protects intellectual property, ensuring that music which is broadcast, commercially recorded, or otherwise used for profit, pays a fee to compensate the creators of that music. ... Emancipation is a 1996 triple-CD album by (formerly known as Prince). ...

Prince also wrote, produced, and in some instances performed on, the debut album for The Time, containing former members of Flyte Tyme, including frontman Morris Day. In the coming decade, Prince would also collaborate with Vanity (of Vanity 6), Apollonia (of Apollonia 6) and Sheila E. He also composed material, using former bandmates as another outlet for his prolific output. He also wrote hits for artists such as Sheena Easton and The Bangles and his songs would be covered in hit versions by artists as diverse as Chaka Khan, Tom Jones with The Art of Noise, and Sinéad O'Connor. O’Connor’s cover of a song Prince initially wrote for The Family, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” was a huge commercial success in 1990. The Time were a funk and dance-pop ensemble of the early- and mid-80s. ... Denise Matthews (Vanity) on the cover of Playboy, April 1988 Vanity is the most popular stage name used by singer/actress/model Denise Katrina Matthews (of African and German descent, was born on January 4, 1959 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada). ... Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Sheila Escovedo (born December 12, 1957), better known as Sheila E., is the daughter of percussionist Pete Escovedo, with whom she frequently performs. ... Sheena Easton on the cover of her 2000 CD, Fabulous. ... The Bangles in a 1980s publicity photo; Debbi Peterson, Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, Michael Steele. ... Album cover of What Cha Gonna Do For Me? Best known for her 1984 cover of Princes I Feel for You, R&B singer Chaka Khan enjoyed solo success as well as popularity as a member of the funk band Rufus. ... Tom Jones Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, Kt, OBE (born 7 June 1940), best known by his stage name, Tom Jones is a Welsh pop singer particularly noted for his powerful voice. ... The Art of Noise was an electronic group formed in 1983 by producer Trevor Horn, music journalist Paul Morley, and session musicians/studio hands Anne Dudley, J.J. Jeczalik, and Gary Langan. ... Sinéad Marie Bernadette OConnor (born December 8, 1966) is an Irish singer and songwriter. ... The Family can refer to: The new religious movement, The Family, formerly called the Children of God that was quite famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ... Outspoken and controversial Irish singer Sinead OConnor will always be most remembered for her version of Princes Nothing Compares 2 U. The song was originally recorded in the early 1980s by Minneapolis group The Family. However, it was Sinead who brought the song to worldwide prominence. ...

Purple Reign: 1982–1993

Prince was backed in the 80s by The Revolution, and in the 90s by the New Power Generation. He also worked on different occasions with famous jazz and funk musicians, such as Miles Davis, Larry Graham, George Clinton, and Maceo Parker. Throughout his career, Prince has also recorded with Ani DiFranco, Madonna, Kate Bush, Rosie Gaines, Carmen Electra, Gwen Stefani, Chuck D, Angie Stone, Chaka Khan, and Sheryl Crow. MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The Revolution was Princes backing band in the late 1970s through the mid-80s. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... The New Power Generation (or NPG for short) is the backing group of Prince. ... Davis 1959 album Kind of Blue, the best-selling jazz album ever. ... Larry Graham on the cover of his 1981 LP Just Be My Lady. ... George Clinton George Clinton (born July 22, 1941) is an American musician, he is widely considered one of the forefathers of funk. ... Maceo Parker (born February 14, 1943) is a noted African American funk and soul jazz saxophone player, best known for his contributions to James Browns distinct sound. ... Ani DiFranco (IPA: ɑ-ni) (born Angela Marie Difranco on September 23, 1970) is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter. ... Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (born August 16, 1958) is an American pop singer, dancer, songwriter, producer, actress, and author. ... Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on 30 July 1958 in Bexleyheath, Kent, now part of Greater London) is a British singer-songwriter with an expressive four-octave voice. ... Multi-instrumentalist, Producer/Song writer Rosie Gaines is the youngest of 10 children. ... Carmen Electra. ... Gwen Renée Stefani[1] (born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, fashion designer, and occasional actress; and is the frontwoman of the ska/rock band No Doubt. ... Cover of Autobiography of Mistachuck Carlton Douglas Chuck D Ridenhour, (born on August 1, 1960) is a rapper, composer, actor, author, radio personality and producer. ... Angie Stone on the cover of her Best-of-album Stone Hits (2005) Angie Stone (born Angela Laverne Brown in 1961 in Columbia, South Carolina) is an American R&B, hip hop, and neo soul musician and actress. ... Album cover of What Cha Gonna Do For Me? Best known for her 1984 cover of Princes I Feel for You, R&B singer Chaka Khan enjoyed solo success as well as popularity as a member of the funk band Rufus. ... Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an eight-time Grammy winning American blues rock singer, guitarist, bassist and songwriter. ...

In 1982 Prince released the 1999 double-album which proved to be a breakthrough album both in the U.S. and internationally, selling over three million copies. The title track was a protest about nuclear proliferation and become his first top ten hit internationally. With “Little Red Corvette” he joined Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie as part of the first wave of black artists on MTV and “Delirious” also went top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was placed at number six in The Village Voice’s annual Pazz & Jop critics poll. Stevie Nicks related a story in a television interview that she had come up with her 1983 song “Stand Back” after being inspired by the synthesizer part in “Little Red Corvette.” When it was time to record the song, it happened that Prince was in Los Angeles near her recording studio. She called his people and soon afterwards Prince came by the studio, sat down at the synthesizer, and played the song-opening riff. // Events January 15 - K.C. and the Sunshine Bands Harry Wayne Casey is seriously injured in an automobile accident in Miami, Florida. ... 1999 is Princes fifth album, released in October 1982. ... 1999 is one of Princes most well-known songs and a defining point in his rise to superstar status. ... World map with nuclear weapons development status represented by color. ... Little Red Corvette is one of Princes most well-known songs and a defining point in his rise to superstar status. ... For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana) is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop culture for the last quarter-century. ... Lionel Sandrasinghi Richie, Jr. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black), is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Delirious is a song by Prince from the 1982 album, 1999. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... The Village Voice is a weekly newspaper in New York City featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... The Pazz & Jop critics poll is a highly influential poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. ... Stephanie Lynn Stevie Nicks (born May 26, 1948 in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American singer and songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and a long solo career. ...

The original theatrical poster for Purple Rain (1984).

Purple Rain (in conjunction with the film of the same name) sold over thirteen million copies in the U.S. and spent twenty-four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200. The film, while dismissed by humorist-critic Joe Queenan as “sexist, juvenile, and moronic,” grossed over $80 million in the United States alone. However, Purple Rain would prove to be Prince’s only cinematic success. Although Prince would later direct and star in Under The Cherry Moon (1986) and Graffiti Bridge (1990), both films were met with public indifference and critical derision. Two songs from Purple Rain, “When Doves Cry” and “Let's Go Crazy” would both top the U.S. singles charts and were hits around the world, while the title track would go to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Simultaneously, Prince held the spot of number one film, number one single, and number one album in the U.S. Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for Purple Rain, and the album ranks in the top 100 of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, released in late 2003. When she overheard her twelve-year-old daughter, Karenna, playing “Darling Nikki” Tipper Gore founded the Parents Music Resource Center, which has spurred the use of “explicit lyric” stickers and imprints on album covers. Image File history File links Purple Rain 1984 poster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Purple Rain 1984 poster File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... There are multiple meanings for Purple Rain, all related to Prince: His album Purple Rain The song Purple Rain from the same album The film Purple Rain in which he starred All three were released in 1984. ... Music from the Motion Picture Purple Rain (also called just Purple Rain) was a 1984 album by Prince and The Revolution. ... Purple Rain is a 1984 movie directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Prince and William Blinn. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Graffiti Bridge is a film written, directed and starring Prince. ... When Doves Cry is a 1984 song by Prince, and according to Billboard magazine, it was the top-selling single of the year. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Purple Rain was the third US single (second UK) and title track from Prince and The Revolutions legendary 1984 album Purple Rain. ... Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent film awards in the United States and most watched awards ceremony in the world. ... From Rule Sixteen of the Special Rules for The Music Awards Original Score: An original score is a substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. ... Purple Rain was the third US single (second UK) and title track from Prince and The Revolutions legendary 1984 album Purple Rain. ... // History John Lennon - RS 1 (November 9, 1967)How I Won the War Film Still Founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner (who is still editor and publisher) and music critic Ralph J. Gleason, Rolling Stone was initially identified with and reported on the hippie counterculture of the... // Events January - following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. ... Al Gore with wife, Tipper, along with their children. ... Darling Nikki is a song written and originally released by Prince on his Grammy nominated 1984 album Purple Rain. ... Mary Elizabeth Gore, commonly referred to as Tipper Gore (born August 19, 1948) is the wife of former Vice President Al Gore and was Second Lady of the United States from 1993 until 2001. ... The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 by the wives of several congressmen. ...

In 1985, after the U.S. Purple Rain Tour, Prince gave up live performances and making videos on the release of Around the World in a Day, which went to the top of the U.S. album charts for three weeks. Prince’s ban on videos ended as the album stalled in the charts with a video for “Raspberry Beret” which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. See also: 1984 in music, other events of 1985, 1986 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 28 - Various artists, including Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon... Around The World In A Day was Princes 1985 follow-up to Purple Rain. ... Raspberry Beret is the first US (and second UK) single off of Prince and The Revolutions 1985 album, Around The World In A Day. ...

In 1986, Prince released the album Parade as a soundtrack to the film Under The Cherry Moon. The album went to number three on the Billboard 200 album chart and number two on the R&B album charts. The first single, “Kiss,” would top the Billboard Hot 100. At the same time, “Manic Monday” by The Bangles reached number two on the Hot 100, which Prince had written under the pseudonym “Christopher.” Following the film and album, Prince returned to touring with a stripped-down show. Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon was Princes 1986 follow-up to Around the World in a Day and the soundtrack to his second film. ... Kiss is a 1986 song by Prince and the Revolution, from the album Parade. ... Manic Monday (1986) was the first hit single by pop group The Bangles. ... A pseudonym (Greek: false name) is a fictitious name used by an individual as an alternative to his or her legal name. ...

1987's acclaimed Sign “☮” the Times

Some of Prince’s music mixes spirituality and sensuality. “I Would Die 4 U,” refers to Jesus. “The Cross,” from Sign “☮” the Times, is a stronger reference to Prince’s Christian beliefs. Sign “☮” the Times, released in 1987 as a double album, reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and achieved perhaps the greatest critical acclaim of his career, topping the annual Pazz & Jop critics poll, and reaching the top 100 of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Download high resolution version (704x698, 114 KB)Cover of the Prince album Sign O The Times. ... Download high resolution version (704x698, 114 KB)Cover of the Prince album Sign O The Times. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... In Hinduism, spiritual goals and personal experience (self-realization) through yoga and meditation are seen as the ultimate way to attain God (Moksha) and are inseparable from the religion. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... I Would Die 4 U was the third single off Prince and the Revolutions legendary 1984 album Purple Rain. ... Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE — 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... Technical note: Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, believing him to be the Son of God and the savior of human souls from sin and death. ... See also: 1986 in music, other events of 1987, 1988 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 3 - Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... The Pazz & Jop critics poll is a highly influential poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. ... // History John Lennon - RS 1 (November 9, 1967)How I Won the War Film Still Founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner (who is still editor and publisher) and music critic Ralph J. Gleason, Rolling Stone was initially identified with and reported on the hippie counterculture of the...

Following the album, Prince launched the Sign “☮” the Times Tour in Europe. At the end of the last tour Prince disbanded his long-time performance band, known since the release of the movie and album Purple Rain as The Revolution, and parted ways with Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Bobby "Z" Rivkin, and Mark Brown (Brown Mark). His follow-up live performance band retained Matt Fink on keyboards, and added Boni Boyer on keyboards, Sheila E on drums, Levi Seacer, Jr. on bass, and Miko Weaver on guitar. In 1987, a live concert film was shot of the Sign “☮” the Times Tour in Rotterdam and Antwerp. Portions were re-recorded and the performances mimed in the soundstage of his newly-opened Paisley Park Studios complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Housing three complete recording studios, and a complete soundstage for performances and video production, the studios have been Prince's playground since their opening. Situated near his home in Minnesota, Paisley Park has allowed Prince to record at the drop of a hat. World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Wendy and Lisa are a musical duo comprised of musicians Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin that formed in the mid 1980s. ... Wendy and Lisa are a musical duo comprised of musicians Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin that formed in the mid 1980s. ... Bobby Z Rivkin is a Jewish American musician and producer who was a member of Princes former band, The Revolution. ... Brown Mark (also spelled Brownmark; nee: Mark Brown) is the former bassist of the Revolution, music artist Princes original touring (and later also his recording) band. ... Doctor Fink (a. ... Sheila Escovedo (born December 12, 1957), better known as Sheila E., is the daughter of percussionist Pete Escovedo, with whom she frequently performs. ... Levi Seacer, Jr. ... Rotterdam Location Flag Country The Netherlands Province South Holland Population 604,819 (2005) Coordinates 51° 55 N.; 4° 30 E. Website www. ... The Cathedral of our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp) in the Handschoenmarkt, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Belgian Baroque painter Rubens. ... The Christmas Pantomime colour lithograph bookcover, 1890 Pantomime Pablo Zibes In Great Britain, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand pantomime (informally, panto) refers to a theatrical genre, usually performed around the Christmas and New Year holiday season. ... A sound stage is a hangar-like structure, building or room, that is soundproof for the production of theatrical motion pictures and television, usually inside a movie studio. ... Chanhassen is a city located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ...

1987 saw the potential for two of pop’s biggest stars coming together to perform a duet. Michael Jackson talked with Prince about performing a duet together for the title track of his new album Bad. Prince liked the idea, seeing as Jackson was his main rival in pop stardom, so he agreed to it. However, Jackson and Prince ended up having creative differences in the lyrics and beats for the song. Finally, Prince left the project when he thought Jackson wasn’t making the song dark enough. Jackson ended up cutting the title track for the album on his own, and it went to number one on the charts. ^{[citation needed]} For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana) is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop culture for the last quarter-century. ... Bad is an album of recorded music by pop music icon Michael Jackson, released in 1987. ...

Also In 1987, Prince recorded The Black Album, a funk-oriented album whose erotically-charged lyrics were considered so blatant that it was not officially released. The album circulated through the bootleg underground music world until it was finally given an official release in 1994. The 1988 album Lovesexy was Prince’s spiritual answer to the dark message of The Black Album. Lovesexy was a disappointment in its chart performance, only reaching number eleven on the Billboard 200. The Lovesexy Tour in the U.S. also proved to be commercial disappointment. Prince lost money as dates failed to sell out. Prince recouped his losses with the European and Japanese legs of the tour. The Black Album is a Prince record that was originally planned for November of 1987 as the follow-up to Sign O the Times. ... A bootleg recording is a audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. ... The term underground music has been applied to several artistic movements, notably to the early psychedelic movement of the mid 60s centred in Los Angeles. ... See also: 1993 in music, other events of 1994, 1995 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music. // Events January 29 - The Supremes Mary Wilson is injured when her jeep hits a freeway median and flips over just outside of Los Angeles, California. ... See also: 1987 in music, other events of 1988, 1989 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events Peter Ruzicka becomes director of the Hamburg State Opera and State Philharmonic Orchestra. ... This 1988 album is widely considered to be one of the best works of Prince. ...

In 1989, Prince would record the soundtrack for Batman, which would return him to the top of the U.S. album charts, with the single and worldwide hit “Batdance” reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Prince next released the film sequel to Purple Rain, titled Graffiti Bridge, which performed poorly at the box office. The soundtrack featured Prince and other artists such as Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples of the Staple Singers, and Morris Day and The Time. It would reach a chart peak of number six in the U.S. and number one in the UK. See also: 1988 in music, other events of 1989, 1990 in music, 1980s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 7 - Genesis 88 and Sunrise/Back to the Future stage large-scale illegal Acid House party in London January 14 - Paul McCartney releases Back in the... Batman was released in U.S. theaters on June 23, 1989 by Warner Bros. ... Batdance is a 1989 song by Prince, from the Batman soundtrack. ... Tevin Campbell Tevin Jermod Campbell (born November 12, 1976 in Dallas, Texas) is an American R&B singer. ... Mavis Staples (born Jan 1, 1940) is an American rhythm and blues singer. ... The Staple Singers were a United States gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. ...

The Diamonds and Pearls album in 1991 gave Prince album charts success with the song “Cream” giving him his fifth U.S. number one single. Diamonds and Pearls also marked the debut of the New Power Generation featuring rapper Tony M, Rosie Gaines on vocals, Michael Bland on drums, Levi Seacer and Kirk Johnson on guitar, Sonny T on bass, and Tommy Barbarella on keyboards. Diamonds and Pearls was Princes eleventh album, which was released in 1991. ... See also: 1990 in music, other events of 1991, 1992 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // Events 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... Cream is a song by Prince and the New Power Generation from the 1991 album Diamonds and Pearls. ... The New Power Generation (or NPG for short) is the backing group of Prince. ... Multi-instrumentalist, Producer/Song writer Rosie Gaines is the youngest of 10 children. ... Michael Bland (born March 14, 1969 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is best known as a drummer for Prince starting in 1989. ... Levi Seacer, Jr. ... Kirk Johnson (born June 29, 1972) is a professional Heavyweight boxer from North Preston, Nova Scotia, Canada. ... Sonny Thompson (Sonny T) is a former bass player for the New Power Generation, Princes recording and stage band. ...

Having mysteriously thanked Kate Bush in the credits of his Diamonds And Pearls album, Prince worked on Bush’s 1993 album, The Red Shoes. Collaborating chiefly on the song “Why Should I Love You,” Prince added bass, guitar, keyboards, his vocals and other arrangements to the mix. This would be the final “Prince” credit, until 2000. Kate Bush reciprocated in 1996 and is featured on background vocals on the Emancipation track, “My Computer.” Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on 30 July 1958 in Bexleyheath, Kent, now part of Greater London) is a British singer-songwriter with an expressive four-octave voice. ... The Red Shoes is Kate Bushs 7th studio album. ... Emancipation is a 1996 triple-CD album by (formerly known as Prince). ...

Prince’s twelfth album was titled “ ,” dubbed by critics as The Love Symbol Album. It reached the top ten of the U.S. album charts. In 1993, he would change his name to (often represented in ASCII text as O(+>. The symbol is said to be a melding of the symbols for male and female. Due to being unpronounceable, he was often referred to as “The artist formerly known as Prince,” “TAFKAP,” or simply “The Artist.” In 1993, at the request of Warner Bros., released a 3-CD greatest hits compilation entitled The Hits/The B-Sides. The first two discs were also sold separately as The Hits 1 and The Hits 2. In addition to featuring the majority of 's hit singles (with the exception of “Batdance,” which was strangely omitted), The Hits includes an array of previously hard-to-find recordings, notably B-sides spanning the majority of Prince’s career, as well as a handful of previously unreleased tracks, such as the Revolution-recorded “Power Fantastic.” A new song, “Peach,” was chosen as a promotional single to accompany the album. Unfortunately, neither the album nor single performed as well on the charts as and Warner Bros. would have hoped. To this day, however, The Hits remains the closest thing to a definitive overview of 's musical output from 1978 to 1993. Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... was Princes 14th album (and second with the New Power Generation) released in 1992. ... See also: 1992 in music, other events of 1993, 1994 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 8 - The U.S. Postal service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... For other uses, see ASCII (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Greatest Hits is a common name for a compilation album of an artists most popular songs. ... The Hits/The B-Sides is a 1993 (and the first) greatest hits compilation album by Prince. ... The Hits 1 is a greatest-hits compilation by Prince. ... The Hits 2 is a greatest hits compilation by Prince. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... Peach is a song by Prince from his 1993 compilations The Hits 2 and The Hits/The B-Sides. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ...

Behind the name change

In 1994, during negotiations regarding the release of 's album The Gold Experience, a battle between Warner Bros. and ensued, struggling over the artistic and financial control of ’s output. During that time, appeared in public only with the word “SLAVE” written on his cheek. explained his name change as follows: Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... The Gold Experience is a (formerly known as Prince) album released in 1995. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ...

The first step I have taken towards the ultimate goal of emancipation from the chains that bind me to Warner Brothers was to change my name from Prince to . Prince is the name that my Mother gave me at birth. Warner Bros. took the name, trademarked it, and used it as the main marketing tool to promote all of the music that I wrote. The company owns the name Prince and all related music marketed under Prince. I became merely a pawn used to produce more money for Warner Bros….

I was born Prince and did not want to adopt another conventional name. The only acceptable replacement for my name, and my identity, was , a symbol with no pronunciation, that is a representation of me and what my music is about. This symbol is present in my work over the years; it is a concept that has evolved from my frustration; it is who I am. It is my name.

’s strategy behind the name change seems to have been to reinvent himself, going back to a smaller audience to redevelop his style. One commentator noted:[4] Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ...

Prince started his career as a big R&B star with limited mainstream success. At that point, he left the middle of the road and headed for the ditch. In 1980, it was risky to record new wave songs with lusty lyrics that assured no radio airplay (the classic Dirty Mind), but it paid off. Critics took notice and he became an underground favorite. This paved the way for his huge success with 1999 and Purple Rain. Certainly that was the pinnacle of his career, as far as worldwide earnings and universal adulation are concerned. But by heading for the ditch again, by changing his name and experimenting with his style, by lowering his stock value and escaping his record contract, has become an underground artist again. In late 1996, the first collection of music since his break with Warner Bros. appeared in record stores, a sprawling three-hour extravaganza integrating great dance grooves and slow-burning ballads. Critical response has been overwhelmingly positive, and sales have been brisk despite the high price of a 3-CD set. It's no coincidence that he titled this album “Emancipation.”

Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ...

Chaos and Disorder: 1994–2003

Prince's look, circa 1995.

In 1994 Prince’s attitude towards his artistic output underwent a notable shift. He began to view releasing albums in quick succession as a means of ejecting himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. The label, he believed, was intent on limiting his artistic freedom by insisting he release albums on a more sporadic basis. He also blamed it for the poor commercial performance of his latest work (namely The Love Symbol Album), feeling it had failed to market the album effectively. Out of this state of affairs a proposal came about to subject the aborted Black Album to an official release, approximately seven years after its initial creation. This new release, which was already in wide circulation as bootlegs, also sold relatively poorly. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (456x640, 98 KB)O(+, circa 1995 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (456x640, 98 KB)O(+, circa 1995 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... The Black Album is a Prince record that was originally planned for November of 1987 as the follow-up to Sign O the Times. ... Look up bootleg in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Following that disappointing venture, Warner Bros. succumbed to Prince’s wishes to release an album of new material, to be entitled Come. The label had refused to grant the album a release in the past, believing the music on it to be dreadfully mediocre and lacking a potential hit single. When Come was eventually released, it confirmed all of Warner’s worst fears. It became Prince’s poorest-selling album to date, struggling to even shift 500,000 copies. Even more frustrating was the fact that Prince insisted on crediting the album to “Prince 1958–1993.” Come was an album Prince was obligated to make after he changed his name to O(+>. It is an interesting look inside of Princes mind and one of his most sensual and dark albums. ...

Prince pushed to have his next album The Gold Experience released simultaneously as “ ” material. As a test case, Warner Bros. allowed the single “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” to be released via a small, independent distributor, Bellmark. The release was successful, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in the UK, but this was not to be a forerunner of what was to come. Warner Bros. still resisted releasing The Gold Experience, fearing poor sales and citing “market saturation” as a defense. When eventually released, The Gold Experience failed to sell well, despite reaching the top 10 of the Billboard 200 initially. The Gold Experience is a (formerly known as Prince) album released in 1995. ... Image File history File links Prince changed his name to this symbol in 1993 following a contractual dispute with his record company. ... The Most Beautiful Girl in the World is a song by Prince (formerly known as ) from his 1995 album The Gold Experience. ... In economics, market saturation is a term used to describe a situation in which a product has become diffused (distributed) within a market; the actual level of saturation can depend on consumer purchasing power; as well as competition, prices, and technology. ...

The Chaos And Disorder album of 1996 was his final album of new material for Warner Bros., and was one of his least successful. Prince attempted a major comeback later that year, when, free of any further contractual obligations to Warner Bros., he released Emancipation. The album was released via his own NPG Records with distribution through EMI. To publish his songs, in Emancipation, Prince for the first time did not use Controversy Music - ASCAP, which he had used in all his records since 1981, rather he used Emancipated Music Inc.[5] - ASCAP. While certified Platinum by the RIAA, some critics felt that the sprawling 36-song, 3-CD set (each disk was exactly 60 minutes long) lacked focus. Emancipation would be Prince’s first album in which he would include covers of songs of other artists; for example, CD number three includes Joan Osborne’s top 10 hit song of 1995 “One of Us” [6]. Other covers on the album include “Betcha By Golly Wow!” (written by Thomas Randolf Bell and Linda Creed) [7], “I Can't Make U Love Me” (written by James Allen Shamblin II and Michael Barry Reid) [8] and “La, La, La (Means I Love U)” (written by Thomas Randolf Bell and William Hart) [9]. Chaos and Disorder is a 1996 album by (formerly known as Prince). ... See also: 1995 in music, other events of 1996, 1997 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 8 - Madonnas stalker, Robert Hoskins is found guilty and convicted on 5 charges of assault, stalking, and threatening to kill her. ... Emancipation is a 1996 triple-CD album by (formerly known as Prince). ... NPG Records is the record label formed by Prince in 1993 to release his music after Paisley Park Records was shut down by Warner Brothers Records. ... The EMI Group is a major record label, based in Kensington in London, in the United Kingdom. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with RIAA certification. ... The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a special interest group representing the U.S. recording industry, and the body responsible for certifying gold and platinum albums and singles in the USA. For more information about sales data see list of best selling albums and list of best selling... Joan Elizabeth Osborne (born July 8, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, known chiefly for her song One of Us. Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky (now part of Louisville), she moved to New York City in the late 1980s, where Osborne formed her own record label, Wo