Prince

[DrainYou42 0]

I've heard you guys rant and rave about him, and was wondering where i should start.

 

Thanks.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Got a used CD store nearby? If so, you're in.

 

Hits 1 and Hits 2 are all over the place. If you get both of them, you have all of his major singles up to the early 90's...which is pretty much all of his major singles. Getting just one of them is pretty incomplete, since they're organized pretty loosely, and the two discs split tracks even from the same albums. So if you're a greatest hits kinda guy, those work really well. I know lots of fans who found one of those for $8 used somewhere and that was their entry-level drug.

 

My personal recommendation is to just get Purple Rain. It might be his greatest album, and if not, it's definitely his most popular. It's also only $10 new pretty much anywhere, and functions as a great survey of all the musical styles he can do - fun rock on "Let's Go Crazy," sinewy sex jam on "Darling Nikki," pop genius on "When Doves Cry," epic ballad on "Purple Rain" - it's really pretty much a perfect primer. If you like what you hear, you're going to like Prince. If you don't, you probably ought to move on.

 

The other classics are Dirty Mind ("When You Were Mine," "Uptown," "Head"), 1999 (the title track, "Little Red Corvette," "D.M.S.R."), and Sign o' the Times (the title track, "U Got The Look," "I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man," etc.). I'd look at Dirty Mind first because it's quick, slick, and wall-to-wall pop awesomeness. 1999 is really good, but has a run in the middle of 8-minutes-and-up dance tracks that can be off-putting on first listen. And Sign o' the Times is a suitably epic double album that might put a little strain on your wallet, but is an absolute must-have in terms of music quality.

 

If you like all that and need more, some of the good B-team albums are Parade, Diamonds and Pearls, and Controversy. These are all good choices from the used bin.

 

In sum: Prince rules. Anywhere you start is good, but I think Purple Rain or the Hits albums are your best bets.

[Nighthawk 0]

Well... that sums it up pretty well. I'll just add that I enjoy the Love Symbol album quite a bit.

[razazteca 0]

Get the Batman soundtrack also, the single from the OST was "Bat dance"

[Slayer 0]

 

'Nuff said

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

Lovesexy is pretty good--better than its so-so reputation would suggest--but putting all nine songs on one track hampers it greatly. That, and the cheesy rap section on "Alphabet St.," which would be Prince's greatest song if it wasn't there. Instead, it's merely one of his ten best.

[Steviekick 0]

I'd go for the Best of's first. That way you won't be biased towards Purple Rain or whatever full album you listen to first.

[Mik 0]

Starting tomorrow all Prince Cds are 9.99 at Best Buy. Should last until Saturday.

[NoCalMike 0]

Ok there is a Best of set. You can choose between the 2-disc set or 3-disc set. The 2-disc is just 2 discs full of his hits and other favorites, however I would go for the 3-disc set because the 3rd disc is full of rare and unreleased stuff, including his cover of Erotic City, among other good stuff.