After weeks of diving back into the deep pool of music of
the purple Yoda, I’ve decided to put together my top 10 list of Prince albums.
While putting the list together it was obvious that the 90s was NOT an era of
Prince that I enjoyed very much. There were some amazing songs scattered out
across the decade (“7”, “Cream”, “Gett Off”, “Diamonds and Pearls”)…but when it
came to albums as a whole I wasn’t that pleased. Bowie is another favorite
artist of mine that went through a period where his albums didn’t grab me. With
Bowie it was the 80s.
10. Lovesexy (1988)
A bright and funky blend of god, sex and drugs!
Key songs: "Alphabet St.", "I Wish U Heaven" and "Anna Stesia"
9. Parade (1986)
A sprawling kaleidoscope of sounds and textures. Parade is full of surprises, every song having experimental qualities. The arrangements are masterfully minimal.
Key songs: "Kiss", "Mountains" and "Anotherloverholenyohead"
8. Musicology (2004)
Catchy pop-funk that brought Prince back into view for those that didn't 'get off' on much of his 90s work. The spark was back and Prince delivered an album inspired by those that he grew up listening to.
Key songs: "Musicology", "Cinnamon Girl" and "Life 'O' The Party"
7. LotusFlow3r (2009)
Old school Prince. Some of his best guitar playing is on this release. LotusFlow3r is a fusion of rock, jazz and futuristic funk!
Key songs: "Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful", "Crimson and Clover", "Colonized Mind" and "Dreamer"
6. Around The World In A Day (1985)
Prince maturing and expanding his artistic palette with psychedelic gems. As a huge Beatles fan, this album was a real treat. Instead of going a predicted route musically after Purple Rain, Prince released this bizarre slice of neo-psychedelia, divorcing himself from anything that might hint at the sounds that had come before. It was brave and GREAT!!
Key songs: "Raspberry Beret", "Pop Life" and "Paisley Park"
5. Dirty Mind (1980)
This was the album where Prince became the hyper-sexualized performer we know and love! Every song drips with sexuality. A genius funk, pop, new wave album that can get any party kicked into high gear.
Key songs: ALL OF THEM!
4. Controversy (1981)
This is a transitional album between the lean, dirty funk of the previous album (Dirty Mind), and the electric pop that Prince would stick with for most of the 80s. This is where Prince really began to show us where he was headed.
Key songs: "Controversy", "Lets Work", "Do Me Baby" and "Sexuality"
3. Purple Rain (1984)
What can really be said about this album that hasn't been said a million times before?
Key songs: ALL OF THEM!
2. 1999 (1982)
Not only did 1999 present Prince as a legitimate hitmaker, it managed to deliver his most adventurous album to date to his largest audience. The fact that Warner Bros. gave Prince the latitude to record a double-LP set shows how much star potential they felt he had.
Key songs: ALL OF THEM!
1. Sign "☮" the Times (1987)
In 1987 Prince promised to deliver "an album that matters," and he succeeded with this double-LP. Cooler than Michael Jackson, more diverse and subtle than Madonna and a killer musician to boot, Prince displayed that there were few genres within popular music that he couldn’t master. Purple Rain was the moment where he perfected quirky pop, but this goes even beyond that and becomes something much more. It is a perfect distillation of everything genius about Prince, and one of the best albums of the '80s!
Key songs: ALL OF THEM!!!
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