Last week, we lost one of the greatest musical talents to ever grace this planet. Prince Rogers Nelson was more than just a pop singer — he was a virtuosic multi-instrumentalist, an incredible producer of his own and others' music, a brilliantly clever lyricist, a total weirdo, and, until recently, my pick for greatest living guitarist. With 39 albums to his name, it's hard to know where to begin, which is why I'm counting down five of my favorites.
5. The Gold Experience
This was the second Prince album I ever listened to (after "Purple Rain") and the one that made me seek the rest out and become a fan for life. It sounds very '90s, and the bizarre sci-fi concept album interludes that allude to some sort of virtual reality don't really add much to the experience, but it's a diverse collection of songs ranging from feminist rap "P. Control" to hard-rocking "Endorphinemachine." Not every song is stellar, but some of Prince's absolute standouts are on here: "Shhh" is perhaps the ultimate iteration of the bedroom slow-jam, and "Gold" arguably eclipses "Purple Rain" in its stadium anthem-ness.
4. Around the World in a Day
Right after his big break, Prince decided to do the total opposite of releasing a "Purple Rain" follow-up. Instead, "Around the World in a Day" sounds like Prince's attempt to remake "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". He succeeded spectacularly, blending funk with soft psychedelia and creating an album that took his sound in an unexpected direction. "Raspberry Beret" and "Pop Life" are still great pop singles, but the album isn't as dance-friendly as Prince's efforts post or prior.
3. Dirty Mind
"Dirty Mind" proved that Prince's talent on his first two albums wasn't a fluke and also transformed his image. The sexual energy behind his first albums became outright crassness as he pushed the boundaries with songs like "Sister" (about incest) and "Head" (wherein a bride cheats on her husband on her wedding day). But underneath the ludicrous, salacious, sex-crazed lyrics is an undeniable talent for bringing the capital-F Funk. Prince plays just about every instrument and sings just about every part on the album. Outside contributions can be counted on one hand — production included.
2. Purple Rain
"Purple Rain" is the way-too-good soundtrack to a horrid movie, and yet it made Prince into a megastar. Listening to it, it's easy to see why — every single track is amazing. From the opening sermon of "Let's Go Crazy" through the bass-less dance wonder "When Doves Cry" to the club-rocking penultimate jam "Baby I'm a Star" into the slow and emotional crowd-pleaser "Purple Rain," Prince offered the slickest and best picture of the funk-pop sound he invented and perfected.
1. Sign O' the Times
It's Prince's most varied, most socially conscious, and perhaps most ambitious work ever. It's not even one I listen to particularly frequently — it has fewer of Prince's ridiculous dance songs and more of his quiet and thoughtful introspection. It works best taken in all of its 80 minutes at once to better appreciate the incredible range of sound he covers, from slow R&B and sunny pop (the aptly named "Slow Love" and "Play In the Sunshine") to grimy electronic funk ("Hot Thing") and Marvin Gaye-esque world-weary soul ("Sign O' the Times"). There's a lot here, and it's all pulled off well. Prince proves that he has the magic touch on just about any genre or sound.
