No musician in the pop pantheon has made it harder to find their work than Prince, which is frustrating if his death last Thursday at age 57 piqued your interest in his discography.
The Purple One’s music isn’t available on Spotify or YouTube — he’s on Tidal, of course — and the Knight Library here at University of Oregon only carries two Prince albums: 2004’s Musicology, one of his many disappointing post-prime efforts, and 1984’s Purple Rain.
For those too scrupulous to pirate, the cheapest option is to dig around in bargain bins or buy his work on iTunes. But if you have no conception of Prince’s music, you might not find it worthwhile to just buy a full album. Luckily, we at the Emerald put together this guide to the best Prince albums to start with depending on your musical taste.
Dirty Mind (1980)
This is His Purpleness’s poppiest album, and at just under half an hour, it’s a quick and easy listen. Like Purple Rain, it’s not particularly experimental. But it’s hooky as hell, and it’s also one of his dirtiest albums, featuring the ludicrous homewrecker fantasy “Head” and a little ditty about incest called “Sister.” Not for kids.
1999 (1982)
1999 is perhaps the best demonstration of what Prince was capable of. It’s got radio hits like “1999” and “Delirious,” but most of it is given up to paranoid, seven-plus-minute drum machine jams that prefigure house and techno. Though it won’t appeal to anyone looking for short, snappy pop songs, it’s the best Prince album for those of us with more out-there tastes.
Purple Rain (1984)
Purple Rain is Prince’s most rock-oriented album, heavy on guitar solos and light on experimentation. If you want something gnarly and out-there, this one isn’t for you. But it’s a great album, and it’s got some of his most ubiquitous jams, including “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy” and the epic title track.
Sign ‘O’ The Times (1987)
This sprawling double album is a combination of three or four half-finished projects the singer was working on in the mid-‘80s. There’s something here for everyone, from the pure pop of “Starfish and Coffee” to the Blade Runner balladry of “If I Was Your Girlfriend” to the avant-garde minimalism of “Forever In My Life.”
The Hits/The B-Sides (1993)
Though it’ll be a bit pricier than any of his albums, this triple-disc set is as good an overview of Prince’s prolific and daunting career as you’re likely to get. There’s a lot of great songs on the two “Hits” sides, but the real gems here are the non-album B-sides on disc three, including the immortal piano ballad “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?”
Other options
Prince’s 1979 self-titled is a solid pop-rock album. 1985’s Around The World In A Day is a bizarre tribute to the psych-pop of the late-‘60s. 1986’s Parade plays like the film soundtrack it is, but it has a few of the singer’s best songs, including “Kiss.” And if you can find it, 1994’s legendary Black Album is the Purple One’s weirdest, funniest and funkiest outing.
