For this task I have chosen to study Prince, as he has had a long and very successful music career as well as being a very talented actor,musician, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer, songwriter, record producer and dancer. His music has been influenced by Rock, R&B, Soul, Funk, Hip-Hop, Electronica, Disco, Jazz and Pop so the numerous genres coincide with our chosen song and also give an idea of his wide audience.
Prince started his music career in 1976 and is still working to this present day. Having produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career Princes' fan base has expanded. 'For You' his debut album was released in 1978 but only reached 163 on The Billboard 200. Although the reviews are not bad, many believed it didn't quite show his true potential. His 1979 self titled album 'Prince' however, went platinum and this is when his career truly began. The album showcases his very sexual lyrics which Prince has now become known for. The sleeve also reflects the songs on the album and show his very out there and extravagant style. From his debut album to his second album you see a big style transformation as the 'For You' artwork is very plain and simple compared to the very bold style in the second cover work.
In 1984, Prince began to call his back up band the Revolution and the album Purple Rain was released. The album sold over 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Along with this album the film also titled 'Purple Rain' won an Academy Award and grossed more than $80 million. The success of both the film and the album promoted Prince even more and showcased his growing popularity. After 1986 the Revolution disbanded and Prince slightly altered his music. After the Revolution, he debuted the New Power Generation band in 1991. This band had far more input with the overall sound, something which the Revolution never had. This shows that throughout his career the change of bands has also slightly altered his sound and maybe also changing his audience.
In 1994, Prince set out to eject himself from his contractual obligations to Warner Bros as he believed 'the label was intent on limiting his artistic freedom'. It is clear that the numerous changes in his career are important to him as he is allowed to experiment all trying to entertain and expand his audience. Prince also blamed Warner Bros for the poor marketing of 'The Love Symbol' album. As marketing and promoting is such a key stage in the releasing of an album it is clear that Princes' low success with certain albums could be because of the insufficient marketing from the Record Label. He was desperate to disconnect himself with the label so went to the extremity of changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol known as 'The Love Symbol'.
“The first step I
have taken toward the ultimate goal of emancipation from the chains that bind
me to Warner Bros. was to change my name from Prince to the Love Symbol. 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 the Love Symbol, 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.”
His contract with Warner Bros expired and in 1998 he signed to a new label Arista Records. In 2000, he returned to using the name 'Prince' but continued using the symbol on his album artwork.
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