Prince was a musical innovator known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant dress sense and extraordinary vocal range. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling artists of all time. He won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar for the film Purple Rain. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004
Simply known as Prince, his full name was Prince Rogers Nelson and he was born in Minneapolis, USA in 1958. As the son of jazz musicians he developed an interest in music as a young child. He signed a recording contract with Warner Bros at the age of 18, and released his debut album For You in 1978, which he supposedly played all 26 instruments on himself. His 1979 album Prince went platinum, and his next three albums - Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982) continued his success, showcasing Prince's prominently sexual lyrics and blending of funk, dance, and rock music. Prince and The Revolution's, his backup band, release of Purple Rain in 1984, along with the film of the same name, established Prince amongst the top rank of popular musicians of the 1980s. The Revolution disbanded in 1986, and Prince released the double album Sign O' The Times in 1987 as a solo artist. He released three more solo albums before debuting the New Power Generation band in 1991.
In 1993, while in a contractual dispute with Warner Bros., he changed his stage name to Prince logo.svg, an unpronounceable symbol, and began releasing new albums at a faster pace to remove himself from contractual obligations. He released five records between 1994 and 1996 before signing with Arista Records in 1998. In 2000, he began referring to himself as "Prince" again. He released 16 albums after that, including the platinum-selling Musicology. His final album, Hit n Run Phase Two, was first released via streaming service in 2015. Prince sadly died on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57.
www.officialprincemusic.com
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