Even though the deaths of our Black music icons hit just as hard as the last one, it’s still hard to wrap our heads around losing Prince Rogers Nelson 10 years ago to the day (April 21).
From mastering all aspects of musicology to redefining what it means to be a rock star through a combination of art, fashion and sex appeal aplenty, there simply was no one that has or ever will do it quite like The Purple One.
Even though The Prince Estate respectfully opted for a moment of silence to honor his memory by posting a simple-yet-sweet tribute post (seen above), we felt it was necessary to turn up the volume in celebration of his greatest gift to the world.
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It almost seems as if Prince never stopped recording music, starting from his soulful beginnings in 1978 right down to his somber end in 2016. In the near four decades in-between, he dabbled in establishing himself as a pioneer in R&B, rock, pop, electronica, jazz, grunge and even hip-hop culture. His musical output puts everyone to shame, amassing over four dozen studio albums that don’t even include his series of side bands. While his relationship with the politics of the music business never quite meshed, it was his direct love for the music itself that resulted in a equal adoration from all those tuned in.
Even with his untimely death at 57 years old, it still felt like he had so much more to give.
For every hit in Prince’s catalog, there’s about a dozen more diamond deep cuts to discover. We did the tedious task of sifting through all his solo LPs and picking our personal standouts. Let this be the starting point though for your Prince deep dive, as we simply scratched the surface of what he’s blessed us all with sonically.
R.I.P. to The Purple One! Keep scrolling for a special “B-Side Bangers” tribute to Prince with a recap of his best deep cuts:
1. “Crazy You” (1978) Album: For You
2. “When We’re Dancing Close and Slow” (1979) Album: Prince
3. “Sister” (1980) Album: Dirty Mind
4. “Annie Christian” (1981) Album: Controversy
5. “Free” (1982) Album: 1999
6. “Computer Blue” (1984) Album: Purple Rain
7. “Tamborine” (1985) Album:Around the World in a Day
