Topics in Recorded Music: Prince

Catalog description

One of the top-selling and most gifted and musically versatile artists in the history of popular music, Prince remains an enigmatic and visionary multi-talented performer, songwriter and producer. Prince’s unique history is worth deconstructing: when the 19-year-old shopped his music to recording companies in 1977, he demanded creative control. In a striking move Warner Brothers Records, with no precedent, gave it to him, kicking off a longstanding, groundbreaking, genre-straddling career that continues to this day. To this day, Prince’s music addresses sexuality, politics, social issues and personal identity in a way unseen in previous generations of popular music. He confounded his core R&B audience with New Wave experiments; angered his rock following with gender-bending displays; caused the government to force the recording industry into parental advisory labeling; frustrated his label with non-commercial choices, challenging the notion of what is commercial; established his own label; melded the live and recording business with unique delivery systems of his output, and much more. Prince’s trailblazing path was a prime example of the strength of a new generation of Midwestern, baby boomer performers who carried a bold “Gen X” attitude: Prince (from Minnesota) was born in the same three-month period as Madonna (Michigan) and Michael Jackson (Indiana). This class, through readings, music listening, video clips, film screenings, special guests and performances, will explore the joys and contradictions of Prince’s music and business practices.