Prince is Gone, But His Impact Will Never Die
News of the legendary musician Prince’s death on Thursday, April 21, sent shockwaves throughout the world, with fans and admirers mourning the loss of such a remarkable figure at such an unexpected time. The man who brought us classics like Purple Rain and When Doves Cry was only 57 at the time of his passing— still young by many standards. As the story broke, many turned to social media to honor and commemorate his legacy, to tell of personal stories with the infamously enigmatic figure, and to declare (just in case anyone was wondering, hoping) that there are no copies — no other person to fill his spot nor assume the role of a genre-bending, groundbreaking, transformational force in popular music. Simply put: don’t waste your time looking for another Prince Rogers Nelson. His talent is one of a kind.
I agree. Anyone who has taken the time to familiarize themselves with his body of work — a staggering 39 studio albums, movies, live records, and more — knows that his type of genius was more than hard work or grooming, it was the result of someone aware of that magic, bold enough to capitalize on it, and generous enough to share it with the world. His first album, released while he was 19, featured only one person, himself, on vocals and over 20 instruments, in addition to writing every track. He later proved his ability to elevate his one-man show art through performance and stunning visuals as well. Of course, he is not the only person to possess the skill to compose and record music, but his was a uniqueness and an excellence that could not only be seen, but felt.
Subsequently, for the last 30 or so years, his music and approach to business has rippled across the industry and appeared, with attribution or by too-similar-to-be-happenstance parallels, in a variety of ways. Of course, Prince groomed a number of artists from Vanity 6 to Morris Day and The Time, in the earlier part of his career. But more recently, the star also had a hand in supporting and mentoring artists Janelle Monae, Lianne La Havas, Judith Hill, and R&B trio KING. For these ladies, he worked, wrote for, recorded, and/or performed with, as a sign of approval and, perhaps unknowingly, to carry on his legacy.
Yet, while those efforts and experiences were direct, there even more artists whose entire sound and approach are a result of having listened to Prince’s work. Singers like D’Angelo, Maxwell, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce have been inspired by the artist’s iconic falsetto, vocal and instrumental arrangements, and even the explicit content of lyrics in his earlier works. And the list doesn’t end there, artists from Lady Gaga to Nine Inch Nails, Madonna, and 2 Pac have sampled Prince’s music, using it create hits of their own.
Following his passing, he re-entered Billboard’s top charts, with many remembering and, for some, encountering for the first time, his timeless music. While new material from modern artists will overtake his posthumous surge in a few weeks, Prince’s music will not be too far from our collective memory. In one way or another, the music we’ll hear will be inspired by him or inspired by someone he impacted. Like once in a lifetime stars of his stature, he won’t fade away — he’s become a part of the fabric of music, and will likely be for the rest of our lifetimes.
