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Music

Counterbalance 26: Prince - 'Sign o' the Times'

Prince’s 1987 Sign o' the Times was His Royal Badness’ second double LP. Counterbalance discuss this critics’ darling over starfish and coffee.

Recent
Music

The 20 Best Album Re-Issues of 2019

In 2019, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock legends to foundational electronic artists, soul and jazz to pop of all stripes.

Books

Morris Day Gives the Reader a Funky Take on a Life in Funk with 'On Time'

Day built his everything on top of Prince's everything, and it's no secret. In his memoir, On Time, he channels the superstar to enjoyable effect.

Music

Another Treasure Trove Emerges from Prince's Vaults with 'Originals'

A collection of 15 highly enjoyable demos of songs written for other artists is another reminder – as if we needed one – of why we love Prince Rogers Nelson.

Music

The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2018

In 2018, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and electronic to pop of all stripes.

Music

The 10 Most Famous Albums That Never Saw the Light of Day

Here's 10 albums that never happened but are still discussed among fans and often recreated in some shape or form by the original artists, inspired musicians, or just hungry fans.

Books

Prince Shall Forever Remain the Enigma: 'This Thing Called Life'

Instead of cherry-picking facts and quotes, Joseph Vogel lets Prince's legacy shine in all its vague and erratic splendor.

Books

There's Fun to Be Found in Artistic Appropriation

Beg, Steal, and Borrow: Artists Against Originality gives some history -- and brings some levity -- to the subject of unoriginality.

Music

The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2017

In 2017, the music world saw amazing reissues from all over the genre map, spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and jazz to soul.

Interviews

The Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli Talks About 'In Spades', Prince, and the Critical Beat

Greg Dulli tells PopMatters that "nothing's excluded when it comes time to write a song... I am absolutely omnivorous."

Reviews

'Complicated Fun' Is a Thorough Study of the Glory Days of the Twin Cities Punk and Indie Scenes

The tales of a record store, a set of like-minded club owners, and a record label all tie together into a beautiful narrative of the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene.

Music

Prince's Classic Finally Expanded: The Deluxe 'Purple Rain' Reissue

Over a year after Prince's stunning death, Warner Bros. offers the first ever expanded edition of the classic Purple Rain. How can something be so amazing and so frustrating at the same time?

Interviews

You Say You Want A Revolution: André Cymone Talks Merging Poetic, Personal

After a 25-plus-year hiatus, Anqdré Cymone has begun speaking his mind. In so doing, he's providing a much-needed missive about the state of the world.

Music

Prince's Revolution Celebrates His Greatest Era

Members of the Revolution are still reeling from the death of Prince and tell us about what working with him was like.

Greg Kot
Books

'Bar Yarns and Manic-Depressive Mixtapes', or, Music criticism, Minnesota-style

Jim Walsh’s writing combines heartfelt personal stories with knowledgeable music criticism. Reading this collection feels like having a conversation with an old friend.

Music

Phil Collins: Singles

The main question with Singles is this: does Phil Collins really deserve all the critical revilement he's gotten for decades?

Music

Frank Ocean and a Short History of Spite Albums

Frank Ocean's Endless, the decidedly less commercial of his two recent releases, might just be a victory for artists who've been forced to release music to fulfill contractual obligations. Here's a look at some of history's more significant spite albums.

Music

The Bangles: Ladies and Gentleman... the Bangles!

These earliest recordings of the Bangles showcase their chops as a live group and an excellent grasp of songwriting and melody writing. It's a must-have for die-hards and those wishing to delve deeper into the group's discography.

Music

Perhaps Prince Really Did Die 4 Us

On what would have been the groundbreaking musician's 58th birthday, a reflection on his final chord.

Music

Water Baby: A Eulogy for Our Departed Prince

More than a genius, not simply an enigma, to understand and appreciate Prince one must let go of binary sexuality and appreciate the liquidity and flow of his vision and identity.

Jane Clare Jones
Music

Prince: Never Stop Arguing

Prince's life is over but his music is not, and that music was never just about him, and it was never just about me, and it was never just about you.

Music

The Minneapolis Club Where Prince Truly Came to Life

The curvy, rugged, black club in downtown Minneapolis is a living, breathing, thriving testament to Prince's legacy.

Chris Riemenschneider
Music

Prince and Michael Jackson: The Rivalry and the Revolution

Deemed As polar opposites by the media, part of what made the Prince v Jackson rivalry so compelling was their similarities.

Joseph Vogel
Music

Remembering Prince

Prince’s passing feels more significant and deserving of commemoration because his artistry felt so all-encompassing that even his music, in all its purple majesty, couldn’t contain it.

Jonathan Garrett
Music

On Going Preadolescent Batshit With Prince's 'Batman'

Prince was my chaperone away from the music of my parents’ generation towards something forbidden, dangerous, pleasurable, weird, and shockingly modern.

Zeth Lundy
Music

Prince: Something That You'll Never Understand

Prince didn't care where you went. He didn't care what you did. And he couldn't take U with him.

Music

4 the Tears in Your Eyes: Remembering Prince

A reflection on the life and death of Prince, one of popular music's greatest artists.

Music

Always Cry 4 Love, Never Cry 4 Pain: Prince's 30-year 'Parade'

On Parade, Prince allows an openness to ideas and collaboration to a degree he’d never experienced before, and it brings out the best in him.

Music

Prince: HITNRUN Phase Two

Phase Two boasts enough classic Prince moments to sufficiently wash the worst memories of its vapid predecessor out of fans’ memory banks permanently.

Music

Wendy & Lisa: Fruit at the Bottom

The late ‘80s album gets a fresh work-out with re-mastered expanded edition, featuring Prince remix.

Music

Prince - "Stare" (audio) (Singles Going Steady)

A few weeks after removing all his music from Spotify, the always unpredictable Prince has delivered his new track “Stare” exclusively (so far) to the service.

Music

Lianne La Havas: Blood

With Blood, Lianne La Havas rediscovers herself and adds a prefix to her name.

Music

A Blockbuster Turns 30: Alan Light Talks About Prince and 'Purple Rain'

Music journalist and author of Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain Alan Light talks with PopMatters about Prince's one-of-a-kind perfect album.

David Chiu
Music

The Best Albums of 2014

From Polish black metal to mind-blowing progressive R&B and electronic music, 2014's best albums certainly have something for everyone.

Music

The Best R&B of 2014

With no small amount of soul and passion, the best R&B records of 2014 will make you feel the power of love.

Colin McGuire and Devone Jones
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