By Michael Galvis, Editor
Music icon Prince died Thursday, April 21, at the age of 57, according to his publicist. The music superstar joins the ranks of Michael Jackson and David Bowie. Here's a look back at his fame, fortune and death.
Prince Net Worth: $300 Million
Prince was found dead at his Paisley Park residence in Chanhassen, Minn. Though the cause of death is currently unknown, the singer had previously been rushed to an Illinois hospital to be treated for the flu, which he had been battling for weeks.
"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57," said his publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure.
At the time of his death, Prince had a $300 million net worth, owed to more than 100 million album sales worldwide and successful concert tours. His estate's net worth is expected to increase as the late singer reportedly has several hundred unreleased songs.
Prince Music and Record Sales
Prince's unique combination of R&B, rock, soul, funk, disco, jazz and pop helped launch his career as the pioneer of "the Minneapolis sound" and a legendary musician who collaborated with the likes of Stevie Nicks, Madonna and collaborator Sheila E., among others.
Throughout his decades-long career, Prince had five chart-topping songs and 14 singles in the Top 10, along with 30 Grammy nominations and seven Grammy Awards. He also took home the Oscar for Original Song Score with his 1984 semi-autobiographical musical drama "Purple Rain." The soundtrack sold more than 25 million copies.
Some of the most recognizable and popular Prince songs topping the Billboard charts include "When Doves Cry," "Kiss," "Raspberry Beret," "Little Red Corvette" and "1999."
Songs Prince Wrote
Although Prince was largely known for the music he performed, the late musician was also a talented songwriter. A few of the songs he wrote that became hits include:
How to Listen to Prince Music
In the summer of 2015, Prince pulled his music from all streaming services except for Tidal, the service owned by Jay Z, Beyonce, Rihanna and other artists. Prince advocated against Spotify, tweeting once a quote from The Daily Beast that claimed record labels owned 20 percent of the company's stock.
Although a Tidal Premium subscription costs $9.99 or $19.99 for a HiFi subscription, Prince fans can purchase his music at nearly any retailer.
Best-Selling Prince Songs on iTunes, Amazon
Following Prince's death, forty five of Amazon's 50 best-selling songs belong to The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Topping Amazon's chart at No. 1 is Prince's "Purple Rain." "When Doves Cry" comes in at No. 2 and "Raspberry Beret" at No. 5.
Songs from his album "Royal Badness" account for 17 of the top 20 best-selling songs on iTunes, with Prince's "When Doves Cry" appearing three times, "Let's Go Crazy" showing up twice and "Purple Rain" showing up twice, thanks to the songs appearing on multiple albums.
Prince Tours
Prince's touring strategy was a boon to music fans who enjoy an intimate club environment and big arena shows.
In 2013, Prince played a handful of small-venue shows, taking multi-day residencies at venues like the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego and The Showbox in Seattle. Tickets for these shows went for a few hundred dollars apiece.
In 2011, he played 21 nights at venues across Los Angeles including a dozen performances at The Forum, where tickets were as low as $25. Performances lasted for multiple hours and featured a multitude of guests including Stevie Wonder and Gwen Stefani.
Prince's final performances were at two sold-out shows at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
Prince's Legal Battle With Warner Bros.
Prince was a firm proponent of artists controlling how labels make and profit off their music. In August 2015, when speaking to a group of reporters from the National Association of Black Journalists, he compared the relationship between labels and artists as indentured servitude, saying:
"Record labels are just like -- I'm gonna say the word -- slavery. I would tell any young artist ... don't sign."
Prince was famously involved in a legal battle with his former label, Warner Bros., over the artistic and financial control of his music. It was during this time that he changed his name to a symbol and was referred to as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. His first record label, Paisley Park Records, was distributed and funded by Warner Bros., which cut ties with Paisley Park after the legal dispute.
Prince eventually went on to found NPG Records. He used the record label to distribute his music.
Prince Remembered Worldwide
Following his death, fans and A-list celebrities worldwide remembered Prince. Videos of Prince's Super Bowl performance in 2007 and a Dave Chappelle skit on Prince went viral. Here's a breakdown of how fans are remembering the last artist:
1. Prince's Wife Mayte Garcia Comments on His Death
Mayte Garcia was Prince's wife and the inspiration behind his hit song "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." In a statement issued through her manager Gladys Gonzalez, Garcia said, "This man was my everything, we had a family. I am beyond deeply saddened and devastated."
The couple had one child together, who tragically died one week after his birth. Boy Gregory was born to Mayte Garcia on Oct. 16, 1996, and passed away from complications of Pfeiffer syndrome, a rare birth defect.
2. Stevie Wonder Gives Emotional Tribute
Stevie Wonder played a rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain" on the piano in honor of the artist. In an interview with CNN, he said, "I'm just glad I was able to say to him 'I love you' the last time I saw him."
3. Barack Obama and Other Celebrities Post on Facebook, Twitter
Early on April 21, President Barack Obama posted a tribute to Prince, writing, "Today, the world lost a creative icon." Other celebrities that commented on Prince's death include Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry and Madonna.
3. Mariah Carey Sings 'One Sweet Day' in Prince's Honor
When Mariah Carey took the stage at Paris' AccorHotels Arena to perform for her Sweet Fantasy World Tour, she said, "I didn't know if I was able to come out here and put on a show and be festive ... He was a friend to me, too, and he talked me through some times I really, really needed somebody. He was an incredible person if you never got to meet him."
In his honor, she asked the audience for a moment of silence before singing "One Sweet Day."
4. MTV Airs Prince Music Videos
In a throwback, MTV aired an impromptu marathon of Prince music videos. Slate reported Prince had most of his music videos removed from YouTube, so the music videos were a rare opportunity to see the musician's work.
5. Fans Post Photos of Prince's Final Concert
In tribute to The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, fans shared photos from Prince's sold-out shows at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. One fan posted video of Prince's last live performance of "Purple Rain":
6. Prince's Friend Van Jones Speaks on CNN
Van Jones, a friend of Prince, teared up on-air talking about the musician. "The genius of him, the music was just one way to express it," he told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "Prince never called you on a good day. If you had a bad day -- that's when he would call you."
7. Boston's Zakim Bridge Lit Purple
In honor of the musician, Boston's Zakim Bridge was lit purple on April 21, the night following Prince's death. Gov. Charlie Baker directed other landmarks to be lit purple, as well.
Autumn Rose contributed to this article.
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