Timeline : Prince
Sinead O'Connor's cover of the Prince song "Nothing Compares 2 U" goes to #1 in America, where it stays for four weeks. It thrusts O'Connor into the spotlight, which she quickly rejects, finding the rituals of fame vapid and materialistic. Two years later, she makes news for tearing up a picture of the Pope on live TV.
Prince releases his album Graffiti Bridge, which contains the tracks "Thieves In The Temple" and "New Power Generation."More
Prince trademarks the male/female symbol he has been using on various album covers and promotional materials. He later re-designs the symbol and uses it as his name.More
Prince, 37, marries the 22-year-old model/belly dancer Mayte Garcia at a ceremony in Minneapolis. White doves are released when they exchange vows - no word on if they were crying. The marriage is annulled three years later, and Garcia takes up with Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe.
Prince (who is using an unpronounceable symbol as his name) injures his ankle performing at a show in Atlantic City and is forced to postpone his remaining tour dates.
Prince, who is now using an unpronounceable symbol for his moniker, sues nine websites to prevent unauthorized downloads. He takes another stand in 2007 when he sues other sites to remove images of him.
A judge dismisses a case brought against Prince in 1994 claiming he stole the idea for his symbol-shaped guitar. In the opinion, the judge writes: "Defendant may as well have had this protracted litigation in mind when he lyrically asked: 'Why do we scream at each other. This is what it sounds like. When doves cry.'"
With his Warner Bros. contract terminated, Prince starts using that name again. He changed it to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993 after a dispute with the label.
Prince launches the NPG Music Club, one of the first music subscription services. The club acts as a virtual hub for the Prince faithful, with a thriving community, online access to his music, VIP passes to concerts and other exclusives. It runs until 2006, when Prince shuts it down, saying it "has gone as far as it can go."
Prince kicks off his Musicology tour with a show in Reno, Nevada. The average ticket costs $61, which includes a copy of the Musicology album. These are counted as sales according to Billboard, so the album rises to #3 (his previous three albums failed to chart). The tour takes in $87.4 million, making it the highest-grossing of 2004.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducts Bob Seger, George Harrison, The Dells, ZZ Top, Jackson Browne, Prince, and Traffic at their annual ceremony in New York City.
Prince wows at the Super Bowl halftime show, closing with an otherworldly rendition of "Purple Rain" in the rain.More
Forced to do a press conference to promote his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, Prince answers the first question with a guitar lick, then turns the event into a concert, leaving reporters stunned.
Prince gives away free copies of his latest album Planet Earth with the UK newspaper Mail On Sunday. The unconventional distribution rankles record retailers, but helps promote his run of 21 shows at the O2 Arena in London, which sell out.
Prince launches Lotusflow3r.com, which for $77 subscriptions, offers access to his videos and music. It shuts down after a year.
At the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Prince plays his last concert, as he dies a week later. His last song is "Purple Rain."
Following his unexpected death, Prince takes the top two spots on the Billboard albums chart with The Very Best of Prince at #1 and Purple Rain at #2. With his music unavailable on most streaming services and download distributors, physical albums are in many cases the best way to get his music.
Pantone announces a new color: a purple hue in honor of Prince named after his famous symbol (Love Symbol #2).
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