10 Amazing Musicians We Lost In The 2010s

Prince was an anomaly throughout his entire career. Coming from the local music scene of Minneapolis, Prince became known for blending the musical styles of soul, funk, and rock mixed into a neat package.

Looking back, Prince, or the Artist formerly known as Prince, truly was a musical genius, with a seemingly endless supply of classic songs from the slickness of 1999 to the bombastic Purple Rain to the double album epic Sign o the Times. Even as he faded from public view, Prince refused to stop being an artist. He continued to explore different musical sounds such as jazz and experimental music. When his record label tried to control him, Prince stuck to his guns and went to war with Warner Bros. in order to ensure his control over the music he made.

Prince's impact can be felt prominently in today's R&B scene. The sensual nature of artists like Bruno Mars and The Weeknd seem to have a few shades of the Purple One, while artists like Janelle Monae and Alicia Keys have opened up about the impeccable musicianship of Prince. The 80's were known to have many superficial pop acts, but Prince showed us all how a true artist crafts their work.