Prince

Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1958 to musician parents. A prodigy who taught himself dozens of instruments, he signed a record deal as a teenager and released his debut album, For You, in 1978, playing nearly every note himself. From his home city he built a distinctive sound that fused funk, rock, new wave, and R&B into what became known as the Minneapolis sound.

His 1982 double album 1999 made him a star, and Purple Rain in 1984, paired with the hit film of the same name, made him a phenomenon, earning him an Academy Award for its score. Restlessly prolific, he released albums at an astonishing pace, wrote hits for other artists, and famously changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol during a dispute over control of his music.

Prince spent his later years recording and performing from Paisley Park, his studio complex outside Minneapolis, where he died in 2016 at age 57 from an accidental overdose of prescription medication. His 2007 Super Bowl halftime show is remembered as one of the greatest ever staged. A vast archive of unreleased music continues to emerge, confirming a creative force with few equals in American music.

A virtuoso musician and prolific songwriter, Prince blended funk, rock, and pop into a sound entirely his own and guarded his artistic freedom fiercely.