Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, and actor. Often credited as an influence on music and one of the greatest musicians of his era, he pioneered the Minneapolis sound and was influential in the evolution of various other genres of music. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 18, releasing his first album, For You, two years later. He went on to achieve critical success with his albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). In 1984, Prince became the first singer to simultaneously have a number-one film, album and single in the United States, with Purple Rain, its soundtrack, and "When Doves Cry" respectively, the latter being the biggest hit single of the year. The album, recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, spent six consecutive months atop the United States Billboard 200 chart and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released his first independent double LP in 1987, titled Sign o' the Times, widely lauded by critics as the greatest work of his career and one of the greatest records in music history. In 1993, in the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros., Prince changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol , known to fans as the "Love Symbol". After signing a contract with Arista Records in 1998, Prince reverted to his original...