Prince Is on the Radio! On-air Influences and Online Legacies

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article explores Prince’s associations with traditional radio as well his presence on digital audio platforms. I suggest he had affinity for the medium and an innate understanding of how radio works. As Matt Thorne (2012, 17) comments, much has been made of Prince’s early radio listening, especially the combination of “white and Black music that may have shaped his sound.” I argue that the impact of eclectic radio programming at an early age left an indelible imprint on Prince’s subsequent artistic output. The self-curated playlists of local Minneapolis DJs exposed him to disparate artists and helped form his unique amalgam of influences. This article also considers the censorship of Prince on the radio and his successes and failures in gaining airplay. I apply Henry Jenkins theories on participatory fan culture to the creation of Prince-related podcasts—fan endeavours that offer insight into his remarkable life and career.