Music discovery · Influence explorer

Artists like Prince — and the music that made them

Funk Rock · 1978-2016

Purple genius who revolutionized pop with funk-rock mystique

Prince Rogers Nelson was a Minneapolis-born musical virtuoso who could play virtually every instrument and wrote timeless hits spanning funk, rock, R&B, and pop. His fearless creativity, provocative sexuality, and fierce independence made him one of music's most influential and enigmatic figures.

Essential tracks

►Purple Rain

►When Doves Cry

►Kiss

Did you know

He recorded over 50 fully produced albums that remain unreleased in his vault

Purple Rain was recorded live in a single take at First Avenue nightclub

He once challenged Charlie Murphy to a basketball game while wearing high heels and won

“Genre-defying virtuoso who merged funk, rock, pop, and sexuality into sonic perfection.”

generations
of influence

Influence tree

Trace Prince's roots back through history

Every sound has a source. Click any node to hear the connection.

Prince

1978-2016

Sly & The Family Stone

1967-1983

cited

Jimi Hendrix

1966-1970

cited

James Brown

1956-2006

cited

Stevie Wonder

1961-present

cited

The Beatles

1960-1970

sonic

Joni Mitchell

1968-present

cited

Parliament-Funkadelic

1970-1981

cited

Duke Ellington

1914-1974

movement

Carlos Santana

1969-present

sonic

Curtis Mayfield

1958-1999

cited

↑ Click any influence node to see the connection and where to start listening.

What makes the sound

Sonic elements

Falsetto vocals over funk rhythms

Multi-layered studio production

Guitar-synthesizer interplay

Sexual lyrical themes

Start with these tracks

Purple Rain

Kiss

1999

When Doves Cry

If you like Prince, try these

D'Angelo

Neo-soul pioneer with Prince's sensuality and multi-instrumental mastery.

1990s · Neo-Soul

Janelle Monáe

Theatrical funk-pop visionary with Prince's genre-blending and artistic independence.

2000s · Afrofuturism

The Weeknd

Dark pop sensuality and falsetto vocals echo Prince's seductive mystique.

2010s · Alternative R&B

Lenny Kravitz

Rock-funk hybrid with multi-instrumental prowess and vintage aesthetic.

1990s · Rock

OutKast

Funk-hip hop fusion with Prince's experimental spirit and sexual frankness.

1990s · Hip-Hop

Tame Impala

Psychedelic pop with Prince's studio wizardry and genre experimentation.

2010s · Psychedelic Pop

About this page

Music like Prince — Prince Rogers Nelson was a Minneapolis-born musical virtuoso who could play virtually every instrument and wrote timeless hits spanning funk, rock, R&B, and pop. His fearless creativity, provocative sexuality, and fierce independence made him one of music's most influential and enigmatic figures.

Artists like Prince today include D'Angelo, Janelle Monáe, The Weeknd, Lenny Kravitz. If you enjoy Prince, these artists share similar sonic qualities, influences, and emotional range.

Bands like Prince and songs like Prince are among the most searched music discovery queries — rootz.guru goes deeper by tracing the roots of the sound itself, not just surface-level similarity.