Editing Prince (musician) (section)

=== 2000–2007: ''Musicology'' and ''3121''  ===
On May 16, 2000, Prince stopped using the Love Symbol as his name, since his publishing contract with [[Warner Chappell Music|Warner/Chappell]] had expired. In a press conference, he stated that after being freed from undesirable relationships associated with the name "Prince", he would revert to using his real name. Nevertheless, Prince continued to use the symbol as a logo and on album artwork and to play a Love Symbol–shaped guitar. For several years following the release of ''Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic'', Prince primarily released new music through his Internet subscription service, NPGOnlineLtd.com, which later became NPGMusicClub.com.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bugbee|first1=Teo|title=Taylor Swift Follows Prince: The Artist Who Tamed the Corporate Giant|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/25/taylor-swift-is-the-new-prince-the-artist-that-tamed-the-corporate-giant.html|newspaper=The Daily Beast|access-date=May 8, 2016|date=June 25, 2015|archive-date=May 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506094200/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/25/taylor-swift-is-the-new-prince-the-artist-that-tamed-the-corporate-giant.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Albums from this period are ''[[Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic]]'' (2001), ''[[The Rainbow Children]]'' (2001), ''[[One Nite Alone...]]'' (2002), ''[[Xpectation]]'' (2003), ''[[C-Note (album)|C-Note]]'' (2004), ''[[The Chocolate Invasion]]'' (2004) and ''[[The Slaughterhouse]]'' (2004).

In 2001, Warner Bros. released a second compilation album, ''[[The Very Best of Prince]]'', containing most of his commercially successful singles from the 1980s. In 2002, Prince released his first live album, ''[[One Nite Alone... Live!]]'', which features performances from the [[One Nite Alone...Tour]]. The three-CD box set also includes a disc of "aftershow" music entitled ''It Ain't Over!''. During this time, Prince sought to engage more effectively with his fan base via the [[NPG Music Club]], pre-concert sound checks, and at yearly "celebrations" at Paisley Park, his music studios. Fans were invited into the studio for tours, interviews, discussions and music-listening sessions. Some of these fan discussions were filmed for an [[Unreleased Prince projects#Untitled Kevin Smith-directed documentary|unreleased documentary]], directed by [[Kevin Smith]].

On February 8, 2004, Prince appeared at the [[46th Annual Grammy Awards]] with [[Beyoncé]].<ref name="guardiansweeting" /><ref name="billboardrys">{{cite magazine|last1=Rys|first1=Dan|title=Prince and Beyonce at the 2004 Grammy Awards: The Story Behind How the Duet Came Together|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7341600/prince-beyonce-2004-grammy-awards-duet-producer-ken-ehrlich-interview|access-date=April 23, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=April 21, 2016|archive-date=April 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423124903/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7341600/prince-beyonce-2004-grammy-awards-duet-producer-ken-ehrlich-interview|url-status=live}}</ref> In a performance that opened the show, they performed a medley of "Purple Rain", "Let's Go Crazy", "[[Baby I'm a Star]]", and Beyoncé's "[[Crazy in Love]]".<ref name="usatodayryan">{{cite news|last1=Ryan|first1=Patrick|title=6 of Prince's most legendary live performances you need to see|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/04/21/prince-best-performances/83343520/|access-date=April 23, 2016|work=[[USA Today]]|date=April 21, 2016|archive-date=April 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422221656/http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/04/21/prince-best-performances/83343520/|url-status=live}}</ref> The following month, Prince was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].<ref name="mtvwiederhorn">{{cite web|last1=Wiederhorn|first1=Jon|title=Kid Rock Makes Jokes, Prince Makes Peace at Rock Hall Ceremony|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1485768/kid-rock-makes-jokes-prince-makes-peace-at-rock-hall-ceremony/|publisher=MTV News|access-date=April 23, 2016|date=March 16, 2004|archive-date=December 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210101139/http://www.mtv.com/news/1485768/kid-rock-makes-jokes-prince-makes-peace-at-rock-hall-ceremony/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The award was presented to him by [[Alicia Keys]] along with [[Big Boi]] and [[André 3000]] of [[OutKast]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Brucculieri|first1=Julia|title=Alicia Keys' Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Speech For Prince Perfectly Captures His Greatness|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/entry/alicia-keys-prince-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame_us_5719439ae4b0d4d3f722d15a|access-date=April 23, 2016|work=The Huffington Post|date=April 21, 2016|archive-date=February 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215190117/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alicia-keys-prince-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame_us_5719439ae4b0d4d3f722d15a|url-status=live}}</ref> As well as performing a trio of his own hits during the ceremony, Prince also participated in a tribute to fellow inductee [[George Harrison]] in a rendering of Harrison's "[[While My Guitar Gently Weeps]]", playing a two-minute guitar solo that ended the song.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pareles|first1=Jon|author-link1=Jon Pareles|title=Prince and Harrison Among Rock Hall of Fame Inductees|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/16/nyregion/prince-and-harrison-among-rock-hall-of-fame-inductees.html|access-date=April 23, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=March 16, 2004|archive-date=June 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602180828/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/16/nyregion/prince-and-harrison-among-rock-hall-of-fame-inductees.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Nekesa |first1=Mumbi Moody |author-link=Nekesa Mumbi Moody |date=March 16, 2004 |title=Prince reigns at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/music/article/Prince-reigns-at-Rock-and-Roll-Hall-of-Fame-1139706.php |access-date=April 23, 2016 |archive-date=December 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210123214/https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/music/article/Prince-reigns-at-Rock-and-Roll-Hall-of-Fame-1139706.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="timelocker">{{cite magazine|last1=Locker|first1=Melissa|title=Watch Prince's Show-Stopping Guitar Solo at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|url=https://time.com/4303955/prince-guitar-solo-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/|access-date=April 27, 2016|magazine=Time|date=April 21, 2016|archive-date=November 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103174925/https://time.com/4303955/prince-guitar-solo-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also performed the song "[[Red House (song)|Red House]]" as "Purple House" on the album ''[[Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Greenblatt|first1=Mike|title=Jimi Hendrix: South Saturn Delta & Various Arists: Power Of Soul: A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix|url=http://www.theaquarian.com/2011/05/25/jimi-hendrix-south-saturn-delta-various-arists-power-of-soul-a-tribute-to-jimi-hendrix/|access-date=April 25, 2016|work=[[The Aquarian Weekly]]|date=May 25, 2011|archive-date=May 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508073657/http://www.theaquarian.com/2011/05/25/jimi-hendrix-south-saturn-delta-various-arists-power-of-soul-a-tribute-to-jimi-hendrix/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2004, Prince released ''[[Musicology (album)|Musicology]]'' through a one-album agreement with Columbia. The album rose as high as the top five on some international charts (including the US, UK, Germany, and Australia). The US chart success was assisted by the CDs being included as part of the concert ticket purchase, thereby qualifying each CD (as chart rules then stood) to count toward US chart placement.<ref>{{cite web| last = D'Angelo| first = Joe| title = Billboard Sours on Prince's Musicology Sales Experiment: Magazine changes policy on tallying albums sold with tickets| publisher = MTV News| date = May 28, 2004| url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1488027/20040528/prince.jhtml| access-date = May 6, 2016| archive-date = July 10, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100710132424/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1488027/20040528/prince.jhtml| url-status = dead}}</ref> Three months later, ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' named him the greatest [[frontman]] of all time.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/prince-tops-frontmen-poll|title=Prince Tops Frontmen Poll|date=July 27, 2004|magazine=[[Contactmusic.com]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629095753/http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/prince-tops-frontmen-poll|archive-date=June 29, 2013|url-status=live|access-date=June 29, 2013}}</ref> That same year, ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' magazine named Prince as the highest-earning musician in the world, with an annual income of $56.5&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite news|title=Prince Crowned 'Top Music Earner'|work=BBC News|date=February 9, 2005|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4251227.stm|access-date=May 12, 2016|archive-date=April 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427161655/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4251227.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> largely due to his [[Musicology Tour]], which [[Pollstar]] named as the top concert draw among musicians in the US. He played 96 concerts; the average ticket price for a show was US$61 ({{Inflation|US|61|2004|r=0|fmt=eq}}). ''Musicology'' went on to receive two Grammy wins, for [[Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance|Best Male R&B Vocal Performance]] for "[[Call My Name (Prince song)|Call My Name]]" and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for the [[Musicology (song)|title track]]. ''Musicology'' was also nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album, and "[[Cinnamon Girl (Prince song)|Cinnamon Girl]]" was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance|Best Male Pop Vocal Performance]]. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked Prince No. 27 on their [[Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time|list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time]].<ref name="rollingstone2004">{{cite magazine|last=Thompson|first=Ahmir|date=March 24, 2004|title=100 Greatest Artists|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/prince-20110419|access-date=May 4, 2016|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-date=September 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921055527/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/prince-20110419|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In April 2005, Prince played guitar (along with [[En Vogue]] singing backing vocals) on [[Stevie Wonder]]'s single "[[So What the Fuss]]", Wonder's first since 1999. In late 2005, Prince signed with [[Universal Music]] to release his album, ''[[3121 (album)|3121]]'', on March 21, 2006. The first single was "[[Te Amo Corazón]]", the video for which was directed by actress [[Salma Hayek]] and filmed in [[Marrakech]], Morocco, featuring Argentine actress and singer [[Mía Maestro]]. The video for the second single, "[[Black Sweat]]", was nominated at the [[MTV Video Music Awards|MTV VMAs]] for Best Cinematography. The immediate success of ''3121'' gave Prince his first No. 1 debut on the ''Billboard'' 200 with the album.

To promote the new album, Prince was the musical guest on ''Saturday Night Live'' on February 4, 2006, 17 years after his last ''SNL'' appearance on the 15th-anniversary special, and nearly 25 years since his first appearance on a regular episode in 1981.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Desire|title='Saturday Night Live' Announce 'Good Night Sweet Prince' Tribute|url=http://www.vibe.com/2016/04/prince-saturday-night-live-tribute/|access-date=May 8, 2016|work=Vibe|date=April 23, 2016|archive-date=April 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428205903/http://www.vibe.com/2016/04/prince-saturday-night-live-tribute/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2006 Webby Awards]] on June 12, Prince received a [[Webby Awards|Webby]] Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his "visionary use of the Internet to distribute music and connect with audiences", exemplified by his decision to release his album ''Crystal Ball'' (1998) exclusively online.<ref name="cnetsandoval">{{cite web|last1=Sandoval|first1=Greg|title=Prince: The artist who formerly liked the Internet|url=https://cnet.com/news/prince-the-artist-who-formerly-liked-the-internet/|website=[[CNET]]|access-date=April 23, 2016|date=November 13, 2007|archive-date=April 26, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426150840/http://www.cnet.com/news/prince-the-artist-who-formerly-liked-the-internet/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="postohlheiser">{{cite news|last1=Ohlheiser|first1=Abby|title=Prince had a complicated relationship with the Internet|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/04/21/prince-had-a-long-complicated-relationship-with-the-internet/|access-date=April 23, 2016|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=April 21, 2016|archive-date=May 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513165625/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/04/21/prince-had-a-long-complicated-relationship-with-the-internet/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2006, weeks after winning a Webby Award, Prince shut down his NPG Music Club website, after more than five years of operation.<ref name="efinn">{{cite news|last=Finn|first=Natalie|title=Prince Site Fades to Black|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/52791/prince-site-fades-to-black|website=[[E!|E! Online]]|access-date=April 23, 2016|date=July 13, 2006|archive-date=May 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531080254/http://www.eonline.com/news/52791/prince-site-fades-to-black|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="billboardnpg">{{cite magazine|title=Prince's NPG Music Club Shutting Down|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57854/princes-npg-music-club-shutting-down|access-date=April 23, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=July 12, 2006|archive-date=April 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425055912/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57854/princes-npg-music-club-shutting-down|url-status=live}}</ref> On the day of the music club's shutdown, a lawsuit was filed against Prince by the British company HM Publishing (owners of the [[Nature Publishing Group]], also NPG). Despite these events occurring on the same day, Prince's attorney stated that the site did not close due to the trademark dispute.<ref name="efinn" />

Prince appeared at multiple award ceremonies in 2006: on February 15, he performed at the [[2006 Brit Awards]], along with Wendy & Lisa and [[Sheila E.]],<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Brandle|first=Lars|title=Watch Prince Masterfully Perform 'Purple Rain' and 'Let's Go Crazy' at 2006 Brit Awards|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7341608/prince-purple-rain-lets-go-crazy-2006-brit-awards|access-date=April 23, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=April 21, 2016|archive-date=April 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424073116/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7341608/prince-purple-rain-lets-go-crazy-2006-brit-awards|url-status=live}}</ref> and on June 27, Prince appeared at the [[BET Awards 2006|2006 BET Awards]], where he was awarded Best Male R&B Artist. Prince performed a medley of Chaka Khan songs for Khan's BET Lifetime Achievement Award.<ref name="smhbet">{{cite news|title=You booty at BET awards|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/music/beyonce-prince-perform-at-bet-awards/2006/06/29/1151174310499.html|access-date=April 23, 2016|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=June 29, 2006|archive-date=June 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614081250/http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/beyonce-prince-perform-at-bet-awards/2006/06/29/1151174310499.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, he was invited to dub the Prince XII cat in the film ''[[Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties]]'', but gave up for unknown reasons and was replaced by actor [[Tim Curry]].

In November 2006, Prince was inducted into the [[UK Music Hall of Fame]];<ref name="guardiansweeting" /> he appeared to collect his award but did not perform. Also in November 2006, Prince opened a nightclub called 3121, in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] at the [[Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino]]. He performed weekly on Friday and Saturday nights until April 2007, when his contract with the Rio ended.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-21 |title=Prince and his breathtaking run at the Rio Las Vegas |url=https://lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2016/apr/21/remembering-prince-his-breathtaking-run-rio-vegas-/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Las Vegas Sun}}</ref> On August 22, 2006, Prince released ''[[Ultimate Prince]]''. The double-disc set contains one CD of previous hits, and another of extended versions and mixes of material that had largely only previously been available on vinyl record B-sides. That same year, Prince wrote and performed a song for the hit animated film ''[[Happy Feet]]'' (2006). The song – "[[The Song of the Heart (song)|The Song of the Heart]]" – appears on the film's [[Happy Feet: Music from the Motion Picture|soundtrack]], which also features a cover of Prince's earlier hit "Kiss", sung by [[Nicole Kidman]] and [[Hugh Jackman]]. In January 2007, "The Song of the Heart" won a [[Golden Globe Award|Golden Globe]] for Best Original Song.<ref>{{cite web| title = Golden Globe Awards| publisher = goldenglobes.org| url = http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/30963| url-status=dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100713105947/http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/member/30963| archive-date = July 13, 2010| df = mdy-all}}</ref>