Prince was a lot closer to rock 'n' roll than his history on the pop and R&B charts lets on. From the very start, right there on his 1978 debut album For You, you can hear the influence of the music he grew up on, made by '60s rock greats like Jimi Hendrix. And he wasn't shy about letting you know it.

As he grew as an artist, and as his albums became more textured, Prince let that Hendrix inspiration show even more. At his best, Prince's records sounded like little else from the period, as he channeled everyone from Little Richard to Sly Stone.

On '80s triumphs like 1999, Purple Rain and Sign o' the Times, he threw so much great music out there – juggling pop, R&B, funk and straight-up rock 'n' roll in the process – that it was often difficult to keep up with his moves. At the same time, Prince made tons of records, several of which were never released. He was a difficult artist, often battling his record company and occasionally bandmates as he became more protective of his music over the years.

The Top 10 Prince Rock Songs are all centered on one thing: a guitar. Prince was one of the best musicians to ever become a massive star. He played almost every single instrument on those early albums, and he continued to take on multiple duties (including singing, writing and producing) even after he sealed his legend on 1984's Purple Rain. One listen to the breathtaking solo that caps the epic title song of that album, and it's easy to hear why Prince was one of music's all-time greatest artists, and why his place in rock history is unshakable.

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