Prince & The Revolution

Multi-instrumentalist out of Minneapolis who wrote, played, and produced almost everything himself, at a moment when that wasn’t the expected path to a hit record. Dirty Mind, Controversy, and 1999 built the sound; Purple Rain (1984) is what crossed it into the mainstream.

Of note: Purple Rain-era pressings are what flood eBay. The earlier records turn up less often and in worse shape, which is exactly why they’re worth checking for first.