On April 21, 2016, the music world came to a sudden pause after news of Prince's death broke out. He was 57 at the time. Now, years since his passing, we take the time to remember his journey and the impact he left on the industry. 

From a very young age, Prince was already exposed to a lot of music. His parents and most of his relatives were jazz musicians. His own name came from his father's popular stage name, Prince Rogers. Aside from music, in his formative years, he was also a basketball player and a trained ballet dancer. At the age of 19, he put together a demo tape, garnering the attention of several record companies. Eventually, Prince would land a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1977.  His first album, "For You," would be released a year later. After the success of "For You," Prince formed his first band and worked on their self-titled album, which was released in 1979.

As Prince and his band started to gain more recognition, they would eventually land a gig as openers for The Rolling Stones at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1981. Unfortunately, fans of the Stones weren't having it and forced Prince off stage after only three songs. Objects were hurled toward the stage, and they were booed constantly. Despite this, Prince took it like a champ and soldiered on. By the mid '80s, he would find himself rising through the ranks as he gained lots of airtime on MTV. This would eventually lead to him starring in his own movie, "Purple Rain," produced by Warner Bros. With the movie being a hit, Prince became the first artist since The Beatles ot have a number one album, single, and movie at the same time. During this time, he would also form a heated rivalry with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. This rivalry would lead both artists to try to outshine the other, leading to some of their most iconic works at the time. 

By the 2000s, Prince continued to create music and perform in live crowds. One of his most iconic performances was for the coveted "Super Bowl Halftime Show" in 2007. Over 140 million viewers watched his performance on television. In 2008, he headlined the Coachella Festival with a two-hour set where he performed classics of his, as well as a cover of Radiohead's "Creep." Younger audiences might also know Prince for his appearance on the sitcom "New Girl" starring Zooey Deschanel. Prince was reportedly an avid fan of the show and even asked to be on it after hearing it would play an episode after "Super Bowl XLVIII" in 2014. In the episode, the cast would find themselves being invited to a party at Prince's house, and the icon helps the main protagonists navigate their feelings toward one another. It is one of the rare times Prince had ever appeared as a guest star on a television show, with the other appearance being for "Muppets Tonight" in 1997. His music was also prominently featured in the "Stranger Things" finale. 

Prince's final years still had him actively touring and producing new music. His untimely death came after an accidental overdose of fentanyl, an opioid drug meant for pain relief. Tributes poured worldwide overnight. Today, we remember the legacy he has left behind and continue to remember how his artistry has left an impact on many.