It’s been a rough year. The music world has lost a number of industry titans, including Merle Haggard, Maurice White, David Bowie, and now Prince.

Prince was a musical innovator whose diverse musical style, fashion, and multi-instrumental talent paved the way for popular music as we know it today.

The man born Prince Rogers Nelson was found dead at his home on April 21, in Chanhassen, Minn., at age 57. According to William J. Mauzy, Prince was scheduled to meet with Dr. Howard Kornfeld, a national authority on opioid addiction treatment, the day before he died. Mr. Mauzy is Dr. Kornfeld’s attorney.

Dr. Kornfeld sent his son Andrew to Minneapolis to help Prince prepare for a trip to California and he was among those who found Prince unresponsive in an elevator at his estate, Paisley Park.

Although an official investigation is ongoing, speculation has focused on Dr. Kornfeld’s status as an expert in the field of painkillers.  

Fans are left mourning the singer’s unexpected death, but what Prince left behind is true mastery.

Prince was an artistic genius in every sense of the word. He broke musical barriers with his flamboyant visual appearance, wide range of vocals, profound instrumental and writing ability, and the release of consistently fantastic records.

“In the middle of my depression, and the dreadful state of the music culture [in the 1980s, Prince’s music] gave me hope, he was like a light in the darkness,” said guitar virtuoso Eric Clapton in a Facebook post.

Like Mr. Clapton, Prince spoke to music lovers through a blend of pop, soul, R&B, rock, funk, and psychedelia.

Prince released many studio albums including the classic Purple Rain, which not only led to Prince’s film debut but also provided fans with some of the best music of the 1980s.

The record had ground-breaking sales and was highly experimental with its electronic influence and full-band performances that gave us memorable songs such as “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and “Darlin Nikki” (which contributed to the use of “Parental Advisory” stickers because of the lyrical content of the song).

Like Mr. Bowie, Prince released music that was ever-changing and ground-breaking. He defied categorization and presented himself in a way that was always changing and interesting.

Prince will forever be a fascinating figure in popular music because of his diversity. He was able to play piano, bass, and he excelled as one of the most accomplished guitarists of his generation, something a lot of people seem to overlook.

Prince’s guitar work was extravagant. His playing took listeners through a vast landscape of sounds that was unique. If it was considered music in any form, Prince could play it.

He also had a voice like no other. Prince had amazing range and could hit extremely high notes and bring out an almost-feminine style, but he also could bring out pure ferocity with his screams and, like his guitar work, he could sing in almost any style of music.

The world needs to celebrate the music Prince gave it. It is a music that struck all the right chords for millions of people, and his influence will stretch well into the future.