Over the course of his career, the famously enigmatic Prince seemed to be everywhere at once. By the time of his passing in 2016, there were few musicians who hadn't pondered his influence on not only their personal work, but the industry as a whole. But for someone who became one of the most well known solo acts of all time, Prince spent a considerable amount of time interacting and collaborating with his fellow musicians -- the rock industry, as it turns out, is a lot smaller than you may think.

Prince's versatility and willingness to venture into uncharted waters - traits that sometimes left people scratching their heads - were the same characteristics that made him fascinating to his fans and contemporaries. Put simply, there was something for everybody in the music of Prince.

He frequently claimed that he didn't spend much time listening to other artists, but every once in a while, he would let slip that he was, in fact, paying close attention. As his career progressed, a two way street developed: Prince was influenced by music he heard around him, while music was being created that was influenced by Prince.

"It's such a drag to have musicians claim they never listen to the competition," he told Mojo in 1997. "They're liars, man. I mean, I know bands who in the press badmouth artists they revere in rehearsal. I don't wanna be like that. I crave great musicianship, and I don't care who provides it."

If Prince were alive today, it's likely his history of musical collaborations would have continued, but the legacy he left behind still speaks for itself. Few in the rock world were untouched by his presence. From backstage encounters to co-written songs, we've compiled a list of 25 times the singer shared a moment or directly inspired various rockers.

 

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