Categories:
Cart 0

Your cart is empty

Prince|1999

1999

Prince

Available in
24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo

Unlimited Streaming

Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps

Start my trial period and start listening to this album

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Subscribe

Enjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription

Digital Download

Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.

With Dirty Mind, Prince had established a wild fusion of funk, rock, new wave, and soul that signaled he was an original, maverick talent, but it failed to win him a large audience. After delivering the sound-alike album, Controversy, Prince revamped his sound and delivered the double album 1999. Where his earlier albums had been a fusion of organic and electronic sounds, 1999 was constructed almost entirely on synthesizers by Prince himself. Naturally, the effect was slightly more mechanical and robotic than his previous work and strongly recalled the electro-funk experiments of several underground funk and hip-hop artists at the time. Prince had also constructed an album dominated by computer funk, but he didn't simply rely on the extended instrumental grooves to carry the album -- he didn't have to when his songwriting was improving by leaps and bounds. The first side of the record contained all of the hit singles, and, unsurprisingly, they were the ones that contained the least amount of electronics. "1999" parties to the apocalypse with a P-Funk groove much tighter than anything George Clinton ever did, "Little Red Corvette" is pure pop, and "Delirious" takes rockabilly riffs into the computer age. After that opening salvo, all the rules go out the window -- "Let's Pretend We're Married" is a salacious extended lust letter, "Free" is an elegiac anthem, "All the Critics Love U in New York" is a vicious attack at hipsters, and "Lady Cab Driver," with its notorious bridge, is the culmination of all of his sexual fantasies. Sure, Prince stretches out a bit too much over the course of 1999, but the result is a stunning display of raw talent, not wallowing indulgence.

© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

More info

1999

Prince

launch qobuz app I already downloaded Qobuz for Windows / MacOS Open

download qobuz app I have not downloaded Qobuz for Windows / MacOS yet Download the Qobuz app

You are currently listening to samples.

Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.

Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.

From £10.83/month

1
1999 (LP Version)
00:06:19

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

2
Little Red Corvette (LP Version) Explicit
00:04:57

Dez Dickerson, Solo Guitar, Backing Vocals - Lisa Coleman, Backing Vocals - Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

3
Delirious (LP Version)
00:04:01

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

4
Let's Pretend We're Married (LP Version) Explicit
00:07:22

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

5
D.M.S.R. (LP Version)
00:08:17

Lisa Coleman, Backing Vocals - Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

6
Automatic (LP Version)
00:09:28

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

7
Something in the Water (Does Not Compute) (LP Version)
00:04:03

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

8
Free (LP Version)
00:05:08

Jill Jones, Backing Vocals - Lisa Coleman, Backing Vocals - Wendy Melvoin, Backing Vocals - Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Vanity, Backing Vocals - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

9
Lady Cab Driver (LP Version)
00:08:19

Jill Jones, Backing Vocals - Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

10
All the Critics Love U in New York (LP Version)
00:05:59

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

11
International Lover (LP Version)
00:06:38

Prince, Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocals, Writer, Instruments, MainArtist - Bernie Grundman, MasteringEngineer - Peggy McCreary, Engineer - Don Batts, AssistantEngineer

© 1984 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1982 NPG Records, Inc. under exclusive license to Warner Records Inc.

Album review

With Dirty Mind, Prince had established a wild fusion of funk, rock, new wave, and soul that signaled he was an original, maverick talent, but it failed to win him a large audience. After delivering the sound-alike album, Controversy, Prince revamped his sound and delivered the double album 1999. Where his earlier albums had been a fusion of organic and electronic sounds, 1999 was constructed almost entirely on synthesizers by Prince himself. Naturally, the effect was slightly more mechanical and robotic than his previous work and strongly recalled the electro-funk experiments of several underground funk and hip-hop artists at the time. Prince had also constructed an album dominated by computer funk, but he didn't simply rely on the extended instrumental grooves to carry the album -- he didn't have to when his songwriting was improving by leaps and bounds. The first side of the record contained all of the hit singles, and, unsurprisingly, they were the ones that contained the least amount of electronics. "1999" parties to the apocalypse with a P-Funk groove much tighter than anything George Clinton ever did, "Little Red Corvette" is pure pop, and "Delirious" takes rockabilly riffs into the computer age. After that opening salvo, all the rules go out the window -- "Let's Pretend We're Married" is a salacious extended lust letter, "Free" is an elegiac anthem, "All the Critics Love U in New York" is a vicious attack at hipsters, and "Lady Cab Driver," with its notorious bridge, is the culmination of all of his sexual fantasies. Sure, Prince stretches out a bit too much over the course of 1999, but the result is a stunning display of raw talent, not wallowing indulgence.

© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

About the album

Distinctions:

Improve album information

Qobuz logo Why buy on Qobuz...

On sale now...

Keep Your Courage

Natalie Merchant

Keep Your Courage Natalie Merchant

The Köln Concert (Live at the Opera, Köln, 1975)

Keith Jarrett

You're the One

Rhiannon Giddens

You're the One Rhiannon Giddens

Owl Song

Ambrose Akinmusire

Owl Song Ambrose Akinmusire
More on Qobuz
By Prince

Purple Rain Deluxe

Prince

Sign O' The Times

Prince

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Prince

Diamonds and Pearls

Prince

All A Share Together Now

Prince

Playlists

You may also like...

I Am

Earth, Wind & Fire

I Am Earth, Wind & Fire

7 (E Flat Version)

Prince

Purple Rain

Prince

Purple Rain Prince

Victoire de la musique

Cotonete

Parade - Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon

Prince