Purple Rain (Deluxe)(Expanded Edition)

This week saw the release of a deluxe, expanded edition of Purple Rain, Prince's 1984 super-smash soundtrack album for the film of the same name. Frequent visitors to the blog know I have reviewed this previously (click here for my full album review). Of course, this new version features a re-mastered version of that classic album, done by Prince himself back in 2015 before his passing last year. That disk sounds amazing - certainly much better than the 1990 CD version I own. This reminds me more of the sound I had from that original vinyl in 1984.

But this release has so much more.

The Time - The Time

Today (July 29th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of The Time, the self-titled debut from the famed Minneapolis band. While the cover showed the roster of the original group line-up who toured, the main people in the recording studio were Morris Day (on vocals) and Prince (on all other instruments and some vocals).

Prince - Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon (30th anniversary)

Today (March 31st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Parade: Music From the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon, the eight studio album from Prince. This 1986 release went to number 11 in Canada, number 10 in Norway, number 8 in Australia, number 7 in Austria and New Zealand, number 6 in Germany, number 5 in Sweden, number 4 in the UK, number 3 on the US Billboard Album chart (with a twenty-eight week total on the chart), number 2 in Switzerland and on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 1 in the Netherlands.

For more on this album, click here.

For more from Prince, click here.

Prince - Dirty Mind

Today (October 8th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Dirty Mind, the third studio album from Prince. This certified Gold selling record spent fifty-two weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 45; it also went to number 7 on the US Billboard R&B Album chart. This critically acclaimed album was ranked number 87 on Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of the 1980s and number 206 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time list.

Prince - Around the World in a Day

Today (April 22nd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Around the World in a Day, the seventh studio album from Prince and the third to cover credit his band the Revolution (Wendy Melvoin on guitars and backing vocals, Lisa Coleman on keyboards and backing vocals, Dr. Fink on keyboards, Brown Mark on bass, and Bobby Z. on percussion).

Apollonia 6 - Apollonia 6

Today (October 1st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Apollonia 6, the self-titled only release from the three girl trio of Apollonia (Patricia) Kotero, Susan Moonsie, and Brenda Bennett. Moonsie and Bennett had previously been two-thirds of the group Vanity 6, while Apollonia was cast as the female lead for Purple Rain. As the last of the spin-off albums from that film, this one spent seventeen weeks on the US Billboard Album chart and peaked at number 62.

Purple Rain (soundtrack) (30th anniversary)

Today (June 25th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Purple Rain, the sixth studio album from Prince and the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. The record spent seventy-two weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, including twenty-four weeks at the number 1 spot.

Click here for my full album review.

For the many blog posts that include music by Prince, click here.

Prince - 1999 (30th anniversary)

Today (October 27th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of 1999, one of my favorite albums from one of my favorite musicians ever Prince.

For my gushing review of this seminal 80's album, click here.

To celebrate, I plan to listen to this one and party like it's 1999 all over again.

Prince - Controversy

On October 14, 1981, Prince released his fourth studio album Controversy. The album peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 200 and reached Platinum selling status by early 1982. On the US Billboard R&B charts it went all the way to number 3.

Prince - Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

After the success of the film Purple Rain, Warner Brothers gave Prince the opportunity to create another film. What resulted was 1986's Under the Cherry Moon, a con-game romantic/comedy story released in black and white and having a very distinctive, European style. The film was critical and commercial disaappointment. I think only dedicated fans of the artist were the ones that saw it in its theatrical run.

Purple Rain (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.

On June 25th of 1984, the film Purple Rain was released along with the accompanying soundtrack album by Prince and the Revolution. This was the sixth album by the multi-talented singer/songwriter from Minneapolis. It went to number 8 in Austria, number 7 in Switzerland and the UK, number 5 in Germany, number 4 in Norway, number 3 in Sweden and number 2 in New Zealand. It topped out at number 1 in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and in the US (on both the Billboard Album chart and the Billboard R&B chart).

Prince - 1999

1999 was Prince's fifth album (and first double-album to book), released on October 27th of 1982. This was the album that really helped Prince cross over into the mainstream. A lot of that had to do with the start of MTV and the videos released for key singles. The multi-Platinum album went to number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 25 in Canada, number 30 in the UK, number 35 in Australia, and number 6 in New Zealand.

The album is on the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list and appears on two Rolling Stone magazine lists (number 212 on the Top 500 Albums of All-Time, and number 16 of the Top 100 Albums of the 80's). If you were a teen of the 80's, I know you have/had this one in your collection. If you didn't, I bet you knew someone who did.