1999

A stunning journey both funky and futuristic. A behemoth of an album that is at times funny, honest, raw and a deserved egotistical fantasy.

In this, having put the 70s decisively to bed nine months previously, Prince goes into labour and gives birth to the 80s. There’s coos aplenty reserved for sweetheart jams like “Little Red Corvette” and “Lady Cab Driver”; some awkward glances around the room during “Something in the Water…” and “Free”. For the most part, though, everyone just takes notes. Hard to believe there, standing on the maternity ward, but one day this album would turn 18. It’d be the year 2000 then, and what a time that’ll be: who can predict what strange twists and turns human history will have taken; what exciting new forms art, music and culture will have taken. Oh yeah, Prince. Prince predicted it. All of it. Enjoy it or not, you better start taking notes.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. Never listened all the way through before. Just the singles. Lots of long jams which was fun.

Actually like this better than Purple Rain - groovier.

A multi talented, and somewhat controversial artist, who became to me as one of the most multi talented artist of all time in music history. The title song still a hit, along with the Purple Rain soundtrack of the eighties. A must buy for those who wants to listen to history

Amazing stuff, but objectively speaking also a tad obnoxious. Not great during work (especially “Lady Can Driver”, very distracting) and when I actively listen I just cringe here and there. Instrumentals, musicianship and performance are sick.

Another incredible album about sex by the icon that is Prince.

Meh

What a fucking record, emphasis on the fucking. Could well have been a quadruple with shorter song lengths or at least a triple album using the original lengths. The 2019 Super Deluxe shows a number of tracks more than capable of making the final cut.

ok

Got boring quickly, this early 80s synth stuff blended with Princes voice just doesn’t do it for me. Still good songwriting and production. 7/10

Every song is so long

I think Prince likes sex. Favorite Track: Little Red Corvette

Прикольный такой танцевальный хорняшный

Decent album, nothing stellar though, did kind of have higher hopes but it didn't quite hit the mark I was expecting it to.

sad mi je zao da nisam nikad prije pustila neku princeovu pjesmu samo zato sto sam *mislila* da ima skroz drukciji tip glazbe. sve pjesme s ovog albuma su izrazito catchy i dancy. nazalost su takoder i medusobno preslicne pa kad slusam album u cijelosti se sve stopi u jedno i ne mogu rec koja mi se vise svidjela od neke druge, ali da vise manje ijednu od ovih pjesama cujem samu za sebe mislila bi da su fire. lets pretend we're married je some of the catchiest shit ikada, a international lover ima najbolji tekst ikada.

ну опять вообще ничего не отложилось кроме того что иногда он даёт фальцета а большую часть времени не слышно вокала

Didn't mind it, songs went on way too long.

Just don’t like the guy

Obviously a classic and an easy 5 stars.

Genre: Minneapolis Sound One of the better albums the 80s has to offer, and it’s not even his best. 1999 is a total dance party: 70 minutes of funk, sex, and grooves. A bit spotty overall (a double album is bound to have a dud or two), but there are some really great tracks up and down the tracklist here. Let’s Pretend We’re Married and Lady Cab Driver are two fav deep cuts of mine from Prince. Prince rocks. 4/5

Dużo o Shreksie a i tak nic ciekawego

★★★½

Gillade mindre än vad jag hade väntat mig :( Funky och catchy sound i flera låtar, men på vissa håll alldeles för mycket irriterande synth

Ett par toppenlåtar och ett överlag skönt sound men inte superintressant tyvärr!

Lite trist i längden men annars bra vibes.

Oljud mest

Boy those songs are long! Quite repetitive also. I think the lyrics used to be revolutionary at the time being, now I don't find them so appealing. Rhythms are groovy though, great album if you like soul or funk. I'm not a big fan but didn't hate it. I don't think I will listen to it again, just doesn't seem like my kind of music. I couldn't suffer through song called "Automatic". There was a phrase in this song "I'm going to have to torture you know" which is pretty similar how I felt during the longer songs of this album. Thanks for the heads-up though. Actually, "Lady Cab Driver" sometimes was pretty good. It is still 8 minutes, I liked maybe a half of it.

Decent listen.

Probably would have been huge in the 80s

I have heard of Prince's songs before but never heard more than say, 3. So I was pleasantly surprised with this album and how good the songs were. I like R&B so it wasn't a genre that I wasn't exposed to before. Little Red Corvette is one of my favorite songs of this album. Out of all the legendary music legends out there, Prince is the one I have the most work catching up to do. This is why I like doing this 1001 Album challenge, it gives me the chance to actually listen to legend's albums in their entirety and hear songs I had never heard before but fell in love with afterwards.

There is some nice experimentation on this album and it's overall not bad. Enjoyable listen. 3/5

5 out of 5 One of the all-time best. Funky, groovy, party beats. Almost everything on the A Side is a #1 hit. The B Side has some absolute crunchy bangers. Great music to party or focus. Prince and the Revolution just make me happy!

I think I listened to this album on the sofa one day whilst I was lying around during the COVID lockdown. I was staying at my parents, furloughed from my job, I'd started writing music reviews for small bands to pass the time. But i was also exploring a lot of music, I think I was interested in Prince at the time because of Purple Rain, so I went and listened to this album, but i don't remember much of it apart from the title track 1999. It's very synthy, I always associate Prince with guitar skills but he had a huge and varied career so I guess this is like a very 80s album. Very synth driven, some cool hooks but it sounds quite thin, very tinny on the drums. Some very nice synth patterns in a few songs, like DMSR This album is theatrical as hell, I guess they thought the world was going to end, it's like they went into the future and robots have taken over so they're just going nuts before they all die. I guess the world ending in the year 2000 thing was built up a lot in the 80s/90s

Prince? More like Shit. I imagine in 1982 when it was released it would have got everyone wet but I've heard dic...dic...dictionary on the keyboard in year 7 music and my dick felt just as limp then as it did listening to this. All tracks were irritating apart from Lady Cab Driver, only because it was nice to hear some moaning without needing to download a VPN. Sure women can be Uber drivers too, you tell 'em sis! One star for the album then another star because inevitably there's always something worse around the corner.

Ridiculously consistent synth-pop-funk bangers (which is apparently the sound of Minneapolis) from the regally pompadoured slinky twink. I'd say some of the more ballad-y tracks sound a bit "of their time", but this is more than made up for by how much he sings about his knob.

Loved this album, first half is tune after tune, high tempo & exciting. This reminds me of the gay nightclub all the straight boys want to go to.

Never got the Prince hype. The neighbours must have thought there was a summers day orgy occurring when international lover was playing. 2 stars.

80s drum are shag but some decent tunes

Never heard of him, never gonna make it

didn’t know what to expect besides knowing he’s some purple famous guy in music. his songs are alright but this album just sucks. so have the albums i’ve been suggested to listen to on here.. i’ll give it a week because maybe i just got the lowest rated ones on the list or something.

Good

Recognizing this is heretical, I like Prince's persona more than I like Prince's music, particularly a whole album's worth. The title track and "Little Red Corvette" are brilliant. but much further in, I want someone to make him stop that drum machine and the keyboard stabs, and no one will. I do enjoy the fact that an album this big has a cover drawn with magic marker. See, that's a great Prince move!

This album is worth it just for the horny cabin call on “International Lover”: “We are now making our final approach to satisfaction / Please bring your lips, your arms, your hips into the upped and locked position / for landing / Can you feel it?” Then there are all-time bangers like “Little Red Corvette” and the title track, plus weird new wave flourishes and plenty of electro-funk workouts. Sure, I wonder about how many Prince albums will make this list and which ones I’d nominate, but the man comes off like a hypersexual mad scientist on 1999 and it’s hard to argue against it.

I love Prince and I'm happy there are three Prince albums on this list and I'm butthurt that Dirty Mind is not one of those three, yes this album is fine but it's a vehicle for its banger singles, which are absolutely bangers yes, but... Prince absolutely does better than this.

I'd heard the huge hits and some of the lesser hits.this could have been an amazing single Lp but Prince gonna Prince.

The LP version I have has the 3 opening tracks on one side. One of those 'most perfect sides' ever made. The rest of the album is fun. It's Prince. Prince is great. Prince was also prolific so maybe didn't always edit down as much as he could have but it's hard to not like a Prince album.

This has several good hits. Not my favorite one from Prince, but it's got a nice mix of funk and groove. Giving this one a 4.

This is about what you would expect from generational freak of nature type talent. Some of the sounds are dated but the music does the job. You can really hear the James Brown influence on this one. The title track is a masterpiece.

Man how did I live my life without ever having listened to this album in full before now and only hearing songs from it here or there? What a shame.

An album full of bangers

Goat

Un album qui monte en puissance avant de faiblir sur la fin.

So many red flags in this album... D.M.S.R. and Automatic are cool though.

Prince is the King. His talent is off the charts and these are great songs but they’re not as rich or well produced as his later work. This is Prince at a party, keeping it light (except in the sexual sense, which was never light with that man). Long live Prince. It’s a 4.

There's some undeniable great moments. Obviously Prince is an incredibly talented multi-instrymentalist and his screams are equal to Sly's. Same when he really goes for the funk feel, and theres some killer (if a bitnover the top) guitar playing, but still... so much of this record leaves me not just underwhelmed but somehow annoyed? It's feels soft, contrived and ego driven. Maybe at the time it was interesting to push so much on the nose sexuality but the canned moans and the lyrics at the end of the album feel so lame and cheesy listening now. Yet another failed attempt by me to get into Prince.

This is good, not a to of replayability. Could probably be a 4

If Sign O The Times is the White Album, the sprawling eclectic experimental brilliant but flawed sketchbook of a genius, 1999 is Abbey Road, 70 minutes of absolute perfection. Landmark of pop, rock, funk, and R&B, this is the album where it all came together for Prince after several excellent records. The first side is stacked with absolute classics, but everything that follows is on the same level of genius.

So difficult to review from a few listens through. It was more extreme than I expected in just about every way. It was funkier, more sexual (verging on perverted), more dated production, more intense, more experimental. I loved so much of it but there were definitely bits that tried my patience.

Some really great songs and some very repetitive songs. Overall, not too bad.

Чё-то совсем мимо. Как-то однообразно

Supreme talent always.

Great album no skips

not his best but still an absolute classic

Never heard it before, some huge bangers and also some bizarre stuff (what the hell is Lady Cab Driver). Let's Pretend We're Married was my fav, sounds like New Traditionalists-era Devo with better vocals

Decent, not sure how likely I am to listen to the album from start to finish again though

There's some great tracks on this but a lot just felt a couple of minutes too long, kept flipping between 3 and 4 but settled with 3 during all the critics

I feel so incredibly blessed to have been alive when Prince was on the scene. There has never been and never will be another artist like him. Multi-instrumentalist, vocal range out the wazoo, and unparalleled creativity. He was magical. The only downside to this album is the artwork.

Always thought Prince was a bit overrated. He's still good, just not as good as advertised. This album has a few classics. Little Red Corvette being the best song which will be added to the playlist. 1999 is still a good song as well even if a bit outdated today. The rest of it is good but not great.

It was probably unfortunate for Prince that Michael Jackson's Thriller dropped a month after this album. Thriller just came up on this list for me recently, and while 1999 is a good album, it just pales in comparison to Thriller.

Not bad...not too good. Just Prince.

overall, the vibe is nice and peaceful. But 1) the songs are way too long and it gets kinda boring at times 2) some sound effects and moments are a little weird and uncomfortable I enjoyed 1-2 songs, but even then, it’s like, when does it end? It stays the same a lot.

Funk osuudet iskee mutta todella paljon aikaansa sidottua syntikkaa, liian korkeaa pitchausta, kummallista kaikuefektiä joista en tykännyt!

4.5/5.0: Excellent

very funky, made for a fun listen

Starts out incredibly strong, but fades in the final few songs. He's mostly trying to have fun and be dance-y here, which is fine. But in hindsight, this is an album that has to be seen as just starting to hone the genius that would come a couple of years later with Purple Rain.

Non stop bangers

Very strong start to the album but it doesnt maintain that standard after the 4th or 5th song. Some of the songs in middle to end i thought were unnecessarily long. I found myself listening to the same synth part replayed over and over with slight variations of funky guitar over the top. Perhaps a change of octave. Not enough to stop me from getting a little bit bored. Vocals are great. Some fantastic guitar, solid when both ripping a solo and when peppering in the funky licks. I think if some of the tracks were half the length and the total album time was perhaps 45/50 mins this would be a more enjoyable listen. I mean Lady Cab Driver is actually a tune but over 8 mins?? International Lover is a decent closer. As it stands we are looking at a 7/10. Favourite track - Little Red Corvette.

why did he name this 1999 if it was released in 1982? Is He Stupid? in all seriousness: its alright. Favorite song being the first 2 mins of Lady cab driver. Songs drag on for a while, though.

Great album - No duds - Little Red Corvette and 1999 really good songs - would have probably gone 9 if out of 10 - settled on 4 - was really good but not 5 out of 5.

good stuff

There is no greater artist.

87% Best: 1999; Little Red Corvette; Delirious; D.M.S.R.; Lady Cab Driver Must-Hear? Sure

Wow the A side of this album is something else. A couple of the songs lose me a little but "Little Red Corvette" might be my favorite Prince song. At the least, top 3. It's the first one I remember really honing in on as a kid and wondering who's song it was. I did of course also know "1999" having lived through y2k. Even with the weaker songs I overall love this enough to up it to a 5. I think my jaw actually dropped open when I heard "I honestly want to fuck the taste out of your mouth." Like, damn. Ok.

4/5

Awesome album 4/5

A purple, pulsating, provocative parade of polished, playful, party-perfect pop.

Having not heard this for many years, I had great anticipation. Starts off brilliantly with 1999, Let's go crazy, and Little Red Corvette. After that, it becomes quite 'early 80's', with lots of drum machines, slightly tinny sounding sounds floating around. The 2nd half of the album hasn't aged well. Still as funky as the most funky if artists but a little old. I feel sad saying all of this and will still rate this highly but mixed emotions here.

My first Prince album - not a huge fan of the songs I heard beforehand over time, and feel that that "GREATEST SOLO EVER OMG OMG" from the Hall of Fame show is a load of overblown wank. Hoping that a full album can give me a proper understanding of why he's so revered and influential! -------- Sounds like it was made to be pumped directly into a club. Which could be the best explanation for why everything is so long and repetitive - although there's some great funk moments in there! Sounds best when the songs move their furthest away from pop and into electronic soundscapes. All that genius production and it still comes out so lightweight... I'm still not really won over. Favourite tracks: Pretend That We're Married, Something in the Water, half of Lady Cab Driver

Le combo de démarrage 1999/Little Red Corvette est évidemment incroyable mais ensuite tout est tellement funky et cohérent

Meh tier

Pas mal non plus

This sounds in all ways like a parody record of what is wrong with this sort of music. Too long, horrible sounding synths, painful vocals. The one redeeming feature of Prince as an artist is his guitar playing and that's almost totally missing here. A touch listen. 1.5*

I've owned this record for years. It's actually 2 records. I can honestly say I've never listened to the 2nd record. Side A is some of the best music in history. Side B first track is really fun...but it just keeps going maybe a little too long. 2nd track starts to fall away, becomes overly repetitive...and is even longer. And thanks to this project, I can confirm now that there's no need to listen to Side C or Side D again.

I am sure this is a classic in it's own right, but I took three things from listening: 1. Prince is afraid he 's gonna die soon. 2. He is very, very, horny. 3. He is determined to resolve nr. 2 before nr. 1 occurs. Although I fully understand the sentiment, I don't think I will be listening to him telling about it again

It was fine, more like a 2.8

meh

Not massive prince fan but can appreciate this one. Deserves the hype. Prefer purple rain

i didn't fully get it, but it might grow on me, or inside me (?)

#41 1999 ~ Prince This album is considered his big breakthrough and it does a great job catching the ear with its sharp synths, angular guitar riffs and a general sense of fun and rhythm. Noticeably, each song is significantly longer than usual, understandable because this is essentially a dance record for the club made into funky pop rock. This allows Prince to fill in and put in whatever extravagance he likes, from his sexual shrieks to ad libs to chorused vocal harmonies to some very cool unusual solos. It's a dazzling record filled with songs to make one jive or shake, although the aforementioned length means that occasionally you feel the magic rub off after a while, especially to the later half of the album. Overall a very dazzling record for when you want to get into a very sweaty mood.

oooh

It's still quite good, what else would it be, but I feel a lack of cohesion in this album and a slight lack of quality control. The sex noises definitely weren't required for me. But with a single like 1999 you really can't go wrong.

this would have been higher bc there are some certified bops on here BUTTTT the middle part of lady cab driver was a tough listen on this monday morning and made me cringe (although the guitar solo that immediately followed was v cool)

Catchy dance pop. Not my jam

I had never listened to Prince before, so was good for me to check this out. I wasn’t that interested though. Metaphors in the closing tracks were a neat part

Not as good as I remember 3/5

Puede ser interesante, algunos sonidos estan bien

it's Prince

Sexy as fuck. I normally hate double albums but this one is just so cool and Prince is one of a kind.

The amazing and only

It's not really my thing, I can't judge it. I want to like Prince, and I acknowledge the quality in some of his songs. While others do nothing to me.

*Fun but repetitive *Fave track - LRC *Worth the occasional revisit RATING- 6.5/10

The best thing about this album is that it gives a very concrete example of what music I don't like.

I’ve always understood Prince was one of those revolutionary pop artists that everyone is supposed to enjoy, but I did not enjoy the first few tracks at all. 1999 was just awful 80s pop garbage, Little Red Corvette was slightly better but it was still pretty awful, and Delirious was at least a minute too long and that synth line is grating. I was gearing up for a long, tough listen, but I did end up enjoying the middle section even if the tracks were still surprisingly long. A lot more fun, funky tracks like Lady Cab Driver and All the Critics Love U in New York and some absolutely wild and experimental tracks like Something in the Water (Does Not Compute). Let's Pretend We're Married and DMSR are probably the horniest songs I've heard; the last few verses of Let's Pretend We're Married in particular are pretty wild. Unfortunately, the album ends on another sour note with International Lover that is more awful 80s pop garbage. I gave the album a second listen to make sure I wasn't missing something, but other than a few tracks in the middle, I'd prefer to never listen to this again.

I enjoyed this about as much as I thought I would.

good album. a highly underrated guitar player

3.5 - Good

I very much enjoyed this album listen! There’s a reason why Prince is still a music icon even after his passing. I’d never actually listened to a whole Prince album before so that was a fun experience. I loved the rock, funk, and synth vibes of this album and how sexy the album sounded. I would definitely listen to this album again!

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: 5/1001 I have a lot of complicated thoughts about 1999. It's funky, it's groovy, it's provocative, and it’s undeniably groundbreaking. Every element in isolation -- synths, vocals, lyrics, even the risque undertones - is appealing. But the album as a whole feels overextended, with songs that wear out their welcome. I respect the influence and can hear how it shaped future music I genuinely connect with, but the execution here doesn't always land for me personally. Tracks like “Lady Cab Driver” showcase the brilliance and frustration in one go: great groove, killer guitar solo, punchy drums and bass, layered synths, weird in a cool way, and yet I found myself ready to move on well before the song ended. It never caused me to release into the music. There’s nothing wrong with a long track, but if you’re going to stretch it, you have to keep evolving it. Too often here, Prince just loops it until the energy fizzles - I never felt so connected it had my attention, captivated enough to care, energized enough to groove. There are standouts; 1999 is sex-charged and politically tinged. Little Red Corvette is in your face and fun. But songs start loosing their steam through sheer repetition, just like Delirious, which at a little over four minutes, is the shortest track on the album, yet still felt too long. I can see how it worked at a club in the 80's. These standout parts aren't enough to make me put the whole album on though. By the time I hit songs like “Let’s Pretend We’re Married,” I found myself zoning out more than tuning in. The weirder and more stretched it gets, the less fun it became. Podium: 1. Little Red Corvette 2. 1999 3. Delirious While the individual parts of 1999 show off levels of Prince’s talents, the way they’re tied together leaves me unmoved. Does it belong on this list? Certainly. Will it make it to any of my personal lists? Certainly not. This one’s legacy will always be bigger than my personal enjoyment of it. I can appreciate the foundation it laid and the envelope it pushed, I just don’t feel pulled in buy it. Very few tracks call me back, and I have little desire to experience the album in full again. For these reasons, I give 1999 by Prince 2.5/5 stars.

Veldig bra, mye energi og kul vibe

YOOOOOOOO I FREAKING LOVE THIS ALBUM BEST ALBUM SO FAR Tbh 39 out of the 1001 should just be prince albums lets be real cuz like who wants to listen to duck rock by malcom mclaren? Who is that guy?

💜💜💜💜💜

I'm just not a fan of prince

Entretenido.

The Prince album starts off SUPER strong - 1999, Little Red Corvette, and Delirious ... and then kinda sounds like it’s a movie soundtrack for a John Candy movie from the 80's

Made me feel Uncomfy

Prince has been "on the list" of artists to get to for a while. This removed him from that list...

нормалек.

Sexy pop at its best

I wanted to like this album more than I ended up liking it. While the vocal range of Prince is undeniably on display in “1999” there isn’t much depth beyond that. One detriment is that the first two songs on the album, “1999” and “Little Red Corvette”, are two of Prince’s most well-known hits and so the rest of the album feels like the producers quit trying and just threw some leftover material to fill the void. At best “1999” is a satirical hit-piece on the hypersexual pop culture of the 1980s—at worst it’s merely a product of that culture. If there is to be found any redeeming factor in this album it will be found in the song “Free” which balances the eroticism so signature in Prince’s artwork with a kind of activist edge. It’s almost as if Prince is still discovering his voice of the prophetic love that would become more apparent in his later work.

Very funky album Positives: The album is well written with infectious grooves. Many songs are very catchy and enjoyable Negatives: The first half of the album feels very monotonous and the lyrics are superficial

I dig he fun 80s pop instrumentation but I've just never been a fan of Prince's vocals. I will say even though I didn't 100% vibe with this album, I can see myself giving it another go someday.

Awesome

So incredibly horny that I couldn’t finish on the first listen. Prince is on another plane of sexuality than the rest of us. I’ll stick to Purple Rain

I still really like this, some of the 80’s production/sounds sound a bit flat.

I think Prince killed about 6 women in the lyrics of this album

I did not really click with Prince until I was older. This is not something I'd listen to every day, but pretty enjoyable. Obviously some stone cold classics on this disc.

Prince? Again? I only just had him! Honestly; theres only so much Prince I can listen to at once, and over an hour is too long 3/5

funky, hippy pop. i really enjoyed it.

Ce qui est l’fun avec ce projet, c’est que je peux (enfin) découvrir qui se cache derrière des chansons que je connais sans vraiment les connaître. Genre : 1999 (la toune, pas l’album). Souvent entendue, mais je n’aurais jamais pu dire que Prince en était l’auteur. En fait, c’est la première fois que j’écoute un de ses albums, c’est pour dire. Je sais aussi que beaucoup de monde en parle comme d’un grand artiste (Marie-Louise Arseneault, par exemple), et je peux très bien entendre ici pourquoi, mais, et je n’en suis qu’à la deuxième chanson, ça me laisse un peu indifférent. Ce qui m’impressionne, chez Prince, après avoir lu la page Wikipédia de l’album, c’est qu’il joue la grande majorité des instruments. Il n’est accompagné que de quelques choristes et musiciens ici et là. Let’s Pretend We’re Married : vraiment très bon, malgré le son digital boboche de l’époque. L’énergie est là. Sur scène, ça doit vraiment sonner comme une tonne de brique. Même chose pour les tounes suivantes : D.M.S.R. (qui représente Dance Music Sex Romance, sacré Prince), Automatic et Something in the Water (Does Not Compute) : bonnes chansons, mais gâchée (à mon avis) par l’instrumentation de l’époque. Autres bonnes tounes pas trop gâchées : Free, Lady Cab Driver, All the Critics Love U in New York et International Lover. En conclusion, si on oubli les 3 premières, c’est un bon disque, malgré le son qui a mal vieilli.

Couple of pretty good songs, the rest is meh. Horny shit made me cringe

I found this to be nearly unlistenable. I know Prince is talented and very popular. For some reason I just can't find my entry point. I would've skipped most of The songs on this if it weren't for so many friends who love and sing Prince praises, but because of that I made it a point to listen to every song completely until the very last track. And once he started doing the cabin pressure announcement thing, I just couldn't go on. On. I know it's silly and what not but it just seemed so cringy.

I guess I just like the hits, was just so 80's and so about sex

Jaa a, suurimmilta osin aika pilipali osaston musiikkia. Pitkiä kappaleita mitkä toistaa itseään rumpukone biitillä ja kliseisillä syna soundeilla. Häiritsevää ähkimistä Lady Cab Driver biisissä. Mutta ne parhaat kappaleet kummiskin pelastaa tän levyn. Parhaat: Free, Little Red Corvette, All the Critics Love U in New York

1999 and Red Corvette and Delirious are great, but I can't really get into the others

I like Prince, but never loved prince, it has some good tracks and some ok tracks, but I've never understood his work to be anything other than just fine.

Two Prince albums in a row huh? Well this review is same as my last. Lots of people love him, but his music just does not move me. Also once again entirely too long.

I feel he was at the top of his game with this lp. After this I think he turned into a jam band

The first two tracks on this album were unmitigated hits. I'd be shocked to meet someone near my age (40, as of writing) who's never heard both 1999 and Little Red Corvette. It's pure, uncut pop music -- but not overly sugary, just catchy and accessible. Part of the reason it just lands in the 'pop' category is likely that the various genre influences (you can hear funk, R&B and rock in parts, throughout) are so various that it kind of averages back out to pop. Some (Delrious) is just weird, but it's always catchy. I'll take a moment to diverge into the production of this album. The synths were cutting edge at the time, I have no doubt, but they sound like children's toys now. The drums, likewise, are shit. Well-played, groovy, perfectly serviceable in every way except that they sound like a Casio keyboard -- too much reverb, no dynamics, way too clean and sterile. I would be shocked to learn that there was an acoustic kit involved at all, but 80's hyper-compression and over-reverb can do that. Vocals are great. Mixed a little bit down in the blend for pop, which does allow the band (this is the first record with Prince's longtime backing back, the Revolution) to shine. The harmonies are precise and sweet but I could stand more of them. The bass is round and mercifully left out of the 80s-ness of things. Prince's guitar sounds excellent (probably a Tele, but who knows) but is mostly pretty quiet among the other elements. The last part is kind of a shame but prototypical of Prince. He's probably a top-100 guitar player for the 20th century and always kept it pretty discreet. Pay attention to the solo at the end of Little Red Corvette. In the end, it's a catchy pop album from Minneapolis and it probably contains a lot of technical innovation. The thing about technical innovation is that it sometimes doesn't sound all that impressive, 40-odd years later. It's hard to say if I needed to hear this in my life. I don't have the context for what came before and after this in the mainstream that would mark this as influential, or as a part of the work of many generations of musicians. It's not clearly a voice of anger like early Dylan or Rage (though 1999 is a protest song about nuclear proliferation). It doesn't wear its musical genius as obviously as Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds (dozens of parts composed in his head). I'm going to put the problem down to the 80s. Between Prince's habit of keeping his personal technical musical talent (a clear, wide-ranging voice and a ferocious guitar ability) only modestly displayed and the way that 80s production trends flattened everything into a mess of cheesy synth textures and soulless reverb, I'm going to say we should probably all take in a Prince album or two, and they should be Purple Rain and one other; why not this one? Not a masterpiece, but maybe that's just because I find most pop boring. 1999 by Prince almost transcends that but, ultimately, doesn't.

Good album

Singles good. Rest is way too long and uninspired funk.

Me gusto el el álbum pero la voz de prince en algunas canciones no me gusto

Trash

Y'know as a kid for some reason I thought this album came out in 1999, like it was a 1999 themed album for that specific year coming out during that year. Not the case! But a good concept I think, anyone is welcome to it.

not as good as Purple Rain, and it loses me a bit in the second half, but it sticks the landing. around a 3.75

mad little fella with good tunes

Decent Prince album, I like some of his other stuff better. It started strong but does get a bit long in the tooth with some songs maybe being longer than they should have been. I can appreciate that Prince was pushing boundaries and all with some of his subject matter, but D.S.M.R was not my thing at all. Couple with the fact that it was 8 minues long, when it should have been half that, and Automatic follows it and that was 9 MINUTES!!.

De fraco para regular. Excesso de sintetizadores e batidas eletrônicas, associados a vocais "gritados". Sons onomatopaicos em "Let's Pretend We're Married" soam infantis. Melhor faixa é o funk "Lady Cab Driver".

This was awesome. Some of the songs are a little long but this is an explosion of sound and talent. Love Prince.

Really good but it's too long. With a lot of the tracks feeling very similar it's makes the hour 10 minute runtime feel a bit long. However it's still a very fun listing 4*

Not for me.

ah hell naw what were my parents doing listening to this freaky ass shit. i literally remember the day this guy died exclusively because my parents spent half the day searching the house for their prince comp cd just so they could listen to it to honor his passing ts hard tho i get the hype. i like the fucked up looking penis 1 on the cover a lot

When you start off an album with a trifecta like that, it's hard not to give it four stars. I don't know about the deeper cuts but this is Prince at his finest - save for Purple Rain. A joyous listen.

A true pop innovator

First three songs are classic, but the rest is quite outdated. 1999 Little Red Corvette Delirious, and ~ Lady Cab Driver

1999, little red corvette not bad

Mid.

I've never really got on that much with Prince, so I wasn't expecting to like this. However, it's not too bad. It feels a bit dated, but it's also completely unique and it's clear he's a singular artist. I like the parts that are particularly upbeat and funky. The title track is the best one.

Dance rock.

Prince is so good experimenting with synth pop/funk music

fun, party album - added more songs to my library than I thought I would. It's a classic!

Picture this: 1982 I'm a senior in high school. Prince 1999 is on the charts. With enthusiasm i listen to it. Blank. So I listened again. Some emotions. So I listened again. Ahhh there it is : this shit sucks. 40plus years later. Still sucks

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun." Great lyrics to kick off the album because I really did need to suspend my '80s music judgement and just have some fun. This album was a blast and I'll definitely be listening again, adding some songs to my regular rotation. My main criticism is how many tracks unjustifiably are 6-9 minutes. I love a long song if it is building and adding new elements along the way, but too many of these were CTRL + C the first 2 minuted CTRL + V 3 more times for no reason. Still very fun.

I think I listened to this at the wrong time. This is not the mood for a Monday morning at work. It was fun and high energy but maybe its the fact that I'm staring down an entire work week but this kinda annoyed me.

Prince was SO horny...

I like it. 3.75

385/1001

Ich mues leider wiederholt feststelle, dass mir Prince eifach nöd so guet gfallt. Es isch mir z lärmig und z crazy und z wenig iiladend zum alose. aber geg s Endi vom Album hets es paar Songs wo mer sehr gfalled: Lady Cab Driver slapt mega! De Bass isch sehr geil und de Groove und d Mehrstimmigkeit gfalled mir sehr guet. International Lover haut au recht ine mit dene Pausene wo me nur Schlagzüg ghört und denach dropped Stimme, Klavier und Bass wieder ine, so geil. und au de ständig recht offesichtlich horny Text und Gsang i villne Songs findi recht unterhaltsam.

Not sure if this is his absolute peak, but if it isn't it's close. Half point off for the title track being over played during Y2K and half point off for too much purple.

First three songs have by far the most listens on Spotify, and I was concerned listening to them by how dated they sound. All I could picture was that dancing Pikachu meme. I am so glad I persevered; track 4 - Let's Pretend We're Married - and all the following tracks were so much more interesting and entertaining. The remainder of the album is much the same, but ends on a particularly great track with International Lover. It makes a slight change to the song structure I've come to expect and it a very satisfying finisher.

I like some Prince - definitely not all. I gravitate towards the songs where he rips the shit out of his guitar. There are only a few of those on here - and too many songs that get repititive. 3/5

I like the sound but I unfortunately am no where near sexually charged enough for this album. It would have gotten much higher points if it was shorter or if I was dancing to it.

This album started amazing with the first 2 songs, but everything after was subpar. Some of those lyrics remind me of moral panic around Prince from the video game history course.

Fun, danceable, very 80’s.

This is a very 80s album. That said, prince does thr damn thing

A classic for a reason

Some great songs and some mediocre (too long) songs

So, if I wanted to list the positives of this album, there would be no end to this. However, I have some negatives to list: Most of the tracks have drum machine tracks that sound too robotic and take away from the songs. There are a few songs that Prince takes to some self indulgent experimentation, and it sounds kinda boring and repetitive and it takes away from actually good songs. All in all, this album is great. Prince is a musical encyclopedia and a true genius. An incredible songwriter that hit a stride with this album that opened the door for the masterpiece that is his next album. 4/5

Great album

Absolute classic

Fantastic album. Little Red Corvette is just plain sexy, and the song that first got me listening to Prince. I have a special fondness for International Lover because it cracks me up.

Not my favorite Prince album but so what.

One of the best 80’s albums. SO DEFINING! Great!

Some fantastic parts, but some parts drag. A real eclectic album.

extremely vulgar but good! prince loves to yell

Terrible songwriter

This was the first album I ever purchased (on cassette) with my own money. I was 9 years old in 1982 and PMRC warning stickers were a few years off in the future. I loved this album so much and listened to it constantly. As I'm listening now, I realize that I still remember nearly all the lyrics, even the really filthy stuff! I probably learned about the birds and bees listening to this one. I remember my family taking a vacation road trip to Florida and I was sitting in the backseat listening to this cassette on my Walkman when mom suggests we put it in the car's deck so we could ALL listen! Um... no thanks mom! I'm kinda tired of listening to it now. 😆 Over the years I became more of a metalhead and later even a hardcore punk fan. But I've always remained a huge fan of Prince, even though I don't listen to his music all that much anymore. I still believe this is a brilliant, if not a bit foul, album from one of the greatest artists in modern music. Prince is deeply missed. 4.5/5 #94

Not for me

Not really my thing but can't deny the quality, variety and talent

Probably my fav Prince...banging title track and the 1-2-3-4 whammy of Delirious through Automatic is one I often jump to for a fix. Drops off a little after that, but on top of his game here overall with 80s synths that haven't aged a bit.

As a friend once wrote about Purple Rain, not really my thing but can't deny the quality, variety and talent. It’s way too long to keep me engaged though. I still don’t get why people love Prince so much, there are funkier artists out there with better hooks. Admittedly the bulk of his songs are solid to good, but they are not particularly interesting to me and this listen hasn’t persuaded me otherwise. I liked the grove on Lady Cab Driver. There’s probably a porn channel with the same name.

I enjoy an opening song/title that predicts the millennium bug despite a FIRM musical grounding in the 80s. So many songs that would be perfect for a dressing up montage in a brat pack movie. I just wish you would surprise me, Prince. Didn’t care for the lyric ‘work your body like a whore’ neither. Absolute hedonism can get tiresome when there’s nothing else on offer - Versailles felt like this sometimes, I imagine. Including a mildly sinister undercurrent (what’s with the woman screaming ‘help, please help me’?). I do like a camp laugh though. My mum will be pleased I’ve listened to this.

When this hits, it hits hard. When it doesn't, I understand why Prince supposedly has like 328,356 unreleased songs in his vault when he died.

fun

Good album, first 2 songs all-time classics!

## In-Depth Review of *1999* by Prince Prince’s *1999*, released in 1982, stands as a landmark double album that not only defined the Minneapolis sound but also helped shape the direction of pop, funk, and electronic music for decades to come. This review examines the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, and concludes with a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. --- **Lyrics** Prince’s songwriting on *1999* is a masterclass in juxtaposition: exuberant, sensual, and playful on the surface, yet laced with existential dread and social commentary beneath. The title track, “1999,” is a prime example, blending apocalyptic anxiety with a call to celebration—“Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1999”—as a metaphor for living fully in the face of uncertainty and potential doom[1]. Written during the height of Cold War tensions, the lyrics reference nuclear fears (“Everybody’s got a bomb, we could all die any day”) but counter them with communal joy and defiance[1]. Throughout the album, Prince shifts between personal and collective perspectives, often using “I” and “we” interchangeably, reinforcing unity and shared experience[1]. Tracks like “Little Red Corvette” use automotive imagery as a metaphor for fleeting romance and sexual liberation, while “Automatic” and “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” push boundaries with explicit, sometimes provocative, explorations of desire and identity[2]. “Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)” and “All the Critics Love U in New York” introduce themes of alienation and the dehumanizing effects of modernity, echoing anxieties about technology and emotional disconnect[2]. Even the ballads, “Free” and “International Lover,” are layered: “Free” is a piano-driven plea for gratitude and social consciousness, while “International Lover” is a tongue-in-cheek, slow-burning seduction that earned Prince his first Grammy nomination[2]. The lyrics across *1999* are consistently inventive, playful, and often subversive, blending pop accessibility with deeper, sometimes darker, reflections. --- **Music** Musically, *1999* is a tour de force of innovation. Prince fully embraces the emerging technologies of the early ’80s, particularly synthesizers and the Linn LM-1 drum machine, to create a sound that is both futuristic and deeply funky[2][3]. The album is dominated by layered synths, crisp electronic drums, and infectious grooves, codifying the “Minneapolis sound” that would influence R&B, pop, and dance music for years[2][3]. The title track opens with cascading synth chords and a robotic spoken intro, setting a tone that is both celebratory and ominous. “Little Red Corvette” blends rock guitar with synth-pop textures, creating a crossover hit that brought Prince to a wider rock audience[2]. “Delirious” is a bouncy, rockabilly-infused synth jam, while “D.M.S.R.” and “Lady Cab Driver” showcase Prince’s prowess in funk, with extended jams, call-and-response vocals, and intricate rhythmic interplay[4][2]. Prince’s musicianship is on full display: he plays most of the instruments himself but also incorporates contributions from future Revolution members like Lisa Coleman and Dez Dickerson, hinting at the collaborative sound that would define *Purple Rain*[4]. The album’s sequencing is deliberate, with each track flowing into the next, creating a continuous party atmosphere that is occasionally interrupted by moments of introspection or experimental abstraction (“All the Critics Love U in New York”)[2]. --- **Production** The production on *1999* is groundbreaking. Prince’s use of the Linn LM-1 drum machine was revolutionary, providing a crisp, mechanical backbone that contrasted with the warmth of his funk grooves[2][3]. The album’s sound is dense but never cluttered; layers of synths, guitars, and vocals are meticulously arranged to create a sense of space and energy. Prince’s approach to recording was both obsessive and visionary. He often worked alone in the studio, meticulously crafting each track, but was also open to input from his band, resulting in a blend of individual genius and collaborative energy[4]. The mix is bold, with prominent drums and bass, shimmering synths, and vocals that range from seductive whispers to ecstatic shouts. The album’s length—over 70 minutes across two LPs—was unusual for a pop record at the time, and Prince uses the extended runtime to explore a wide range of sounds and moods. The production is consistently adventurous, from the robotic funk of “Automatic” to the jazzy flourishes of “Lady Cab Driver” and the sparse, haunting textures of “Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)”[2][3]. --- **Themes** *1999* is thematically rich, blending hedonism, anxiety, and social consciousness. The most prominent theme is the tension between celebration and apocalypse: the urge to party as an act of defiance against existential threats, whether nuclear war or personal despair[1][2]. This duality gives the album its emotional depth and enduring relevance. Sexual liberation is another central theme. Prince’s lyrics and performances are unabashedly erotic, challenging taboos and celebrating freedom of expression. Yet, this sensuality is often complicated by vulnerability, longing, and the search for connection, as in “Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)” and “Free”[2]. Technology and modernity also loom large. Prince explores the alienating effects of the “Computer Age,” both lyrically and sonically, foreshadowing the digital anxieties that would become more pronounced in later decades[2]. The album’s use of electronic instruments and robotic rhythms reinforces these themes, creating a soundscape that is both seductive and unsettling. Finally, unity and resilience are recurring motifs. The communal perspective of songs like “1999” and “D.M.S.R.” invites listeners to find strength and joy together, even in the face of adversity[1]. The album is ultimately hopeful, urging listeners to “not let the elevator bring us down” and to embrace life’s possibilities[1]. --- **Influence** *1999* is widely regarded as one of the most influential albums of the 1980s—and of Prince’s career. It was his first Top 10 album on the Billboard 200 and produced several major hits, including “1999,” “Little Red Corvette,” and “Delirious”[4][3]. The album’s success helped break down racial barriers on MTV, with its music videos receiving heavy rotation and introducing Prince to a broader audience[3]. The album’s synth-and-drum machine-heavy arrangements codified the Minneapolis sound, influencing not only R&B and pop but also the development of electro, house, and techno music[2][3]. Artists across genres—from Michael Jackson and Madonna to Daft Punk and The Weeknd—have cited Prince and *1999* as key inspirations. Critically, the album has been lauded as a masterpiece of innovation and vision. It has been included on numerous “greatest albums” lists, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and praised for its enduring relevance and forward-thinking sound[2][3]. The album’s blend of funk, pop, rock, and electronic music set a new standard for genre fusion and artistic ambition. --- ## Pros and Cons **Pros** - **Innovative Sound:** Pioneered the use of synthesizers and drum machines in mainstream pop and R&B, creating a blueprint for the Minneapolis sound and influencing countless artists and genres[2][3]. - **Lyrical Depth:** Combines party anthems with existential and social commentary, offering both escapism and substance[1][2]. - **Musical Versatility:** Seamlessly blends funk, pop, rock, and electronic elements, showcasing Prince’s range as a songwriter, musician, and producer[4][2]. - **Cultural Impact:** Broke racial barriers on MTV, expanded Prince’s audience, and set the stage for his subsequent masterpieces[3]. - **Enduring Relevance:** Themes of anxiety, resilience, and unity remain resonant, and the album’s sound still feels fresh decades later[2]. - **Strong Singles:** Tracks like “1999,” “Little Red Corvette,” and “Delirious” are iconic, instantly recognizable, and continue to receive airplay[4][3]. **Cons** - **Length and Pacing:** At over 70 minutes, the album can feel sprawling and occasionally uneven, with some tracks (“Automatic,” “All the Critics Love U in New York”) stretching the listener’s patience[3]. - **Repetitiveness:** Certain musical and lyrical motifs recur throughout, which, while reinforcing the album’s themes, can lead to a sense of repetition on extended listens[3]. - **Production Choices:** The heavy reliance on early ’80s synth and drum machine sounds, while innovative at the time, may feel dated to some modern listeners[2]. - **Explicit Content:** The album’s sexual themes and provocative lyrics, groundbreaking in their time, may not appeal to all audiences and limited radio play for some tracks[2]. --- ## Conclusion *1999* is a towering achievement in Prince’s discography and in the history of popular music. Its blend of innovation, ambition, and accessibility helped redefine what a pop album could be, both musically and thematically. The record’s influence can be heard across genres and generations, and its songs remain as vital and compelling today as they were in 1982. While its length and occasional excesses may test some listeners’ patience, the album’s strengths—its inventive production, lyrical depth, and sheer musical joy—far outweigh its flaws. *1999* is not just a party album; it’s a profound meditation on joy, fear, unity, and survival, delivered by one of music’s most visionary artists at the height of his powers.

Very good but some songs longer than they need to be

Got tired of listening to prince whisper about how he wants to fuck me for 3 mins at the end of every song.

Ganska bra.

84/100. 1999 by Prince is a funk-pop classic, showcasing his signature blend of sensuality, swagger, and style. The album leans heavily into his recognizable sexual themes, wrapped in infectious grooves and synth-heavy production. While a few tracks might overstay their welcome in length, the overall experience is dynamic and iconic.

His fith album. Opening track, 1999, is a classic 80s tune. Fantastic track. Delirious another very catchy track. Let's Pretend We're Married, another cool 80s sound. Funky pop throughout the album. Sexy lyrics, naughty vibes, shake your ass music. Little Red Corvette is a funky track too.

I did not use a private Spotify session for this one. Lots of hits. It's funky enough, but too many keyboards and I got to say the screaming got to me towards the end.

Not my favorite Prince album by a ways, but I still love it. It could lose a couple songs and might be tighter with all the bangers on there.

Nije samo do toga što ne volim Princa generalno. Cijenim što ovaj album zvuči kao da je puno noviji nego što jeste. Ali ne cijenim što je svaka pjesma komotno mogla biti tri ili čak pet minuta kraća. Nema nikakve poente u skoro pola dužine ovog albuma.

Another long album. The songs seemed to drag on a bit. The good songs were good, but the others were meh! I’d say 50/50 good to filler ratio.

Every time I started liking a song he started to moan in my ear

Absolute classic of an album

I am interested in how listening to this album goes. I've never listened to a whole Prince album, and usually I am burnt out on the hits because of the radio, but 1999 started and I am feeling it. The early 80s synthesizer is killing me on some of these songs. Was never a big fan of the sound and it is HEAVILY featured. I know at the time it was novel, but blah. I would love to hear a redone version of this with out the synthesizers. A lot of these songs sound really similar to each other, for instance lady cab driver I thought was just little red corevette again. If this is intentional, they succeeded? A lot of this just feels really experimental. The hits are the hits, and a lot of everything else feels just like messing around.

The only Prince album I have is Sign O’The Times. The rest of his music that I have in my library is a greatest hits/B-sides compilation. So I never spent anytime with his actual discography. Now, the first three songs on 1999, I do know and they are all great. I love Delirious. Little Red Corvette reminds me of a water park I went to as a kid because they played this song constantly. The rest of 1999 was all new material to me. And it was about a 50/50 split on songs I liked and didn’t like. The stand out tracks here were Automatic, D.M.S.R., and Free. Most of Lady Cab Driver was cool. Didn’t really care for the simulated sex part though. International Lover was a bit hokey. Some of the songs I didn’t really care for came down to the lyrics more than the music. I get that Prince was a very sexual being but 1999 seemed like music you’d play at an orgy. I mean, c’mon man! We get it already. Ha ha. That does affect my rating because I don’t think I could listen to 1999 in full without skipping through some songs. I gotta go with a 3 rating here. 3/5

Would listen again - a high 4. Not the best prince album but a very very good one. Faves: 1999, little red corvette, delirious, free

Prince, for me at least, is more famous as a performer than a musician. I know a lot about him as a personality, but the music doesn't seem to get as much play as I would expect. Maybe I'm not hearing it, but I don't really hear his songs in the wild. Other similar artists are Bjork, the Grateful Dead, and Lady Gaga is on her way there. I guess Franz Liszt would be the early example. And after hearing it, yeah, that makes sense. He's a great singer, he's got personality, but I really don't find the music that catchy. It's fine, but I JUST listened to it and probably could only hum 1999. The rest of it is glaringly 80's, and mostly forgettable outside of the sometimes bizarre lyrics.

Lets party like it's...

Fine.

Ok

Chock full of so many bangers but lets be real: nearly every song on here is like 2-3 minutes too long. D.M.S.R changed my life.

Prince was such a weirdo. I love it.

Add me to the segment of listeners who just doesn't get Prince. I've seen recordings of live performances, and he is electrifying. Truly a great showman and guitar player. I can't say that I enjoy any of his studio singles. I had never listened to a whole album before this, and this did not change my mind.

I love Prince. Better than “Soft and wet” for me

Vraiment pas fan du boug

Love Prince. Some great songs here. Highly 80s

Many TUNES

Something In The Water is a rad song

Amazing album! Tunes that fuse rock and funk. Prince was a talented man!

Time to party like it's 1999! My first Prince album on the list out of what I expect to be quite a few. Gotta say I'm a bit excited for this one as it's hard to not like Prince. Looks a bit long, but I'm sure that won't be a problem. Been meaning to get more into Prince lately so this seems as good a time as any to get started. 1999 Classic. Impossible to hate, just an incredibly fun track with an unstoppable energy. Great synth riff, funky bassline and Prince being his usual charismatic self, what more could you want? While it does sound very of the time, the performances stay timeless. Fantastic. 5/5 Little Red Corvette Instantly infectious. Amazing synth, extremely catchy chorus. Love the background guitar as well. How do you even classify this? Every little detail in this song could be the best part of it. Those lyrics are something else... Legendary performance over an epic instrumental. Pop masterpiece. 5/5 Delirious Seems to have a darker more omnious atmosphere to it to start, but sort of loosens up when the synth comes in. Quirky and a bit weird. Great group vocals. Fun and energetic. A good time all around. Good. 4/5 Let's Pretend We're Married A fairly entertaining track. The premise alone has a lot of value. Prince's vocal performance here is pretty eccentric and fun. The instrumental does get a bit repetitive however which sort of detracts from the track, I'm especially thinking about the main synth line. Strange lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 D.M.S.R That's some vintage well aged 80's cheese right there. Extremely dancable. Infectious chorus, love the group vocals. Has a great message honestly. Really fun dance track. 4/5 Automatic This is really quiet compared to the rest of the album. Sounds really watered down and distant. I like the bass on this track quite a lot. Not too sure about that synth. The panning spoken word is kinda obnoxious, especially with the moaning. Terrible vocal effect. Cool guitar effect. The crying is quite unpleasant. Long as hell. Mixed. 2.5/5 Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) Strange synth. Decent chorus. Impressive screams. Uninteresting lyrics. Fine. 3/5 Free Extremely 80's. Cheesy as all hell. Fun vocal performance. Love the passion. Very charming. Decent. 3.5/5 Lady Cab Driver Funky! Really catchy. There are some really fun lyrics in there. The rap verse is kinda weird. Unexpected both lyrically and thematically. Decent. 3.5/5 All The Critics Love U In New York Jazzy bassline. The drums are kinda overpowering. Does develop a bit of a groove after a bit. The high tempo and the repeated chorus makes for a pretty fun combination. I like the strange background noises. Not sure what he's satirizing here. Decent. 3.5/5 International Lover Smooth and sexy. Impressive vocals. Oh so cheesy. Those airplane metaphors are so over the top it's almost funny. Good. 4/5 Well that was graphic. Started off kinda innocently with some absolute pop bangers then slowly morphed into a raw, sexually indulgent, hedonistic barrage of seductivness. Weirdly enough I kinda liked it. It's at times so overtly sexual that the cheesiness of it kinda just becomes funny. This is greatly helped by Prince's immaculate talent, where he truly gives it his all and manages to be smooth and cool while singing about things that could have a lesser man locked away. Besides the grandiose cheesefest, the catchy, dancy pop tunes remain the highlight of the album for me, providing som unforgettable energy and immaculate vibes. The infectiousness of some of the grooves on here would get even your sour old granny to the dancefloor. It's just really fun, and Prince just brings so much charisma with his insane vocal deliveries that even when the track is 8 minutes long you kind of forgive him for it, even if it's a bit egregious to stretch out some of these songs that much. Overall, elegant, fun, smooth and extremely 80's. Something that can easily brighten your day. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5

I wouldn’t be upset if I had to listen to this again, it was interesting and a good listen at the least. But I’m definitely not seeking out to listen to it again, it just wasn’t all that much my thing. Very long too, which isn’t always bad if it’s a great album but I don’t think this album was quite there. Solid enough though. I really enjoyed the variety of ways he used his voice.

4.3 - I feel like I could really do a deep dive with prince. Really enjoyed this. When he's on, he really is great. Some songs were a bit meandering but I think with more listens, it could rise

I consider myself a Prince fan but I was extremely disappointed by this. Maybe I’m not a Prince fan after all. 1999 is great, Little Red Corvette is pretty good, but the rest of the album is is a slog. The album has some dance tropes which work horribly - long songs with repeating grooves that don’t really go anywhere. A distinct lack of chord progressions. The instrumentation has a stank of 80s tackiness and not even Prince’s charisma can overcome it. Fave Track: 1999 2.5/5

I was dreaming when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray. Here we have another slice of idiosyncratic psychosexual pop from the Purple One working his way to Purple Rain. This record has some iconic songs and is undeniably funky but it's not my favorite — a few too many dips in the back half to get lost in even if all the critics love u in New York.

Must admit, never been a huge Prince fan. I appreciate his talent but it wasn't really my cup of tea. So I listened to this album for the first time. I, like everyone else , heard the hits and liked them. But what surprised me was 1999. I've heard it a million times but never really listened. This one has oomph. The dichotomy between the style of the song and the lyrics really hits home. The world is F#$%& so let's have fun while it lasts. Album a three but that song knocks it up a bit

minus points for Delirious ( annoying novelty synth lead) and Free ( tedious) , otherwise 💜 5

i'm not a huge prince fan and i'm fairly new to listening to him as a whole (i know, i know, it's crazy). i'm kind of two minds about this one. it's a pretty fun album. it's a bit zany and very synth heavy. it's really horny (i don't really give a shit, plus it's prince, of course it's horny). i also felt like the album was too long. although i don't think there's much chaff here to separate from the wheat, it does feel like i would have liked it more if it had been streamlined a bit. i don't think it was bad but the length did end up diminishing my interest in it. especially since a lot of the synths can be a little grating at times (normally not an issue for me, but the more it goes on, the less i want to deal with it). overall, i still liked it, but it wasn't my favorite prince output i've heard.

I’ve honestly never listened to Prince in length, and I’m only sorry I didn’t sooner. I thought the album was an an education on how pop should be done. Untwined funk and soul- it was brilliant.

Masterclass on funk pop Favorite track: little red corvette other picks: 1999, delirious, dmsr, international lover

Delirious is one of my all time favorite Prince songs. This album starts out on such a high note, that the ending feels less than spectacular.

I don't really know Prince and his music. The first twos are hits and I've heard many times before. Was looking forward to the rest, but it was all a bit disappointing.

Love Prince and little red corvette is one of my favourites.

Classic

international lovers is very secrets from a girl

some absolute HOF classics but i kinda thought the rest of it would be better. also way too long

3/5

Dope Prince album that showed the great funky talent of the man to come. On 1999, it sril relied a bit too much on the same rhythms.

Probably a really good dance album, but my folky ears just cannot appreciate it fully. Stand out songs: Little Red Corvette

Nei

Again with all the weird sex stuff. A couple decent songs, but also a lot of boring drum machines and synthesizers.

1999 was definitely an album that was all over the place but still a really fun listen. This album was a case where absolutely no song sounded the same as they all had their own quirks and gimmicks that the other songs didn't have with some working better than others. This album does of course, reek of the 80s seeing as it did come out in 1982 and tried sounding as futuristic as it could seeing as it is called 1999 but it still reeks of that era in all of the best ways. I do think that not all of the creative ideas in the songs were handled perfectly as some could be annoying. It is a shame though, because without those annoying bits, this genuinely would have been a 5 star album but alas, we can't have that can we? Best Song: D.M.S.R. Worst Song: All The Critics Love U In New York

Loved this album

Ujevnt. Passet dårlig på en sliten fredag.

prince was freaky af 2+/5

One sexy album

4.5

3.5/5

We’ve been seriously underweight on Prince over the last 1,055 albums.

Maybe I'm a prude, but I don't care for all the moaning etc. The shock value of singing about fucking is gone in 2025, though I imagine it was more transgressive to be a horny little freak in the 80s. Now it's just irritating. Musically it has its moments, but they're few and far between. Every time I saw the next track was 7, 8, 9 minutes long, I thought "oh for fuck's sake".

Leuk aan het begin, wel wat lang

A couple of hits a few misses

I’m cool with one 7+ minute long FreakJam on a Prince album, but FOUR?! Now you’ve crossed a line, buster.

4.8 but shoulda ended half way through

hell yeah

this one's for Yosemite Sam

One star less because of the moaning

The hight points are so incredibly high, but the low points are very meh.

..

Good solid Prince without the exact amazingness that makes it untouchable like Purple Rain 8/10

This made me sleepy.

It's good but I'm not super into it

meh .. its a great beat, sure, but after 1999 it starts to sound really repetitive

This album wants to make me party like it's 1999. The songs are too long, and I wish there was a better ending, but Prince was a legend whom posthumously entertains us. Oh, do I also wish it was 1999 again. Favorite Track: "1999"(take me back).

Some of the back half is pretty weak but overall solid

It’s a fun little album. Oh wait. It’s really just trying to get me to bed.

Personally not my style but it’s alright

Super catchy pop record. But man the songs were long. This guy is super talented and I thought this was his debut. This could have been 5 stars if it showcased more of his guitar playing skills.

I love, admire, respect and miss Prince. His Lovesexy show in Birmingham is still up there in my top five ever gigs. His musicianship and his ability to bring the party is always extraordinary, but for me his songwriting isn't *always* amazing. I found a lot of filler here. I would probably go 7 out of 10, but I simply can't round it down, because the man had charisma from the top of his hat to the pointy tips of his boots. DMSR, indeed.

Astonishing to remember a time when 1999 was far off into the future instead of even further off into the past. It doesn’t matter how much times passes, this album is as fresh as it ever was

Little Red Corvette

6/10 I was firmly of the opinion that Prince is overrated. For the first half of this album, I had serious doubts about that belief. But then I listened to the second half and read the Spotify bio, and he definitely is. I enjoyed parts of this album much more than I thought I would and it was a very strong 4 star. However, the longer the album lasted, the further the score dropped ...

Impeccable vibes. First and some of greatest work by Prince. Makes me want to party like it’s 1999

What a banging opening -1999 deserves its classic status and Little Red Corvette's memorable, then it peters right out. Not my cuppa tea back in the day (1982, aged 14) - I preferred my music spiky and lo-fi so no doubt sneered at this for its pomp and production. I remember back in the day finding the whole sexy talk of Prince squirmish rather than sensual, ridiculous rather than raunchy, and nothing's changed. Sample lyrics 'Work your body like a whore' and 'This is your pilot Prince speaking, you're flying aboard the Seduction 747 and this plane is fully equipped with anything your body desires' do natch for me.

funky

Some nice tracks there but not perfect

Prince fucked my ear for 1 hour and 10 minutes. The first half of this album is amazing and then it drags towards the end.

Reinventing pop

good

I'm supposed to like this more. I like Dirty Mind and Purple Rain the correct amount.

I was sleepin' when I heard this, forgive me if I think I'm gay

Biggest load of sh*te ever since the last biggest load of sh*te ever two days ago (yesterdays was just an average load of sh*te).

If you turn the volume down and play it while working, 1999 serves as ideal background music. Until now, I’ve typically used Bill Laswell’s Aftermathematics for that purpose—a record I consider far more complex and musically sophisticated—but I’m willing to give this one a chance. All jokes aside, I find it difficult to evaluate 1999 on musical terms because it’s so far removed from my personal taste that the gap feels immeasurable. It’s well-suited for a late-night bar, an afterparty, or any situation where music is meant to stay in the background rather than demand attention. I wouldn’t say the 1980s were a musical failure—after all, we had The Pixies, Talking Heads, and Dire Straits—but this album feels like a textbook example of the decade’s ambient noise rather than its artistic high points.

Like getting to like Guinness. I like Guinness, I don’t like Prince despite repeated attempts to do so. I’m always left thinking ‘right, so it’s five minutes to the song in and I’m ready for something to happen’.

Maestro, orgasmi nel sound. Vengo anch'io, no tu no

Absolute funkenstein, of course. Prince becoming PRIIIIINCE. Some of these songs go on way too long is all. Partial demerit. But Purple Rain is around the corner.

10/10