"1999" by Prince

Song#:  1228
Date:  10/30/1982
Debut:  81
Peak:  44
Weeks: 12
Genre:  R&B, Funk



Pop Bits:  Almost a year to the date after his last pop chart entry ("Controversy," #70 pop, #3 R&B), Prince returned with the title track to his double-LP "1999." The single did well at R&B reaching #4, but seemed to fade after a #44 peak at pop. If you are looking at this and thinking - hey, wasn't this a pretty big pop hit? - you'd be right. It got a second lease on life the following year (see below). The album became his first pop Top 10 reaching #9 and it grabbed Prince a Grammy nod for (oddly) Best Pop Male Vocal.

ReduxReview:  I'm not really sure why this song did not catch on the first time around. My thought is that pop radio was still not into tha funk and it just didn't get to the masses. But the doors blew open after "Little Red Corvette" and it finally got the audience it deserved. It's a brilliant jam. Just try to stand still while listening to this. I dare you.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  When this single was first issued, it just missed out on the pop Top 40 and disappeared after 12 weeks. After the LP's second single "Little Red Corvette" hit it big, "1999" got promoted again and the single re-entered the pop chart  in the spring of 1983. This time around it did much better and peaked at #12 on the pop chart. The single was also reissued late in 1998 to capitalize on the song's upcoming title year. It did well enough to get on the pop chart for one week where it hit #40. To-date, it remains Prince's last pop Top 40 entry.

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