1999 is the fifth full-length studio album by Prince. It was released worldwide in October 1982 (twelve months after his previous album, Controversy).
When CD technology was created and albums were released on CD, D.M.S.R. was left off the initial releases of 1999 as the time limit on CDs was 74 minutes at the time. As CD capacities increased, however, the track was added to the tracklist again.
Recording process
Album sessions took place from early 1982 to August 1982, at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA and later at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA. International Lover is believed to be the first track recorded for the album, in mid-January 1982. Recording dates for All The Critics Love U In New York are not known, but it was recorded in early 1982.
Let's Pretend We're Married was recorded in late March 1982. D.M.S.R. followed in mid-April 1982. Free and Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) were recorded in late April 1982, while Automatic and Delirious were recorded in early May 1982. Lady Cab Driver followed in early July 1982. 1999 and Little Red Corvette were recorded on the same day, 7 August 1982.
1999 was not included on an early configuration of the album (which was likely given another name at the time), but Prince's management suggested he add an over-arching thematic song to the album, and he wrote the song in response (since Little Red Corvette was recorded on the same day, the early configuration must have been missing this also, although no details of the early configuration are known).
The album was largely a solo recording project by Prince, although various band members appear in small roles, especially on 1999 and D.M.S.R. (see credits below for details).
Promotion
The album produced five commercially-released singles, 1999 (which preceded the album), Little Red Corvette, Delirious, Automatic (available in Australia only) and Let's Pretend We're Married. Additionally, D.M.S.R. was available as a promotional single following the release of Little Red Corvette.
Prince toured extensively in the USA to support the album on the 1999 Tour, which largely focused on the album (the tour featured The Time and Vanity 6 as opening acts, and also acted as promotion for their albums).
The album reached number 9 on the US Billboard Top LP's & Tapes chart and number 4 on the Billboard Black LPs chart.
1999 has been certified 4x platinum by the RIAA, indicating 4 million copies shipped in the USA.
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