Album: MPLSound

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2009: Lotusflow3r All Prince Albums All Related Artists Albums 2010: 20Ten
MPLSound

MPLSound french CD artwork cover

Album details


Released: 24 March 2009 (download)

29 March 2009 (Target exclusive CD)
7 September 2009 (French release)

Length: 47:44
Label(s): NPG Records
Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA; 77 Beverly Park Ln., Beverly Hills, CA, USA

Charts, Certifications & Awards


Charts
America
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
USA: The Billboard 200 18 Apr. 2009 2(1) 13
USA: Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums 18 Apr. 2009 1(1) 23
USA: Billboard Independent Albums 18 Apr. 2009 1(1) 20
 
Europe
Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart
Belgium: Ultratop Vlaanderen 25 Apr. 2009 44 6
Belgium: Ultratop Wallonia 18 Apr. 2009 78 2
France: SNEP Top Album 200 12 Sep. 2009 14 17
France: SNEP Top Albums Téléchargés 7 Sept. 2009 3(1) 5
France: SNEP Top Format Longs 7 Sep. 2009 26 8
The Netherlands: Album Top 100 18 Apr. 2009 23 7
France: SNEP Top Albums 200 27 Jun. 2011 191R 1
Certifications
This album has not received any certifications in the USA
Awards
This album has not received any awards in the USA

Singles released


Dance 4 Me
b/w None
U’re Gonna C Me (France promo only)
b/w None

See also


Lotusflow3r
(Album)
Elixer
(Album)

Alternate Album Configuration


  • February 2009, MPLSound configuration
A slightly different configuration, missing Here, was seen on a tracklist for the album in February 2009. This tracklist is below:
  1. (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me
  2. Chocolate Box
  3. Dance 4 Me
  4. U’re Gonna C Me
  5. No More Candy 4 U
  6. Valentina
  7. Better With Time
  8. Ol' Skool Company
MPLSound is the 34th full-length studio album by Prince (sold in a package with his 33rd album Lotusflow3r). It was initially released as a download on the launch date of Prince’s website Lotusflow3r.com, with a CD release exclusively at Target five days later, in a 3CD package known as Lotusflow3r that also included Lotusflow3r and Bria Valente’s first and only album Elixer.

In September 2009, the album was released in France as part of a 2CD package known as Lotusflow3r that also included Lotusflow3r. At the same time, a single-disc set was released in France, also titled Lotusflow3r but only including the MPLSound disc (this was a deliberate marketing decision, not an error). In November, the album was released on vinyl in France as part of a 2LP package, again known as Lotusflow3r and also including the Lotusflow3r album.


Sessions and compiling


Most of the album was recorded between late Summer 2008 and early 2009 at either Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota or 77 Beverly Park Ln. in Beverly Hills, California, just after finishing Lotusflow3r. (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me, Chocolate Box, Dance 4 Me, Here, Valentina, Better With Time and Ol' Skool Company were likely recorded between September 2008 and January 2009. U’re Gonna C Me was first recorded in Spring 2001, and was originally released on the One Nite Alone... album, but the version included here was re-recorded in 2008 or early 2009. No More Candy 4 U was recorded earlier in 2008 and was a last minute addition to the tracklist.

Other than a brief rap appearance by Q-Tip on Chocolate Box, all vocals and instruments on the album were performed by Prince.


Promotion

Prince promoted the album with a video for Chocolate Box, as well as various TV appearances and one-off shows. The album produced only one commercially-released single, Dance 4 Me five months after the album’s release only in North America and France. U’re Gonna C Me was available as a promotional single in France to tie in with Prince’s brief series of shows in Paris in October 2009. There was no full tour to support this album, however.

The album (as part of the 3CD set titled Lotusflow3r) reached number 2 on The Billboard 200, and number 1 on both the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and the Billboard Independent Albums chart, perhaps due in part to the sale of three CDs together for the low retail price of $11.98.



Track listing
CD Digital

The compact disc version is the original issue.

  1. (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me (6:02)
  2. Chocolate Box (6:14)
  3. Dance 4 Me (4:59)
  4. U’re Gonna C Me (4:36)
  5. Here (5:15)
  6. Valentina (3:59)
  7. Better With Time (4:54)
  8. Ol' Skool Company (7:30)
  9. No More Candy 4 U (4:15)


LP

The LP is a reissue from the original retail CD.

  • Side 1:
  1. (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me (6:02)
  2. Chocolate Box (6:14)
  3. Dance 4 Me (4:59)
  4. U’re Gonna C Me (4:36)
  5. Here (5:15)
  • Side 1:
  1. Valentina (3:59)
  2. Better With Time (4:54)
  3. Ol' Skool Company (7:30)
  4. No More Candy 4 U (4:15)

The digital version was release on Lotusflow3r.com at same time as the CD.

  1. (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me (6:02)
  2. Chocolate Box (6:14)
  3. Dance 4 Me (4:59)
  4. U’re Gonna C Me (4:36)
  5. Here (5:15)
  6. Valentina (3:59)
  7. Better With Time (4:54)
  8. Ol' Skool Company (7:30)
  9. No More Candy 4 U (4:15)

All songs written by Prince.



Personnel
Musicians


Production


Thanks
  • none.



Releases
LP, CD, Cassettes and Other versions
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2

USA CD 07541 09549 Target exclusive, 3CD package with MPLSound and Bria Valente’s Elixer
France CD TBA Because Music limited edition, 3CD package with MPLSound and Bria Valente’s Elixer
France LP BEC5772589 Because Music limited edition, 2 LP package with MPLSound
France CD TBA Because Music limited edition, 1 digipak CD.
France CD TBA Because Music promotional issue, 1 cardboard CD.

Variants, Special Editions and Reissues
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2

USA Digital (.wav) n/a sold on www.Lotuflower.com
USA Digital (.mp3 @320k) n/a sold on www.Lotuflower.com

 

 

 
Additional Information

Promotion (at time of release) Trivia

  • MPLSound had its own 'area' on the website Lotusflow3r.com website, containing a download of the album, a video for the song Chocolate Box, and various promotional photos.
  • It appears that 77 Beverly Park was at one point intended for MPLSound, given its mention in the spoken word segment of Ol' Skool Company, which mentions the other MPLSound tracks in their order of appearance on the album.
  • Feel Better, Feel Good, Feel Wonderful was also seen on a tracklist for MPLSound as recently as February 2009, indicating it switched albums at a late stage.
  • MPLSound is the second Prince album to contain a remake of a song previously-released on another Prince album. U’re Gonna C Me is a re-recorded version of the One Nite Alone... track released in 2002.
  • Lotusflow3r triple pack sold 168,000 unit in the USA within a week, which granted the album a number 2 position on The Billboard 200 album charts.
  • The French triple pack release, issued on 7 September 2009 sold 3,375 units within a week, which enabled it to enter French charts TOP Album 200 at number 14. The next week it sold 2,340 copies, which had it dropping to position 26. On week 5 the record sold 1163 unit and dropped to position 51. On week 6, after a week of promotion in Paris, the record sold 2,896 copies and climbed up to position 25. It also entered the download album charts at position 3, its best position in 6 weeks.
  • On some editions of the Lotusflow3r/MPLSound albums, Better With Time is wrongly listed as Better With Me.

References
2009
Lotusflow3r
All Albums All Related Artists Albums 2010
20Ten