Prince albums discography
Studio albums42
Live albums5
Compilation albums9
Video albums17
EPs13
Special editions6
Posthumous albums3
Internet albums13
Madhouse albums2
New Power Generation albums3
NPG Orchestra albums1

Prince's albums discography consists of forty studio albums (including four soundtrack albums and one posthumous album), five live albums, and numerous compilations. Two albums of demo material have been released posthumously. Prince also released several albums under various group names. See Prince singles discography for his singles and extended plays, and Prince videography for his music videos and video albums.

Prince has sold over 100 million records worldwide,[1] including 36.5 million certified units in the United States, and over 10 million records in the United Kingdom. Rolling Stone ranked him at No. 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[2]

In the weeks following his death in April 2016, 19 different Prince albums charted on the Billboard 200 all at the same time, and he became the first and only artist ever to have 5 albums in the Billboard top 10 simultaneously.[3]

Overview

Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 19, soon releasing the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the influential albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name in which he starred. Purple Rain garnered continued success for Prince and was a major commercial achievement, spending six consecutive months atop the Billboard 200 chart. The soundtrack also won Prince the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released the album Sign o' the Times (1987), widely hailed by critics as the greatest work of his career.

Prince was a prolific musician who released 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased material left in a custom-built bank vault underneath his home after his death, including fully completed albums and over 50 finished music videos. Released posthumously, his demo albums Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018) and Originals (2019) both received critical acclaim.

Studio albums

Year Album Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[4]
AUS
[5]
AUT
[6]
CAN
[7]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
NOR
[10]
NZ
[11]
SWE
[12]
SWI
[13]
UK
[14]
1978 For You 138 156
1979 Prince
  • Released: October 19, 1979
  • Label: Warner Bros.
22 92
1980 Dirty Mind
  • Released: October 8, 1980
  • Label: Warner Bros.
45 79 61
1981 Controversy
  • Released: October 14, 1981
  • Label: Warner Bros.
21 55 50
1982 1999 [A]
  • Released: October 27, 1982
  • Label: Warner Bros.
7 35 23
[17]
37 45 6 26 28
1984 Purple Rain [A]
  • Released: June 25, 1984
  • Label: Warner Bros.
1 1 8 1
[19]
5 1 4 2 3 7 4
1985 Around the World in a Day [A] 1 12 7 16
[21]
10 1 10 16 1 8 5
1986 Parade [A]
  • Released: March 31, 1986
  • Label: Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
3 8 7 11
[22]
6 1 10 7 5 2 4
1987 Sign o' the Times
  • Released: March 30, 1987
  • Label: Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
6 20 2 27
[23]
3 2 3 6 6 1 4
1988 Lovesexy
  • Released: May 10, 1988
  • Label: Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
11 8 3 7
[25]
4 1 2 1 1 1 1
1989 Batman
  • Released: June 20, 1989
  • Label: Warner Bros.
1 4 3 1 3 1 2 4 2 1 1
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum[15]
  • BPI: Platinum[16]
1990 Graffiti Bridge
  • Released: August 20, 1990
  • Label: Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
6 10 8 22
[26]
4 4 2 3 7 2 1
1991 Diamonds and Pearls [B]
  • Released: October 1, 1991
  • Label: Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
3 1 4 8
[27]
8 6 5 5 8 3 2
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum[15]
  • ARIA: 4× Platinum[20]
  • BPI: 3× Platinum[16]
  • MC: 2× Platinum[18]
1992 Love Symbol[28] [B]
  • Released: October 13, 1992
  • Label: Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
5 1 1 16
[29]
5 6 10 4 10 4 1
1994 Come
  • Released: August 16, 1994
  • Label: Warner Bros.
15 2 4 34
[30]
9 4 7 16 7 4 1
The Black Album
  • Released: November 22, 1994
  • Label: Warner Bros.
47 15 7 48
[31]
49 35 8 36
1995 The Gold Experience
  • Released: September 26, 1995
  • Label: NPG, Warner Bros.
6 13 28 35
[32]
24 3 12 11 7 4
1996 Chaos and Disorder
  • Released: July 9, 1996
  • Label: Warner Bros.
26 54 17 43
[33]
42 8 15 32 21 14
Emancipation
  • Released: November 19, 1996
  • Label: NPG, EMI
11 8 13 24
[34]
21 13 27 22 22 1 18
1998 Crystal Ball
  • Released: January 29, 1998
  • Label: NPG
  • Initially released as a limited edition 5-CD box set together with The Truth and Kamasutra by the NPG Orchestra and a 4-CD box set together with The Truth.
62
The Truth
  • Released: January 29, 1998
  • Label: NPG
  • Initially released as a limited edition 5-CD box set together with Crystal Ball and Kamasutra by the NPG Orchestra and a 4-CD box set together with Crystal ball.
64 31
1999 The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale
  • Released: August 24, 1999
  • Label: Warner Bros.
85 40 44 15 21 47
Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
  • Released: November 2, 1999
  • Label: NPG, Arista
18 82 44 5
[35]
39 17 37 51 19 145
2001 The Rainbow Children
  • Released: November 20, 2001
  • Label: NPG, Redline Entertainment
109 60 29 28 30
2002 One Nite Alone...
  • Released: May 14, 2002
  • Label: NPG
2003 Xpectation
  • Released: January 1, 2003
  • Label: NPG
N·E·W·S
  • Released: May 26, 2003
  • Label: NPG, MP Media
93 83
2004 Musicology
  • Released: March 27, 2004
  • Label: NPG, Columbia
3 19 4 11 4 3 2 25 6 2 3
The Chocolate Invasion
  • Released: March 29, 2004
  • Label: NPG
The Slaughterhouse
  • Released: March 29, 2004
  • Label: NPG
2006 3121
  • Released: March 21, 2006
  • Label: NPG, Universal
1 18 15 9 4 3 5 18 1 9
2007 Planet Earth
  • Released: July 24, 2007
  • Label: NPG, Columbia
3 38 11 17 7 3 9 35 1
2009 Lotusflow3r / MPLSound
  • Released: March 29, 2009
  • Label: NPG
  • Released as a 3-CD set together with Elixer by Bria Valente
2 23
2010 20Ten
  • Released: July 10, 2010
  • Label: NPG
2014 Plectrumelectrum [C]
  • Released: September 26, 2014
  • Label: NPG, Warner Bros.
8 33 10 31 9 8 31 50 8 11
Art Official Age [C]
  • Released: September 26, 2014
  • Label: NPG, Warner Bros.
5 15 8 21 18 4 2 17 9 4 8
2015 Hit n Run Phase One
  • Released: September 7, 2015
  • Label: NPG
48 25 53 53 11 27 50
Hit n Run Phase Two
  • Released: December 12, 2015
  • Label: NPG
40 117 20 47 21 38 50 9 21
A^ With The Revolution
B^ With The New Power Generation
C^ With 3rdeyegirl

Posthumous albums

Studio

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[4]
AUS
[5]
AUT
[6]
CAN
[7]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
NOR
[10]
SWE
[12]
SWI
[13]
UK
[14][36]
2021 Welcome 2 America 4 5 3 26 3 2 39
[38]
53
[39]
2 5

Demo

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[4]
AUS
[5]
AUT
[6]
CAN
[7]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
NOR
[10]
SWE
[12]
SWI
[13]
UK
[14][36]
2018 Piano and a Microphone 1983
  • Released: September 21, 2018
  • Label: NPG / Warner Bros.
  • Note: Compilation album
11 33 10 87 12 5 18 22 6 12
2019 Originals
  • Released: June 7, 2019[40]
  • Label: NPG / Warner Bros.
  • Note: Compilation album
15 18 34 66 26 11 54 9 21

Live albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[4]
US
R&B/
HH

[41]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
SWI
[13]
2002 One Nite Alone... Live!
  • Released: December 17, 2002
  • Label: NPG
[A] 58 36
2004 C-Note
  • Released: March 29, 2004
  • Label: NPG
2008 Indigo Nights
  • Released: September 30, 2008
  • Label: NPG
2020 Up All Nite with Prince: The One Nite Alone Collection
  • Released: May 29, 2020[42]
  • Label: NPG / Legacy
[B] 30 38 61
2022 Prince and the Revolution: Live
  • Released: June 4, 2022[43]
  • Label: Warner Bros.
22
[44]
11 8 7
2023 Live at Glam Slam[45]
  • Released: October 11, 2023
  • Label: NPG / Warner Bros.
A^ One Nite Alone... Live! did not enter the US Billboard 200, put peaked at number 95 on the Top Album Sales component chart.[46]
B^ Up All Nite with Prince: The One Nite Alone Collection did not enter the US Billboard 200, put peaked at number 19 on the Top Album Sales component chart.[46]

Special editions

This section contains remix albums, mixtapes and premium/special (expanded) editions from previously released albums.

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[4]
US
R&B

[47]
AUT
[6]
NLD
[9]
SWI
[13]
UK
[36]
1995 The Versace Experience: Prelude 2 Gold
  • Released: July 8, 1995 (limited edition cassette)
  • Re-released: April 13, 2019 (limited edition cassette)
  • Re-released: September 13, 2019 (all other formats)
  • Label: NPG / Legacy
170 17 50 29 30 83
2001 Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic
  • Released: April 29, 2001[48]
  • Label: NPG
[A]
2017 Purple Rain: Deluxe / Deluxe Expanded
  • Released: June 23, 2017
  • Label: Warner Bros.
4 9 3 12 7
2019 Ultimate Rave
  • Released: April 26, 2019[49]
  • Label: Legacy
[B] 85
1999: Remastered / Deluxe / Super Deluxe
  • Released: November 27, 2019[50]
  • Label: Warner Bros.
45 72 15 26 46
2020 Sign o' the Times: Remastered / Deluxe / Super Deluxe
  • Released: September 25, 2020[51]
  • Label: Warner Bros.
20 2 3 7
2023 Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe Edition
  • Released: October 27, 2023
  • Label: NPG / Legacy / Warner
85 10 9 5 11 50
A^ Rave In2 the Joy Fantastic did not enter the US Billboard 200, put peaked at number 14 on the Vinyl Albums chart.[52]
B^ Ultimate Rave did not enter the US Billboard 200, put peaked at number 69 on the Top Album Sales component chart.[46]

Compilation albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[4]
AUS
[5]
AUT
[6]
CAN
[7]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
NOR
[10]
NZ
[11]
SWE
[12]
SWI
[13]
UK
[14]
1985 His Majesty's Pop Life
  • Released: Late 1985 (Japan only promotional copy)
  • Re-released: April 13, 2019
  • Label: Paisley Park / Warner Bros.
184
1993 The Hits 1
  • Released: September 14, 1993
  • Label: Warner Bros.
46 19 7 34 20 14 15 12 10 22 5
The Hits 2
  • Released: September 14, 1993
  • Label: Warner Bros.
54 20 9 36 19 15 14 8 6 10 5
The Hits/The B-Sides
  • Released: September 14, 1993
  • Label: Warner Bros.
4 4 19
[53][54]
58 10 11 1
[55]
19 9 4
1996 Girl 6
  • Released: March 19, 1996
  • Label: Warner Bros.
75 83
2001 The Very Best of Prince
  • Released: July 31, 2001
  • Label: Warner Bros.
1 2 5 1 5 3 2 1 4 1 2
2006 Ultimate Prince
  • Released: August 22, 2006
  • Label: Warner Bros.
6 6 22 12 19 39 10 3 7 9 3
2016 4Ever
  • Released: November 22, 2016
  • Label: NPG / Warner Bros.
33 36 64 40 87 10 21 21
2018 Anthology: 1995–2010
  • Released: August 17, 2018[58]
  • Label: NPG / Legacy
[A] 197 100
A^ Anthology: 1995–2010 did not enter the US Billboard 200, put peaked at number 85 on the Current Album Sales component chart.[59]

Internet albums

This section lists albums that have only been made available for download on the internet.

Year Album details
2001 NPG Music Club Volume 1
  • Released: February 18, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 2
  • Released: March 22, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 3
  • Released: April 22, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 4
  • Released: May 15, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 5
  • Released: June 11, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 6
  • Released: July 7, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 7
  • Released: August 28, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 8
  • Released: September 18, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 9
  • Released: October 16, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 10
  • Released: November 15, 2001
  • Label: NPG
NPG Music Club Volume 11
  • Released: December 15, 2001
  • Label: NPG
2002 NPG Music Club Volume 12
  • Released: January 17, 2002
  • Label: NPG
2009 Lotusflow3r
(download version including "The Morning After" replacing "Crimson and Clover")
  • Released: March 24, 2009
  • Label: NPG

Albums credited to Madhouse

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[4]
1987 8
  • Released: January 21, 1987
  • Label: Paisley Park
107
16
  • Released: November 18, 1987
  • Label: Paisley Park

Albums credited to The New Power Generation

Year Album details Peak chart positions
US
[4]
US
R&B/
HH

[41]
AUS
[5]
AUT
[6]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
NOR
[10]
SWE
[12]
SWI
[13]
UK
[14]
1993 Gold Nigga
  • Released: August 31, 1993
  • Label: NPG
1995 Exodus
  • Released: March 27, 1995
  • Label: NPG
31 34 11
1998 Newpower Soul 22 9 47 24 34 23 40 57 22 38

Albums credited to The NPG Orchestra

Year Album details
1997 Kamasutra
  • Released: February 14, 1997 (limited edition cassette)[60]
  • Released: January 29, 1998 (limited edition CD as part of the 5-CD box set Crystal Ball / The Truth / Kamasutra)
  • Label: NPG

References

  1. "Ebony". January 1997. p. 128. Retrieved 2016-05-22.
  2. Thompson, Ahmir (March 24, 2004). "100 Greatest Artists". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  3. Caulfield, Keith (2016-05-03). "Prince Sets Record With Five Albums in Top 10 of Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Prince Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Peak chart positions for Prince albums in Australia:
    • Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to June 19, 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 239. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA from mid-1983 until June 19, 1988. Lovesexy peaked at number 8 on this chart one week before the ARIA-produced chart (archived on australian-charts.com) commenced.
    • Top 50 (ARIA Chart) peaks from June 26, 1988: "australian-charts.com > Prince in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
    • Top 100 (ARIA Chart) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Prince discography". Austrian charts (in German). Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Prince discography". Canadian album charts. Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Discographie Prince". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Prince discography". Dutch charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Prince discography". Norwegian charts. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  11. 1 2 "NZ Albums chart". charts.nz. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Prince discography". Swedish charts. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Prince discography". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 439. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Prince. Riaa.com, Retrieved on 2020-06-23.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "British album certifications – Prince". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 13, 2023. Select albums in the Format field. Type Prince in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  17. "1999 - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "CRIA Certifications". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2009-08-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  19. "Purple Rain - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-26. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  21. "Around the World in a Day - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  22. "Parade - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  23. "Sign o' the Times - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  24. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
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  26. "Graffiti Bridge - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  27. "Diamonds and Pearls - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-26. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  28. Due to copyright issues regarding Prince and the copyrighted symbol, Wikipedia can not show the exact name of this album, outside of it being displayed on the cover art. The title provided is widely recognized as an alternate.
  29. "Love Symbol - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  30. "Come - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  31. "The Black Album - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  32. "The Gold Experience - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  33. "Chaos and Disorder - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  34. "Emancipation - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  35. "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  36. 1 2 3 "Prince | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
  37. Coscarelli, Joe (8 April 2021). "Prince's 'Welcome 2 America,' an Unreleased Album, is Due Out in July". The New York Times.
  38. "Album 2021 uke 31". VG-lista. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  39. "Veckolista Album, vecka 31". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  40. Aswad, Jem (April 24, 2019). "Prince Estate to Release 'Originals' Album: His Versions of Songs He Gave to Other Artists (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  41. 1 2 "Prince Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  42. "Up All Nite with Prince: The One Nite Alone Collection (4CD / 1 DVD) | Shop the Prince Official Store".
  43. "Restored version of 1985 concert film 'Prince and The Revolution: Live,' companion album released today". 4 June 2022.
  44. @billboardcharts (June 13, 2022). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200..." (Tweet). Retrieved June 14, 2022 via Twitter.
  45. Geraci, Samantha (2023-10-11). "Prince's 'Live At Glam Slam' Released In Dolby ATMOS & Sony 360 Reality Audio Formats". Legacy Recordings. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  46. 1 2 3 "Prince Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  47. "Prince Chart History (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  48. Uptown, 2004, p.263
  49. "Ultimate Rave (2CD/1DVD)". princeestate.com. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  50. "1999 Remastered | Shop the Prince Official Store".
  51. "Sign O' the Times | Shop the Prince Official Store".
  52. "Prince Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  53. "The Hits/The B-Sides - Canadian Album Chart". RPM. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  54. "Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. 2013-01-02. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  55. "The Official New Zealand Music Chart".
  56. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  57. 1 2 3 "New Zealand album certifications". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  58. Birzniece, Elsa (August 16, 2018). "23 Prince albums made available to stream for the first time". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  59. "Prince Chart History (Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  60. Uptown, 2004, p. 203

Bibliography

  • Nilsen, Per; Joozt Mattheij (2004). The Vault – The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince. Uptown. ISBN 91-631-5482-X.
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