Studio Album · No. 17
Chaos and Disorder Songwriting Credits by Prince
Produced by Prince · Engineered by Cesar Sogbe, David Friedlander, Ray Hahnfeldt, Steve Durkee
Holds writing credit on 11 of 11 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 11 / 11 documented
Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Prince carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Prince wrote every song and produced the album, releasing it to fulfill his contractual obligations to Warner Bros. near the end of his 18-year tenure with the label. The packaging noted that the material was 'originally intended 4 private use only,' and it was the last original music recorded for Warner under his symbol name. Recorded during his 'Slave' protest over masters ownership, it received almost no promotion because Prince refused to support it.
Released July 9, 1996, as Prince's eighteenth studio album on Warner Bros. Records, the album was created expressly to fulfill his remaining contractual obligations while locked in a bitter dispute with the label. Prince self-produced every track and wrote all of the songs himself, performing most instruments in his characteristic one-man-band fashion. Musically the record leans into funk rock and hard rock territory, with critics later characterizing it as a guitar album with grunge-oriented rock-funk sensibilities that emphasized raw, gritty musicianship over polished pop. Critical response at release was polarized: Robert Christgau praised its irrepressible musicality while NME awarded it 2/10, though post-release reappraisals proved considerably more favorable, particularly regarding Prince's guitar work. Commercially it was his weakest outing with new material since his debut, peaking at number 26 on the Billboard 200 and number 14 in the UK.