Studio Album · No. 29
Plectrumelectrum Songwriting Credits by Prince
Produced by Prince, 3rdEyeGirl
Holds writing credit on 10 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 10 / 12 documented
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Prince carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Plectrumelectrum is a band record rather than a Prince solo effort, recorded live in the room with his all-female trio 3rdeyegirl: guitarist Donna Grantis, bassist Ida Nielsen, and drummer Hannah Welton. It is the only Prince album to credit 3rdeyegirl as co-producers, and the instrumental title track was written by Grantis and arranged by Prince, a rare instance of another writer leading a Prince album cut. Released in September 2014 on the same day as his solo album Art Official Age, it marked his return to Warner Bros. and traded his one-man-band approach for a collaborative funk-rock attack.
Released September 26, 2014, simultaneously with Art Official Age, Plectrumelectrum was credited to Prince and 3RDEYEGIRL, his touring band comprising Hannah Ford Welton on drums, Ida Nielsen on bass, and Donna Grantis on guitar. Prince and Kent Wells co-produced the album, recording from 2011 through 2014 at Paisley Park, with Prince writing all tracks. The album is harder and more guitar-driven than its companion Art Official Age, incorporating arena rock, funk rock, and new wave elements that showcase the band's live energy rather than studio polish. Critics gave it a Metacritic score of 58/100, with praise for its cohesive rock identity and the performances of the 3RDEYEGIRL members, while some reviewers found the songwriting less consistent than the playing. It debuted alongside Art Official Age at number 5 on the Billboard 200 with combined first-week sales of 51,000 copies.
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Wow
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 2 |
Pretzelbodylogic
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 3 |
Aintturninround
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 4 |
Plectrumelectrum
|
Donna Grantis | Donna Grantis | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 5 |
Whitecaps
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 6 |
Fixurlifeup
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 7 |
Boytrouble
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 8 |
Stopthistrain
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 9 |
Anotherlove
|
Alice SmithRebecca JordanReginald Perry | Alice SmithRebecca JordanReginald Perry | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 10 |
Tictactoe
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 11 |
Marz
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 12 |
Funknroll
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |