1999 cover art

  Studio Album · No. 5

1999 Songwriting Credits by Prince

1982 Warner Bros. Records 11 tracks 70 min

Produced by Prince  ·  Engineered by Don Batts, David Leonard, Peggy McCreary

Warner Bros. Records Minneapolis SoundFunkSynth-PopR&BNew WaveDance
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 11 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 11 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Prince carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
11 trackswritten by Prince 0 tracksoutside writers
Prince's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
1
Lyricists
1
Producers
7 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1982
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Grammy Hall of Fame (2008)
Data Insight

1999 was Prince's first album credited to Prince and the Revolution, though he still wrote, produced and played the overwhelming majority of it himself, including the Linn LM-1 drum machine programming that defined its sound. Band members added accents rather than authorship: Lisa Coleman provided co-lead and backing vocals, and Dez Dickerson contributed a guitar solo and backing vocals on the title track. The double album yielded his first run of major crossover hits and remains the fullest early statement of the Minneapolis sound.

1999 is the fifth studio album by Prince, released in October 1982 on Warner Bros. Records and produced entirely by Prince. The double album was a commercial and artistic watershed, spawning the top-ten pop hits '1999,' 'Little Red Corvette,' and 'Delirious' and establishing Prince as a major mainstream star while retaining the experimental funk spirit of his earlier work. Its prescient title track, a party-in-the-face-of-apocalypse anthem, has remained a perennial cultural touchstone, revisited anew at every millennial turn. The album's synthesis of funk, rock, pop, and electronic dance music helped define the Minneapolis Sound and influenced virtually every corner of 1980s pop production. 1999 is the definitive statement of Prince's early genius and one of the most important American albums of the decade.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
1999 #12
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Lisa Coleman (Backing Vocals)Dez Dickerson (Backing Vocals)Jill Jones (Backing Vocals)
2
Little Red Corvette #6
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Lisa Coleman (Backing Vocals)
3
Delirious #8
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
4
Let's Pretend We're Married #52
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Jill Jones (Backing Vocals)
5
D.M.S.R.
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Dez Dickerson (Backing Vocals)Lisa Coleman (Backing Vocals)
6
Automatic
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Lisa Coleman (Backing Vocals)
7
Something in the Water (Does Not Compute)
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
8
Free
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)
9
Lady Cab Driver
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Jill Jones (Backing Vocals)
10
All the Critics Love U in New York
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Lisa Coleman (Backing Vocals)Dez Dickerson (Backing Vocals)
11
International Lover
Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince Rogers Nelson Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

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1998 100%
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2001 100%
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2004 100%
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2006 100%
3121
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2007 100%
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2009 92%
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2009 100%
MPLSoUND
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2010 100%
20Ten
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2014 83%
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12 tracksProd. Prince
2014 100%
Art Official Age
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2015 100%
HitnRun Phase One
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2015 100%
HitnRun Phase Two
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Frequently Asked Questions 1999

Did Prince write 1999 himself?
Yes. Prince wrote, produced and played the overwhelming majority of 1999 himself, even though it was the first album credited to Prince and the Revolution. Band members such as Lisa Coleman and Dez Dickerson added vocals and a guitar solo, but the songwriting and most instrumentation were his.
Who wrote Little Red Corvette by Prince?
Prince wrote and produced 'Little Red Corvette' himself. It became one of his biggest hits, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was among the first videos by a Black artist in heavy rotation on MTV.
Who wrote the song 1999 by Prince?
Prince wrote, produced and performed '1999' himself. The title track features co-lead and backing vocals from Lisa Coleman, Dez Dickerson and Jill Jones and reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
How many singles from Prince's 1999 charted on the Billboard Hot 100?
Four singles from 1999 charted on the Billboard Hot 100: 'Little Red Corvette' at number 6, 'Delirious' at number 8, '1999' at number 12, and 'Let's Pretend We're Married' at number 52.
Is Prince's 1999 certified Platinum?
Yes. The RIAA certified 1999 four times Platinum for four million US units. It was also certified Platinum in the UK and Gold in Canada and New Zealand, with worldwide sales of roughly 7 million copies.
Did Prince's 1999 win any awards?
The album 1999 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Its track 'International Lover' earned Prince a Grammy nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Sources