This is the greatest album of all time.

Moonbeam said:

i was wonderin when you'd show up.

andykeen said:

Sorry, dude but this has got to be one of the worst posts I've read-- on all levels. (and I've authored a few stinkers myself).

Chipped Christ on toast... who are these A.D.D. motherfuckers that think the songs on 1999 are too long.

Chipped Christ on toast... who are these A.D.D. motherfuckers that think the songs on 1999 are too long.

Hmmmmm..or WHAT!!!!
1999 is a landmark acheivment on several levels.
It fused pop, funk and rock to a higher degree then what had been done before. This is the album Rick James always wanted to make. It helped pave the way for industrial, techno and crossover pop. In many ways 1999 legitimized the use of drum machines and synthesizes on a "serious"album. Prince was on the very cutting edge back then in his drum machine use and if you listen to other albums at that time that used the Linn drum machine they sound hollow and tinny. The drum machines on 1999 are full and enveloping. The extended songs were a portend to prince's innovative 12' releases that would come in the mid-80s where instead of simply looping sequences prince extended the concept of the songs. Additionally, artists such as Trent Reznor have pointed to prince's amazing ability to create tenstion between instruments as a mostly one man band on this album as being hugely influential.
And, as Alan Leeds has pointed out, it gave prince the keys to open the doors for Purple Rain..
The songs on 1999 were sexed up for sure but there was a keenly intelligent psycho analysis going on underneath the obvious innuendo. Really brilliant stuff if you pay close attention.
Besides all that it has some ridiculously great songs.
I've seen people slap LRC. I know we've heard that song a million times, but come on. It's one of the great, rock sex metaphors in music history. A masterpiece of pop.
And 1999, please guys, this song is big, bold and brilliant. Again don't mistake hearing a song a billion times for and becoming bored or for lack of quality. Keep in mind it's been over 20 years since this thing came out. To me it still sounds fresh in many ways. Certainly, it has aged- but it has aged like a great wine...

**splashes holy water on all the evil, demonic 1999 haters**

The Power of Prince compels you!!

I've lost count of how many times I've listened to the "1999" album, and yet it still leaves me cold. Sure, there are some good tracks, but most of them go on for waaaaay too long. Strange that I feel this way, seeing as it was the tracks "1999", "Little Red Corvette" and then Purple Rain's "When Doves Cry" that got me into Prince in the first place, so the album is definitely from around my era.

fmarasco said:

Preach baby preach!

TheSchrank said:

C'mon dude. If an album is great when it comes out it's always great. 22 years have passed, but that doesn't mean it's not great, just some age on it now.