I adore "Automatic", but I agree with others that it likely didn't have the smash appeal that other songs on the album had. The album is perfect to me, so I wouldn't have minded any combination of singles.

I think "1999", "Little Red Corvette", and "Delirious" were perfect choices, and "Let's Pretend We're Married" was a bold gamble. I guess if I had to pick any song on the album that I believe could have done well that remained unreleased, it would be "Free".

Genesia said:

paulludvig said:

Because Prince's minimalist funk has been so influential a track like Automatic might sound radio-friendly today, but I don't think it did in '82.

In 1982, there wouldn't have been many places for it to play. College radio? Hmmm...maybe. There were a few New Wave stations that might have played it. (There is a radio-friendly 3:38 edit, according to Princevault.) But it definitely didn't fit Top 40, Adult Contemporary or AOR formats.

RnB stations use to play album cuts back in the day and I think all of the cuts from 1999 were played on RnB stations in the Washington D.C. area with the exception for "Free" Stations here even play Adore a lot to this day. Another great song that was never a single.