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1999 (Prince song)#Charts

{{Short description|1982 single by Prince}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2016}}

{{Infobox song

| name = 1999

| cover = Prince 1999 single.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Artwork for US vinyl editions

| type = single

| artist = Prince

| album = 1999

| B-side = "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"

| released = September 24, 1982{{harvnb|Nilsen|Mattheij|2004|p=37}}

| recorded = August 7, 1982

| studio = Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, Minnesota

| genre = * Funk{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/35eb34c2-c5fd-11e6-8f29-9445cac8966f |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211/https://www.ft.com/content/35eb34c2-c5fd-11e6-8f29-9445cac8966f |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The Life of a Song: '1999'|first=David|last=Cheal|date=December 26, 2016|website=Financial Times}}

  • synth-funk{{cite news|first= Alexis |last= Petridis |title= The 70 greatest No 2 singles – ranked! |website= The Guardian |date= 17 November 2022 |access-date= 12 February 2023|url= https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/nov/17/the-70-greatest-no-2-singles-ranked}}{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/essential-prince-best-songs-ranked-1850508051|title=Essential Prince: His greatest songs of all time, ranked|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|date=June 7, 2023|newspaper=The A.V. Club|access-date=June 13, 2025|quote=The notion that it’s better to party because the end is around the corner is a close cousin to “1999" but where that synth-funk hit ran icy and cool,...}}
  • Minneapolis sound{{cite book|author=Nathan Brackett|author2=Christian David Hoard|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA655|year=2004|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8|pages=655}}
  • dance-rock{{cite book|first=Dave|last=Marsh|title=The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5t5DYDniSHEC|date=1989|publisher=Plume|isbn=0-452-26305-0|page=159}}

| length = 3:36 (single version)
6:18 (album version)

| label = Warner Bros.

| writer = Prince

| producer = Prince

| prev_title = Do Me, Baby

| prev_year = 1982

| next_title = Little Red Corvette

| next_year = 1983

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = Prince (1999)

| type = singles

| prev_title = The Truth

| prev_year = 1997

| title = 1999

| year = 1998

| next_title = The Greatest Romance Ever Sold

| next_year = 1999

}}

}}

"1999" is a song by American musician Prince, the title track from his 1982 album of the same name. Originally peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, a mid-1983 re-release later reached number 12 in the US, while a January 1985 rerelease, a double A-side with "Little Red Corvette", later peaked at number 2 in the UK.

Rolling Stone ranked "1999" number 339 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.{{cite news |title=Prince, '1999' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-all-time-1224767/prince-1999-5-1224999/|magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=500 Greatest Songs of All Time |access-date=23 September 2021}} Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 41, later moving up to number 27, making it the fourth separate time the song had entered the Hot 100 and the third different decade in which the song re-charted (as after its two 1980s entries, it made the chart again on January 16, 1999 at number 40). As of April 30, 2016, it has sold 727,363 copies in the United States.{{cite magazine |url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.38599/title.hip-hop-single-sales-prince-desiigner-drake |title=Hip Hop Single Sales: Prince, Desiigner & Drake |magazine=HipHopDX |date=April 30, 2016 |access-date=April 30, 2016}}

Background

The inspiration for the song came from a TV documentary Prince watched about Nostradamus. In the film, he predicted that a terror would fall upon the world in 1999. The next day at rehearsals, Prince discussed the documentary with his bandmates, where they imagined a huge party would be thrown knowing this terror was about to happen. As Lisa Coleman said, Prince came to the studio the next day, passing out song lyrics to the band, the song already fully written.

Recording

The album version of the song starts with a slowed-down voice stating "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun." Prince shares lead vocals on the track with members of his band the Revolution, namely Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones. Originally conceived to be a three-part harmony, it was later decided to separate out the voices that started each verse. Distinct scratching and explosion noises heard in the track were to cover mistakes during recording of a good take.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecurrent.org/episode/2019/12/05/prince-the-story-of-1999-bonus-dez-dickerson-prince-guitarist-interview|title=Prince: The Story of 1999 bonus feature: Dez Dickerson: 'Put an explosion over it'|first=Andrea|last=Swensson|website=www.thecurrent.org}}

Reception

Billboard said that "the Apocalypse never sounded this danceable before."{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=2023-02-07|title=Top Single Picks|date=October 9, 1982|page=63|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7SMEAAAAMBAJ}}

Some music critics have suggested Phil Collins' 1985 song "Sussudio" sounds very similar to "1999".{{Cite web |last=Mark |first=Caro | title = Yes, Phil Collins' 'Sussudio' Ripoff of Prince's '1999' is Included| work = Chicago Tribune| date = May 1, 2007| url = http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_popmachine/2007/05/yes_phil_collin.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100324032051/http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_popmachine/2007/05/yes_phil_collin.html |archive-date= March 24, 2010 |url-status=live |access-date=March 3, 2010}} Collins confirmed this claim,{{Cite web| last =Keegan| first =Hamilton| title =Phil Collins, No Jacket Required| work =Second Spin| date =February 17, 2009| url =http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2009/02/second_spin_phil_collins_no_jacket_required_genesis_lamb_lies_down_broadway_reunion_tour.php| access-date =March 3, 2010 | url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100704062232/http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2009/02/second_spin_phil_collins_no_jacket_required_genesis_lamb_lies_down_broadway_reunion_tour.php| archive-date =July 4, 2010| df =mdy-all}} and remembers listening to "1999" frequently while he was on tour with Genesis.{{Cite web| last = Hogan| first = Ed | title = Sussudio review| work = Allmusic |url={{AllMusic|class=song|id=t2760235|pure_url=yes}}}}

Re-release

In January 1985, "1999" was released as a 12" single in the US with "Little Red Corvette" as the B-side, and "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"/"D.M.S.R." in the UK. The single peaked at number 2 in its second week of release.

The song was re-recorded at the end of 1998 and was released the following year as "1999 (The New Master)".

"1999" was re-released in the UK and the US in late 1998 to accompany the song's namesake year. It was released on 12" vinyl with the same track listing as the original 12" single: the album version, along with "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" and "D.M.S.R." A CD single was also issued with the same track listing, except the edit of "1999" was substituted for the album version. It was also re-released again towards the end of its namesake year. The original version re-charted within the top 40 of the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1998, becoming Prince's last top 40 hit before his death in 2016.

Music video

The video, directed by Bruce Gowers, was shot during the last week of rehearsals for the 1999 Tour. It depicts Prince and his band during a live performance. Just in time to take his part after Lisa Coleman, Jill Jones and Dez Dickerson, Prince appears on the stage from above, gliding down on a fireman's pole, wearing a glittery purple long coat.

Something went wrong with shooting Dez's lead vocal line and the footage was actually re-shot by a local camera crew the afternoon prior to the first show of the 1999 Tour in Chattanooga on November 11, 1982.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

MTV added the video to its rotation on December 16, 1982, at a time when African-American artists struggled to get airplay on the channel. The exposure gave instant credibility to Prince, and is credited with helping the album reach gold status the following month.Nilsen, Per; Mattheji, JooZt; Prince. The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince. Uptown, 2004. {{ISBN| 978-91631 5482-9}}.

VH1 notably played this video continuously from midnight Eastern Time on December 31, 1998, to the next midnight on January 1, 1999.

Track listing

  • 7"
  1. "1999"
  2. "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
  • 12" UK
  1. "1999"
  2. "D.M.S.R."
  • 12" West Germany
  1. "1999"
  2. "Let's Pretend We're Married"
  • CD – 1998 re-release
  1. "1999"
  2. "Uptown"
  3. "Controversy"
  4. "Dirty Mind"
  5. "Sexuality"
  • 12" – 1985 re-release
  1. "1999"
  2. "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?"
  3. "D.M.S.R."

Personnel

Credits from Guitarcloud and Benoît Clerc{{cite web|title=1999|url=http://guitarcloud.org/era/1999|access-date=2023-04-10|website=guitarcloud.org}}{{cite web|title=What keyboards and synths appear on the song 1999|url=http://guitarcloud.org/faq/what-keyboards-and-synths-appear-song-1999|access-date=2023-04-10|website=guitarcloud.org}}{{cite book|last=Clerc |first=Benoît |date=October 2022 |title=Prince: All the Songs |publisher=Octopus |isbn=9781784728816}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=First release (1982)=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+1982 weekly chart performance for "1999"

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1982)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Peak
position

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1982-12-11 |title=The Hot 100 - The week of December 11, 1982 |website=Billboard Hot 100 |date=January 2, 2013 |access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|44

scope="row"|US Hot Black Singles (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/prince/chart-history/bsi/|title=Prince Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|4

scope="row"|US Dance Club Songs (Billboard){{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WiQEAAAAMBAJ&q=1999 |title=Dance/Disco Top80 - Survey for week ending 12/4/82 |website=Google Books |date=December 4, 1982 |access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|1

scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19821218.html |title=CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 18, 1982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120921090948/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19821218.html |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 13, 2014 }}. Cash Box magazine.

|align="center"|46

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+1983 weekly chart performance for "1999"

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1983)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|title=Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989 |website=Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |url=http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=21533&pages= |access-date=May 31, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020025459/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=21533&pages= |archive-date=October 20, 2013 }}

|align="center"|2

{{single chart|Flanders|8|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=204|first=Timo|last=Pennanen|year=2021|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021|section=Prince|page=204|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|access-date=July 3, 2022|language=fi}}

|align="center"|12

{{single chart|Dutch40|13|artist=Prince|year=1983|week=3|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|14|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|21|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|UK|25|date=19830212|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

=US re-release (1983)=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+1983 weekly chart performance for "1999" US re-release

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1983)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Peak
position

scope="row"|Canada (CHUM){{cite web|url=http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?chart=1388 |title=CHART NUMBER 1388 – Saturday, August 20, 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20060213020749/http://www.1050chum.com/index_chumcharts.aspx?chart=1388 |archive-date=February 13, 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 11, 2014 }}. CHUM.

|align="center"|8

{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|9|chartid=6286|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|4|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1983-07-23|title=The Hot 100 - The week of July 12, 1983|magazine=Billboard|date=January 2, 2013|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|12

scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite web|url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19830813.html |title=CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending August 13, 1983 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070621101159/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19830813.html |archive-date=June 21, 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 10, 2014 }}. Cash Box magazine.

|align="center"|14

=UK re-release (1985)=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+1985 weekly chart performance for "1999" UK re-release

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1985)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Ireland2|3|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|UK|2|date=1985-01-26|refname=UK-re-release|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

{{col-2}}

=Worldwide re-release (1998/1999)=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+1999 weekly chart performance for "1999"

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1999)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|47|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Flanders|29|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|16|artist=Prince|year=1999|week=4|rowheader=true|refname=top40_1999|access-date=June 16, 2016}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|31|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Germany|86|artist=Prince|song=1999|songid=7935|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|18|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|UK|10|date=19990109|rowheader=true|refname=UK-re-release1998|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1999-01-16 |title=The Hot 100 - The week of January 16, 1999 |magazine=Billboard |date=January 2, 2013 |access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|40

{{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|33|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|36|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphopairplay|38|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|13|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+2016 weekly chart performance for "1999"

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (2016)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|28|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|France|32|artist=Prince|song=1999|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|Germany|75|artist=Prince|song=1999|songid=7935|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
{{single chart|UK|49|date=20160505|rowheader=true|refname=UK-2016|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2016-05-14|title=The Hot 100 - The week of May 14, 2016|magazine=Billboard|date=January 2, 2013|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|27

{{single chart|Billboarddigitalsongs|6|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016}}
scope="row"|US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/351039/prince/chart?f=1230|title=Prince - Chart history|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|11

scope="row"|US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/351039/prince/chart?f=1086|title=Prince — Chart history|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 31, 2016}}

|align="center"|6

{{col-end}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+1983 year-end chart performance for "1999"

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1983)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpg |title=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983 |publisher=Kent Music Report |via=Imgur.com |access-date=January 22, 2023}}{{cite web|title=Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s |website=Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien |url=http://www.australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275&pages= |access-date=June 16, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828222607/http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275&pages= |archive-date=August 28, 2014 }}

|align="center"|16

{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|71|chartid=6699|rowheader=true|access-date=May 31, 2016|refname=CA-YE1983}}
scope="row"|New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1983-12-31|title=Official New Zealand Music Chart - End of Year Charts 1983|website=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=June 16, 2016}}

|align="center"|37

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1983

|align="center"|41

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+1985 year-end chart performance for "1999"

!style="width: 200pt;"|Chart (1985)

!style="width: 40pt;"|Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles|magazine=Music Week|publisher=Spotlight Publications|location=London, England|page=10|date=January 18, 1986}}

|align="center"|30

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+1999 year-end chart performance for "1999"

!Chart (1999)

!Position

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=http://www.top40web.nl/jaarlijsten/jr1999.html|title=Jaarlijsten 1999|language=nl|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=May 11, 2022}}

|align=center|166

Certifications and sales

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "1999"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Prince|title=1999|award=Platinum|relyear=1982|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=January 14, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2004|certyear=2022|artist=Prince|title=1999|access-date=May 27, 2022|id=82-1115-1}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|nocert=true|salesamount=727,363|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

See also

Notes

{{Reflist}}

References

  • {{cite book |last1=Nilsen |first1=Per |last2=Mattheij |first2=Joozt |date=2004 |title=The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince |location=Linghem |publisher=Uptown |isbn=916315482X}}

External links

  • {{YouTube|8WPAsRrxgw4|Prince - 1999}}

{{Prince singles}}

{{authority control}}

Category:1982 songs

Category:1982 singles

Category:1999 singles

Category:Prince (musician) songs

Category:Apocalyptic music

Category:Anti-war songs

Category:Music videos directed by Bruce Gowers

Category:Song recordings produced by Prince (musician)

Category:Songs about dancing

Category:Songs about nuclear war and weapons

Category:Songs written by Prince (musician)

Category:Warner Records singles