Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by the American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was released on June 25, 1984, by Warner Bros. Records as the soundtrack album to the 1984 film of the same name. Purple Rain was musically denser than Prince’s previous albums, emphasizing full band performances, and multiple layers of guitars, keyboards, electronic synthesizer effects, drum machines, and other instruments. Much of the album has a grandiose, synthesized, and psychedelic substance to the production and performances.
The music on Purple Rain is generally regarded as the most pop-oriented of Prince’s career, though a number of elements point towards the more experimental records Prince would release after Purple Rain. The album drew some controversy. Network executives thought the sexual nature in the music video for the album’s lead single “When Doves Cry” was too explicit for television. The risqué lyrics of “Darling Nikki” also raised complaints from Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center and contributed to the implementation of Parental Advisory stickers and imprints on album covers.
Despite this, Purple Rain was an enormous success, spending 24 consecutive weeks atop of the Billboard 200 and being present on the chart for a total of 167 weeks. “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Purple Rain” and “I Would Die 4 U” were top 10 hits. A widespread critical success, critics noted the innovation and experimentation on the album, such as the synthesis of electronic elements with organic instrumentation, as well as the consolidation of rock and R&B. By 1996, the album was certified 13× platinum by the RIAA.
Purple Rain is Prince’s commercial peak, with total sales standing at 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Prince and the Revolution received a Grammy Award nomination for Album of the Year and won the Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media awards. Regularly ranked among the greatest albums of all time, Purple Rain was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry list of sound recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
