“Nothing Compares 2 U” is a song written by the American musician Prince for his band the Family. It first appeared on their only album, The Family (1985). Its lyrics express the feelings of longing expressed by an abandoned lover.
The Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor recorded a version for her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990), co-produced with Nellee Hooper. It was released as the album’s second single in early 1990 and became a worldwide hit. Its music video, directed by John Maybury, received heavy rotation on MTV. In December 1990, Billboard named “Nothing Compares 2 U” the “#1 World Single” of 1990 at its first Billboard Music Awards, and ranked it as the No. 3 song for 1990 in the United States.
In 1993, Prince released a live version of “Nothing Compares 2 U”, with Rosie Gaines on guest vocals, on his compilation album The Hits/The B-Sides. His 1984 demo was released as a single in 2018 and included on the 2019 compilation Originals.
