✦ Graffiti Bridge – Album US/UK: 1990

Prince’s spiritual‑funk sequel to Purple Rain — a collaborative soundtrack bridging eras, bands, and visions.

✦ — SUMMARY

Released August 20, 1990 in the US (Paisley Park / Warner Bros., catalogue 9 27493‑2) and in September 1990 in the UK, Graffiti Bridge served as the soundtrack to Prince’s film of the same name. Although the movie divided critics, the album performed strongly, peaking at No. 6 in the US and becoming Prince’s third consecutive No. 1 album in the UK, following Lovesexy and Batman. Despite featuring guest performances by Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples, and The Time, nearly every track was composed by Prince. The album produced the hit singles “Thieves in the Temple” and “New Power Generation,” the latter introducing the name of Prince’s next backing band, who would debut officially on Diamonds and Pearls.

✦ — HIGHLIGHTS

• Released August 20, 1990 (US) / September 1990 (UK)

• Third consecutive UK No. 1 album

• US Billboard 200 peak: #6

• Soundtrack to Prince’s Graffiti Bridge film

• Features Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples, The Time

• Includes hit singles “Thieves in the Temple” and “New Power Generation”

• Nearly all tracks composed by Prince

• Transitional moment leading into the New Power Generation era

✦ — TRACK DETAILS

LP / CD – Paisley Park / Warner Bros. – 1990

(Catalogue: 9 27493‑2)

Graffiti Bridge (1990)

Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got

New Power Generation

Release It

The Question of U

Elephants & Flowers

Round and Round

We Can Funk

Joy in Repetition

Love Machine

Tick, Tick, Bang

Shake!

Thieves in the Temple

The Latest Fashion

Melody Cool

Still Would Stand All Time

Graffiti Bridge

New Power Generation (Pt. II)

✦ — REISSUES & GLOBAL VARIANTS

(Verified via Prince Vault, Discogs, Warner Records)

1990 Original Releases

• CD — Paisley Park / Warner Bros. 9 27493‑2 — US

• CD — Paisley Park / Warner Bros. WX 345 — UK/Europe

• Cassette — US/Europe

• LP — Limited vinyl pressings (Europe, UK, select markets)

Later Availability

• Digital release — Warner Bros. / NPG — Worldwide

• 2020 vinyl reissue (as part of catalogue refresh)

✦ — PRODUCTION AND CONTEXT

• Produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince

• Recorded 1987–1990 at Paisley Park and Sunset Sound

• Features guest vocals by Tevin Campbell, Mavis Staples, The Time

• Soundtrack to Prince’s film Graffiti Bridge

• Themes: spirituality, redemption, Minneapolis funk revival

• Introduces the New Power Generation concept

✦ — SINGLES RELEASED

Thieves in the Temple — 1990

New Power Generation — 1990

Round and Round (Tevin Campbell) — 1990

✦ — CHART PERFORMANCE

United States

• Billboard 200 — #6

• R&B Albums — Top 5

United Kingdom

• UK Albums Chart — #1 (third consecutive UK chart‑topper)

International

• Strong Top 10 performance across Europe

✦ — DISCOGRAPHY SIDEBAR

Batman — 1989

Graffiti Bridge — 1990

Diamonds and Pearls — 1991

✦ — PRINCE ERA MINI‑TIMELINE

1989 — Batman soundtrack

1990 — Graffiti Bridge film and album

1991 — New Power Generation debuts on Diamonds and Pearls

✦ — GLAM FLASHBACK

Graffiti Bridge is Prince’s technicolor spiritual odyssey — a soundtrack bursting with Minneapolis funk, gospel uplift, and collaborative energy. Even as the film struggled, the music soared, giving fans classics like “Thieves in the Temple” and ushering in the era of the New Power Generation.

✦ — COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All images, artwork, logos, and related materials referenced or displayed in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included strictly for historical, educational, and archival purposes under fair‑use principles.

✦ — SOURCES

Prince Vault

Discogs

Warner Bros. Records catalogue data

UK Official Charts Company

Billboard archives