✦ Crystal Ball – Album: 1998

✦ The First Independent Epic

Prince’s sprawling, genre‑hopping outtakes odyssey — a landmark 5‑disc experiment in artistic freedom, self‑distribution, and archival revelation

✦ Summary

Released in the United States in early 1998, Crystal Ball marked Prince’s 20th full‑length studio album, his fourth credited to 0(+>, and his second consecutive triple‑disc project following Emancipation. More importantly, it was his first album released and distributed entirely independently, without the involvement of a major record label.

Initially available only through direct pre‑order via 1‑800‑NEW‑FUNK (and later Love4OneAnother.com), the set reached retail shelves on March 3, 1998. The original “Puck” edition — five five‑inch discs housed in a circular plastic case — contained Crystal Ball (3CD), The Truth (acoustic bonus disc), and Kamasutra by The NPG Orchestra. Artwork was not included in the package but was made available for download.

The material spans recordings from 1983–1996, functioning primarily as an outtakes anthology rather than a traditional studio album. Prince avoided tracks heavily featuring The Revolution, intending to release a companion project, Roadhouse Garden, in 1999 — a plan that ultimately went unrealized.

Despite its scale, Crystal Ball received no singles, no promotional videos, and no supporting tour. It nonetheless charted modestly, reaching number 62 on the Billboard 200 and number 59 on the R&B/Hip‑Hop Albums chart.

A bold, fan‑driven experiment — and one of the most ambitious archival releases in Prince’s catalogue.

✦ Highlights

• Released 1998 (US) via direct order; retail release March 3, 1998

• Prince’s first fully independent release

• Second consecutive triple album (after Emancipation)

• “Puck” edition includes The Truth and Kamasutra

• Material recorded 1983–1996

• Seven remixes/alternate versions included

• No singles, no tour, no TV promotion

• Charted on Billboard 200 (#62) and R&B/Hip‑Hop (#59)

✦ Track Details

Crystal Ball – CD 1

Crystal Ball — 10:28

Dream Factory — 3:07

Acknowledge Me — 5:27

Ripopgodazippa — 4:39

Love Sign (Shock G’s Silky Remix) — 3:52

Hide The Bone — 5:03

2morrow — 4:13

So Dark — 5:14

Movie Star — 4:25

Tell Me How U Wanna B Done — 3:15

Crystal Ball – CD 2

Interactive — 3:03

Da Bang — 3:19

Calhoun Square — 4:46

What’s My Name — 3:03

Crucial — 5:06

An Honest Man — 1:13

Sexual Suicide — 3:39

Cloreen Bacon Skin — 15:37

Good Love — 4:55

Strays Of The World — 5:07

Crystal Ball – CD 3

Days Of Wild — 9:19

Last Heart — 3:01

Poom Poom — 4:32

She Gave Her Angels — 3:52

18 & Over — 5:40

The Ride — 5:13

Get Loose — 3:31

P. Control (Remix) — 5:59

Make Your Mama Happy — 4:00

Goodbye — 4:34

✦ Bonus Discs (Direct‑Order Edition)

The Truth

The Truth — 3:34

Don’t Play Me — 2:48

Circle Of Amour — 4:43

3rd Eye — 4:53

Dionne — 3:13

Man In A Uniform — 3:07

Animal Kingdom — 4:01

The Other Side Of The Pillow — 3:21

Fascination — 4:55

One Of Your Tears — 3:27

Comeback — 1:59

Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version) — 3:17

Kamasutra – The NPG Orchestra

The Plan — 2:03

Kamasutra — 11:49

At Last… “The Lost Is Found” — 3:37

The Ever Changing Light — 2:59

Cutz — 3:03

Serotonin — 0:47

Promise/Broken — 3:46

Barcelona — 2:16

Kamasutra/Overture #8 — 3:11

Coincidence Or Fate? — 3:24

Kamasutra/Eternal Embrace — 4:02

Captivating "Crystal Ball" artwork featuring ethereal purple and gold hues, symbolizing a collection of previously unreleased material from 1983-1996, marking a special limited edition, that was made available on-line to download

✦ Reissues & Global Variants

• 5‑Disc “Puck” Edition – NPG Records, 1998

• Retail 3CD Edition – NPG/EMI, 1998

• The Truth standalone vinyl – Record Store Day 2021

• Crystal Ball digital reissues (various territories)

✦ Production and Context

• Recorded 1983–1996 across multiple Paisley Park eras

• First independent release after Prince’s split with Warner Bros.

• No tracks recorded specifically for the project

• Seven remixes/alternate versions included

• Avoids Revolution‑heavy material due to planned Roadhouse Garden release

• No promotional campaign, tour, or TV appearances

✦ Singles Released

No singles issued for Crystal Ball.

(“Love Sign” and “P. Control” had prior promo‑only releases tied to earlier projects.)

✦ Chart Performance

• US Billboard 200 — #62

• US Top R&B/Hip‑Hop Albums — #59

✦ Discography Sidebar

Crystal Ball Era Releases:

Crystal Ball — 1998

The Truth — 1998

Kamasutra — 1997 (included in 1998 set)

✦ Prince Era Mini‑Timeline

1997 — Kamasutra released (cassette)

Jan. 1998 — Crystal Ball direct‑order edition ships

Mar. 3, 1998 — Retail release

1999 — Planned Roadhouse Garden (unreleased)

2021 — The Truth RSD vinyl

✦ Glam Flashback

Crystal Ball is Prince at his most expansive — a kaleidoscope of vault treasures spanning funk workouts, psychedelic pop, jazz experiments, and deeply personal ballads. The project embodies his late‑’90s independence: self‑distributed, fan‑focused, and defiantly outside the major‑label system. From the legendary “Movie Star” to the 15‑minute monster groove “Cloreen Bacon Skin,” the set reveals the breadth of Prince’s creativity across more than a decade of recording.

A monumental archival release — and one of the most fascinating windows into Prince’s vault.

✦ Image & Artwork Copyright Notice

All images, photographs, and artwork referenced or displayed in this post remain the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included strictly for historical, educational, and archival purposes under fair‑use principles. No ownership is claimed, and all rights belong to the original creators, photographers, designers, and publishers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1YXq63wLTo

✦ Sources

Prince Vault, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, Billboard Chart History, Official Charts Company, YouTube