Prince O(+> (January 31, 1997) Jam Of The Year - Cassette EP
Updated: May 24
A cassette‑only, club‑store exclusive — Prince turns a live jam into a collector’s grail.
RELEASE DETAILS
Date: January 31, 1997
Catalogue: None assigned Format: Cassette EP
Country: United States
Label: NPG Records Availability: Exclusive to 1-800-NEW-FUNK
A-Side: Jam of the Year
THE STORY
Released on January 31, 1997, Jam Of The Year is a limited cassette EP sold exclusively through Prince’s 1-800-NEW-FUNK phone line and website. It features two live tracks recorded at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on January 11, 1997, during the Jam Of The Year Tour. Prince playfully marketed it as a “4th generation bootleg,” embracing the raw, underground feel of the recordings.
CONTEXT & NOTES This EP captures the high-energy live sound of the Emancipation tour era. Both tracks are edited to flow continuously. Due to its extremely limited distribution (cassette-only, direct-order exclusive), it remains one of the rarest official releases from the NPG era.
TRACK LIST
Cassette EP (Both Sides Identical) Side A / Side B
Jam of the Year (Live) — 5:21
Face Down (Live) — 8:33
All Variants
Cassette EP – 1-800-NEW-FUNK Exclusive (1997)
CHART PERFORMANCE Not eligible for charts (limited cassette-only direct-order release).
PERSONNEL
Prince O(+> – vocals, guitar, production
The New Power Generation – live performance
PACKAGING HIGHLIGHTS
Front sleeve: Prince in bright yellow outfit seated on speakers with bold “NYC” and “Jam Of The Year” text
Spine / Back: Tracklist with “4th Generation Bootleg” branding
WHAT THE LABEL / SLEEVE SHOWS
Vibrant, tour-inspired artwork with explicit lyrics advisory and live recording notation.
RELATED MATERIAL
Betcha By Golly Wow! (1996)
The Holy River (1997)
The Truth (1997)
SOURCES Prince Vault • Discogs • NPG Records documentation
COPYRIGHT NOTICE All single artwork, photographs, logos, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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