✦ 1999 – UK 7" Single: Jan. 1983

Escape
Jan 7, 1983
3 min read

Updated: Feb 11

A pre‑Purple Rain breakthrough that brought Prince’s apocalyptic party anthem into the UK charts

✦ Summary

1999 was released in the United Kingdom on January 7, 1983 as a 7-inch vinyl single on Warner Bros. Records (W9896 / W 9896 / 929896‑7), backed with How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore. Arriving several months after the album’s US success, the single became Prince’s first major UK chart entry, peaking at No. 25 and remaining on the Official Singles Chart for eight weeks.

Issued in multiple UK variants — including Drayton/WEA paper labels, silver‑label represses, and 12-inch editions — the release helped establish Prince as a rising international force just before the Purple Rain explosion.

Rolling Stone later ranked 1999 at No. 339 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Posthumously, the track re‑entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 41 and climbed to No. 27, marking its fourth chart appearance across three decades. By April 30, 2016, it had sold 727,363 copies in the US.

✦ Highlights

• Released January 7, 1983 in the UK on Warner Bros. Records

• Backed with How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore

• Peaked at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart (8 weeks)

• Issued in paper labels, silver labels, and 12-inch variants

• Rolling Stone ranked it No. 339 on the 500 Greatest Songs list

• Re‑entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999 and again posthumously

• Inspired by a Nostradamus documentary; written overnight

✦ Track Details

7-inch Vinyl – UK (W9896 / W 9896 / 929896‑7)

A: 1999 — 3:35 (edit)

B: How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore — 3:54

12-inch Vinyl – UK

A: 1999 — 6:22

B: How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore — 3:54

Label: Warner Bros. Records

Produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Prince

✦ UK Variants

• 7-inch — Paper Labels (Drayton/WEA pressing)

• 7-inch — Silver Label Repress

• 12-inch — Standard Sleeve

• 12-inch — Additional WEA distribution variants

✦ Production and Context

Written after Prince watched a documentary about Nostradamus predicting global catastrophe in 1999.

Lisa Coleman recalled Prince arriving at the studio the next day with the song fully formed.

Served as the title track of his 1982 breakthrough album.

✦ Chart Performance

United Kingdom: No. 25 — Official Singles Chart (8 weeks)

United States (posthumous): Re‑entered at No. 41, later peaked at No. 27

Lifetime Hot 100 appearances: Four

US sales by April 30, 2016: 727,363 copies

Official BBC Singles Chart Data

Peak position: 25

8 weeks – January 22, 1983 to March 12, 1983

80 → 48 → 33 → 25 → 26 → 34 → 35 → 54

✦ ALT TEXT (SEO)

✦ Discography

1999 Era Singles:

1999 — US Single: 1982

Little Red Corvette — Single: 1983

Delirious — Single: 1983

1999 — UK Single: Jan. 1983

✦ Prince Era Mini‑Timeline

Oct. 1982 — 1999 album released

Jan. 7, 1983 — UK 7-inch single released

1983 — Prince breaks into UK charts

1984 — Purple Rain era begins

✦ Glam Flashback

1999 is the moment Prince’s global ascent truly began — a neon‑lit, apocalyptic celebration that captured the imagination of early‑’80s audiences. The UK single’s chart success signalled his arrival as an international star, while the song’s longevity across decades proves its cultural staying power. A perfect fusion of Minneapolis funk, futurist anxiety, and irresistible pop hooks.

✦ 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.

✦ Sources

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

Global Variants (sleeves supplied below)