Prince (April 22, 2004) Musicology - Single US

Prince responds to the new millennium with a funky, James Brown-inspired return-to-form statement and the launch of his major comeback era

RELEASE DETAILS Date: April 22, 2004 Catalogue: 6749231 (US CD) Format: CD Single Country: United States (worldwide rollout)

A-Side: “Musicology” – 4:26 B-Side: “On The Couch” – 3:33

THE STORY Released as the lead commercial single from the album Musicology, “Musicology” marked Prince’s strong return to major-label distribution via NPG/Columbia. A funky, upbeat ode to 1970s James Brown-style grooves, the track was supported by a “virtual B-side” download of “Magnificent” on the NPG Music Club. The physical CD single paired the title track with the album cut “On The Couch.”

CONTEXT & NOTES “Musicology” helped reintroduce Prince to mainstream audiences after years of independent releases. The single performed strongly on R&B charts and video airplay, and the song later won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. It was part of a carefully orchestrated comeback that blended traditional singles with early digital fan-club exclusives.

TRACK LIST

CD Single (US)

1. Musicology – 4:26

2. On The Couch – 3:33

NPG Music Club Virtual B-Side

• Magnificent (download exclusive)

CHART PERFORMANCE US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100: Peak No. 120 US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: Peak No. 44

PERSONNEL

• Prince – vocals, all instruments, production

PACKAGING HIGHLIGHTS

• Standard CD single with Musicology era artwork

• NPG Music Club digital tie-in

• No commercial vinyl releaseWHAT THE LABEL / SLEEVE SHOWS Artwork features Prince imagery from the Musicology campaign with warm, vintage-inspired design elements.

RELATED MATERIAL

• Te Amo Corazón (2005)

• S.S.T. (2005)

• The Song Of The Heart (2006)

For other relevant posts, see the tags at the foot of the page.

SOURCES Prince Vault • Sleevographia2 • Discogs • Billboard charts

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.

ARTIST — Prince ARTIST CATEGORY — Prince Singles ARTIST ITEM — Musicology (Single) ARTIST ATTACHMENT — NPG Records / Columbia ARTIST YEAR — 2004