✦ 4Ever – Compilation Album: Nov. 2016
- Escape
- Dec 22, 2016
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 10
The first official posthumous Prince anthology, spanning 15 years of genius and unveiling a vault treasure
✦ Summary
4Ever was released in the United States on November 22, 2016 (Europe on November 25) as the first official posthumous Prince compilation, issued jointly by Warner Bros. Records and NPG Records. Curated in the months following Prince’s passing, the 40‑track collection spans 1978–1993 and includes the long‑sought vault recording Moonbeam Levels (1982), marking its first official release. Available as a 4×LP box set and a 2×CD edition, the compilation features newly remastered audio by Bernie Grundman, exclusive Herb Ritts photography, and liner notes by President Barack Obama. 4Ever reached No. 35 on the US Billboard 200 and No. 21 on the UK Albums Chart, serving as a definitive celebration of Prince’s early career and a poignant introduction for new listeners.
✦ Highlights
• Released Nov. 22 (US) / Nov. 25 (EU), 2016
• First official posthumous Prince compilation
• 40 tracks spanning 1978–1993
• Includes previously unreleased Moonbeam Levels (1982)
• Formats: 4×LP box set with art prints; 2×CD digifile/jewel case
• Liner notes by President Barack Obama
• Remastered by Bernie Grundman
• Charted at No. 35 (US) and No. 21 (UK)
✦ Track Details
4×LP Box Set (558509‑1)
Side A
1999 (Edit) — 3:39
Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:09
When Doves Cry (Edit) — 3:48
Let’s Go Crazy (Edit) — 3:50
Raspberry Beret — 3:35
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Edit) — 3:00
Side B
Soft And Wet (Edit) — 3:05
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? — 3:51
Uptown (Edit) — 4:11
When You Were Mine — 3:46
Head — 4:46
Side C
Gotta Stop (Messin’ About) — 2:57
Controversy (Edit) — 3:38
Let’s Work (Edit) — 3:02
Delirious (Edit) — 2:41
I Would Die 4 U (Edit) — 2:59
Side D
Take Me With U (Edit) — 3:44
Paisley Park — 4:44
Pop Life — 3:45
Purple Rain — 8:41
Side E
Kiss — 3:46
Sign “O” The Times (Edit) — 3:44
Alphabet St. (Edit) — 2:25
Batdance (Edit) — 4:07
Thieves In The Temple — 3:21
Side F
Cream — 4:13
Mountains — 3:58
Girls & Boys (Edit) — 3:28
If I Was Your Girlfriend (Edit) — 3:46
U Got The Look — 3:48
Side G
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Edit/Fade) — 3:41
Glam Slam (Edit) — 3:31
Moonbeam Levels — 4:06
Diamonds And Pearls (Edit) — 4:20
Gett Off (UK Single Remix) — 4:00
Side H
Sexy MF — 5:26
My Name Is Prince — 4:04
7 (Album Edit) — 4:23
Peach — 3:48
Nothing Compares 2 U (Edit) — 4:19
2×CD (9362‑49146‑0 / 558509‑2)
Disc 1
1999 (Edit) — 3:39
Little Red Corvette (Edit) — 3:09
When Doves Cry (Edit) — 3:48
Let’s Go Crazy (Edit) — 3:50
Raspberry Beret — 3:35
I Wanna Be Your Lover (Edit) — 3:00
Soft And Wet (Edit) — 3:05
Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? — 3:51
Uptown (Edit) — 4:11
When You Were Mine — 3:46
Head — 4:46
Gotta Stop (Messin’ About) — 2:57
Controversy (Edit) — 3:38
Let’s Work (Edit) — 3:02
Delirious (Edit) — 2:41
I Would Die 4 U (Edit) — 2:59
Take Me With U (Edit) — 3:44
Paisley Park — 4:44
Pop Life — 3:45
Purple Rain — 8:41
Disc 2
Kiss — 3:46
Sign “O” The Times (Edit) — 3:44
Alphabet St. (Edit) — 2:25
Batdance (Edit) — 4:07
Thieves In The Temple — 3:21
Cream — 4:13
Mountains — 3:58
Girls & Boys (Edit) — 3:28
If I Was Your Girlfriend (Edit) — 3:46
U Got The Look — 3:48
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Edit/Fade) — 3:41
Glam Slam (Edit) — 3:31
Moonbeam Levels — 4:06
Diamonds And Pearls (Edit) — 4:20
Gett Off (UK Single Remix) — 4:00
Sexy MF — 5:26
My Name Is Prince — 4:04
7 (Album Edit) — 4:23
Peach — 3:48
Nothing Compares 2 U (Edit) — 4:19
✦ Reissues & Global Variants
4×LP Box Set
558509‑1 — US/Europe/Canada (2016–2017)
2×CD Editions
9362‑49146‑0 — Europe (digifile)
9362‑49140‑7 — Europe/Australia (jewel case)
558509‑2 — US
9362491460 — Taiwan/Argentina/Australia/South Africa/Chile/Brazil
WPCR‑17586/7 — Japan/South Korea
2‑558509 — Canada
Multiple represses across Europe and Brazil
✦ Chart Performance
United States: No. 35 — Billboard 200
United Kingdom: No. 21
✦ Discography Sidebar
Posthumous Releases:
4Ever — Compilation: 2016
Purple Rain Deluxe — Reissue: 2017
Piano & A Microphone 1983 — Album: 2018
Originals — Album: 2019
Welcome 2 America — Album: 2021
✦ Prince Era Mini‑Timeline
Apr. 2016 — Prince passes away
Nov. 2016 — 4Ever released worldwide
2017 — Purple Rain Deluxe expands the archive
2018–2021 — Estate begins structured vault releases
✦ Glam Flashback
4Ever arrived at a moment of collective mourning, offering a lovingly curated journey through Prince’s first 15 years — from the Minneapolis sound’s birth to the height of his global stardom. The inclusion of Moonbeam Levels, long whispered about among fans, made the set essential, while Herb Ritts’ photography and President Obama’s tribute elevated it into a cultural document. As both a memorial and a celebration, 4Ever stands as one of the most emotionally resonant releases in the Prince catalogue.
✦ Sources
Prince Vault, Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History, YouTube
Reissues & Global Variants
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