Prince (May 21 / July 31 2001) The Very Best Of Prince - Album
- GlamSlamEscape
- May 21, 2001
- 3 min read
Updated: May 26
The Very Best Of Prince is a career-spanning compilation focusing on Prince’s Warner Bros. era hits from 1979 to 1991. Released in 2001, it became one of his most successful compilations and a popular entry point for new fans.
RELEASE DETAILS
Artist: Prince
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Catalogue: 9362-47975-2
Format: CD
Country: Worldwide
Released: May 21, 2001 (UK) / July 31, 2001 (USA)
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Pop
Length: 73:18
THE STORY
This 17-track compilation presents Prince’s biggest singles in chronological order, showcasing his evolution from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. It includes iconic tracks like “When Doves Cry,” “Purple Rain,” “Kiss,” and “Cream.”
CONTEXT & NOTES
Released eight years after The Hits/The B-Sides, this set focused exclusively on Warner Bros. material. Prince was reportedly unhappy with the release as he was negotiating his own greatest hits project (A Celebration), which was ultimately scrapped. The album performed strongly in Europe and has been certified multi-platinum in several territories.
TRACK LISTING (2001 Original CD)
I Wanna Be Your Lover — 2:57
1999 — 3:35
Little Red Corvette — 4:58
When Doves Cry — 3:49
Let’s Go Crazy — 4:39
Purple Rain — 8:45
I Would Die 4 U — 2:57
Raspberry Beret — 3:31
Kiss — 3:46
Sign O’ The Times — 3:44
U Got The Look — 3:58
Alphabet St. — 5:38
Thieves In The Temple — 3:19
Gett Off — 4:27
Cream — 4:12
Diamonds And Pearls — 4:20
Money Don’t Matter 2 Night — 4:48
Total Length: 73:18
PERSONNEL Musicians Prince — all vocals and instruments on most tracks (except where noted)
ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS AND BACKGROUND The Revolution (various tracks):
Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Brown Mark, Bobby Z., Dr. Fink, Dez Dickerson
The New Power Generation (later tracks):
Rosie Gaines, Tony M., Levi Seacer Jr., Sonny T., Tommy Barbarella, Michael B.
Other Contributors
Sheena Easton, Sheila E., Eric Leeds, and many more across the compiled tracks.
Production
Prince — producer, arranger (all tracks)
Various engineers from original sessions
Remastering for this compilation
PACKAGING HIGHLIGHTS
Standard jewel case with photo of Prince
Chronological track listing emphasizing hit singles
Later digital releases feature alternate slipcover artwork
CHARTS
USA: Billboard 200 | 18 Aug. 2001 | 66 | 25 weeks
USA: Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | 18 Aug. 2001 | 72 | 4 weeks
Europe (selected)
UK: UK Albums Chart | 11 Aug. 2001 | 2 | 18 weeks
The Netherlands: Album Top 100 | 8 Sep. 2001 | 3 | 21 weeks
Germany: Top 100 Album-Chart | 13 Aug. 2001 | 5 | 14 weeks
Certifications
RIAA (USA): Platinum – 21 Sep. 2002 (1 million)
BPI (UK): 3× Platinum (900,000)
ARIA (Australia): 2× Platinum (140,000)
The Very Best of Prince does not include the US number 1 hit "Batdance" most likely due to the licensing of the character Batman. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine believed that the Batman album was unofficially being written out of Prince's discography.[1] All the songs included in this compilation were all previously included in the 3-disc box set The Hits/The B-Sides (1993), with the exception of "Money Don't Matter 2 Night".
Commercial performance
On the chart dated August 18, 2001, The Very Best of Prince debuted at number 66 on the US Billboard 200.[5] As of September 21, 2004, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 1 million copies in the United States.
The Very Best of Prince sold 179,000 album-equivalent units (100,000 in pure album sales) in the week following Prince's death in April 2016, thus allowing the album to re-enter the Billboard 200 at number one on the chart dating May 7, 2016; this makes the album Prince's fifth number-one on the chart. The following week the album fell to number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 391,000 equivalent copies (216,000 in pure album sales) behind Beyoncé's Lemonade. In 2016 alone, the album sold 660,000 recognized copies in the United States in addition to the over 2 million copies sold prior to 2016.
SOURCES Album liner notes, official discography, Discogs, 45cat, Official Charts, Wikipedia, Prince Vault.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE All album 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.
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