🟣 Rock ’N’ Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis) – Single US: Apr. 2019

Rock ’N’ Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis) was released posthumously in April 2019 in two configurations: a free 7" vinyl single distributed at the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA game on April 5 2019, and a same‑day digital single issued worldwide. The release revived a mid‑90s track originally issued as the B‑side to Gold, bringing it to digital platforms for the first time.

🟣 The Story

The 7" vinyl edition was given to all attendees at the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat game at Minneapolis’ Target Center on 5 April 2019. The event marked the final night in a season‑long series of Prince‑themed promotions, with the posthumous New Power Generation performing during halftime. The single paired the title track with Calhoun Square, a selection that underscored Prince’s deep connection to Minneapolis and its cultural landmarks.

Simultaneously, the title track was released digitally across major platforms — its first official digital availability — though without the B‑side. The track had been uploaded to YouTube five months earlier, but had not been available for purchase or streaming. Originally issued in 1995 as the B‑side to Gold, the song was written as a playful response to Lenny Kravitz’s Rock And Roll Is Dead. While the digital release was credited to “Prince,” the vinyl artwork retained the name under which the songs were originally recorded, with “Prince Estate” appearing only in the legal attribution.

🟣 Format: Digital Single

Label:

NPG Records / The Prince Estate

Catalogue Number:

iTunes ID: 1451988996

Released:

5 April 2019 (Worldwide)

Chart Position:

Did not chart

Track List — Digital

Rock ’N’ Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis) — 4:34

Writing Credits

• Prince

Production Credits

• Produced by: Prince

🟣 Format: 7" Single — Promo (Target Center Giveaway)

Label:

NPG Records / The Prince Estate

Catalogue Number:

19075918857JK1

Released:

5 April 2019 (USA)

Format:

Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Promo Giveaway

Track List — 7"

Side A

• Rock ’N’ Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis) — 4:34

Side B

• Calhoun Square — 4:46

Writing Credits

• Prince — all tracks

Production Credits

• Produced by: Prince

🟣 Key Highlights

• Released 5 April 2019

• Free 7" vinyl distributed at Minnesota Timberwolves game

• Digital single released the same day (A‑side only)

• First official digital availability of the track

• B‑side Calhoun Square exclusive to vinyl

• Originally the B‑side to Gold (1995)

• Vinyl artwork credited to the original recording name, not “Prince”

• Part of a season‑long Prince tribute series at Target Center

🟣 Personnel

• Prince — vocals, instruments, production

• Additional uncredited mid‑90s studio contributors typical of the era

🟣 Variants

• Digital Single — NPG Records — Worldwide — 2019

• 7" Promo Giveaway — NPG Records – 19075918857JK1 — USA — 2019

🟣 Chart Performance

United States

• Did not chart

International

• No chart entries reported

🟣 Context & Notes

• Single era: Posthumous release (originally from The Gold Experience era)

• Production: Prince

• Sleeve notes: Event‑specific promo artwork for the 7"

• Historical placement: Part of the Prince Estate’s early posthumous promotional initiatives

• Reissues / remasters: None beyond digital availability

🟣 Related Material

• Previous single (original era): Gold — 1995

• Associated album: The Gold Experience

• Associated event: Minnesota Timberwolves Prince Tribute Night (2018–2019 season)

🟣 Mini‑Timeline

✦ 1995 — Original B‑side release (Gold)

✦ Nov. 2018 — Video added to YouTube

✦ 5 April 2019 — 7" promo distributed at Target Center

✦ 5 April 2019 — Digital single released worldwide

🟣 Glam Flashback

A hometown anthem reborn — blasting through the Target Center as Minneapolis claimed its rock ’n’ roll heartbeat once again.

🟣 Sources

Primary reference sources: NPG Records, The Prince Estate, Discogs, iTunes, archival documentation.

🟣 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.