Prince Rogers Nelson, more commonly known mononymously as Prince, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. The recipient of numerous awards and nominations, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. He was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona; his wide vocal range, which included a far-reaching falsetto and high-pitched screams; and his skill as a multi-instrumentalist, often preferring to play all or most of the instruments on his recordings. Prince produced his albums himself, pioneering the Minneapolis sound. His music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, synth-pop, pop, jazz, and hip hop.
Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Prince, released on June 25, 1984, by Warner Bros. Records and the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. Purple Rain was musically denser than Prince's previous albums, emphasizing full band performances, and multiple layers of guitars, keyboards, electronic synthesizer effects, drum machines, and other instruments.
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song was recorded in 1974 and released on the studio album Natty Dread.
"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, the fourth single in the US from their 1984 album, Purple Rain. The up-tempo dance song was a top 10 hit—the final one from the album—in the US, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Purple Rain" is a song by American musician Prince and his backing band the Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name starring Prince, and was released as the third single from the album. The song is a power ballad that combines rock, R&B, gospel, and orchestral music.
Rosie Gaines is an American singer, songwriter and record producer from Pittsburg, California. Gaines is a former band member of Prince's group, The New Power Generation. She duetted with singer Prince on the hit song "Diamonds and Pearls". She released a number of dance hits, the most notable being "Closer Than Close", which made the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 1997.
"Diamonds and Pearls" is the title track of American musician Prince and The New Power Generation's 1991 album. The song is an upbeat ballad, given a rock edge with guitar and heavy drumming. It also features the vocals of NPG member Rosie Gaines. The ballad is an expression of love and not lust, as is the theme on some of the other singles from the album. It was a top 10 hit, reaching number three in the US and the top spot on the R&B chart. The pearls in the accompanying music video come from Connie Parente, a Los Angeles jewelry collector and designer.
"Nothing Compares 2 U" is a song written and composed by Prince for his side project, The Family; the song featured on their eponymous 1985 debut album. The song's lyrics explore feelings of longing from the point of view of an abandoned lover.
Bloodshy & Avant are a Swedish songwriting and production duo consisting of Christian "Bloodshy" Karlsson and Pontus "Avant" Winnberg. They have worked with many prominent artists, including Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Ms. Dynamite, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Kelis, Girls' Generation, Christina Milian, Sky Ferreira, Hikaru Utada and BoA. In addition to their production work, Karlsson and Winnberg are also members of the synth-pop group Miike Snow, alongside lead vocalist Andrew Wyatt.
"City of Blinding Lights" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their eleventh studio album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004), and was released as the album's fourth single on 6 June 2005. It was produced by Flood, with additional production by Chris Thomas and Jacknife Lee. The song reached number one in Spain, and peaked in the top ten in Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. The music video was shot at the General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Jesse Woods Johnson is an American musician best known as the guitarist in the original lineup of The Time.
Try Me is a digitally-released album by Rosie Gaines. The album is an alternate version of the then-unreleased Concrete Jungle album, which Rosie reworked in the aftermath of the closing of Paisley Park Records. The album was eventually was released the following year on Motown Records as Closer Than Close. The original "Try Me" sessions was not released until the mid-2000s on digital platforms.
"Three Little Birds" is a song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It is the fourth track on side two of their 1977 album Exodus and was released as a single in 1980. The song reached the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at number 17. It is one of Marley's most popular songs and has been covered by numerous other artists. The song is often thought to be named "Don't Worry About a Thing" or "Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright", because of the prominent and repeated use of these phrases in the chorus.
Whose Side Are You On? is the debut album by British band Matt Bianco, released in 1984. For this album, Matt Bianco was a trio of Basia Trzetrzelewska (vocals), Mark Reilly (vocals), and Danny White (keyboards).
"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" is a song written by Canadian-American singer-songwriter, musician, and activist Neil Young. It has been covered by many bands.
Elvis' Gold Records Volume 5 is the final album in the RCA Golden/Gold Records series by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, and the only volume in the series to be issued posthumously. The album was released by RCA Records in March 1984 on both LP and compact disc. The album is a compilation of hit singles released between 1968 and 1977. It is the only one of the series not to make the Billboard album chart, "bubbling under" at #207 for two weeks. It was certified Gold on 7/15/1999 by the RIAA.
Hitstory is compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, which includes the two previous compilation album ELV1S and 2nd to None, in addition to a bonus disc, entitled The Story Continues. On March 8, 2018, the box set was certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales in excess of 1,000,000 units.
Africa Unite: The Singles Collection is a compilation album written and performed by the band Bob Marley and the Wailers. The album contains singles from 1970–1984 and includes three remix track with special guests will.i.am, Eric Clapton and Ashley Beedle.
"Turn Your Lights Down Low" is a song by Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers from their 1977 album, Exodus. It is the only song on side B of the album that was not released as a single. However, a remastered version featuring Lauryn Hill was released in 1999. The duet was commercially successful, peaking at number one on the UK R&B Chart while topping the charts in New Zealand and Romania. It received a nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 43rd Grammy Awards.
"Hang On in There Baby" is a song written by American musician Johnny Bristol and arranged by H. B. Barnum as the title track from his first album. It was released as a single in 1974, reaching No. 8 on the U.S. Hot 100 and No. 2 on the U.S. R&B chart. In the UK it reached No. 3.
