1999
Released: 1982

1999

by Prince

The 203rd greatest album of all time

1999 is a synth-forward album that blends funk, pop, dance-pop, rock, and new wave into tightly arranged, danceable songs marked by punchy drum-machine grooves, layered synthesizers, rhythmic guitar work, and Prince's versatile vocals. The music pairs upbeat, club-ready production with darker lyrical themes about urgency and impending crisis, creating a tense party-at-the-end-of-the-world vibe. Its eclectic, genre-blurring approach helped expand Prince's sound and influenced the direction of early 1980s pop and dance music.