Purple Rain

Anniversaries are everywhere in the music biz nowadays.  This week marked one that didn't get as much attention, but is worth your time.  30 years ago Purple Rain was released.  This Prince's Thriller, his biggest selling album that he would never top commercially again, and only once (Sign "O' The Times) topped artistically.  Things were building up for Prince by the time it dropped.  The previous album, 1999, spawned 3 Top 15 singles.
The first time I heard "When Doves Cry" was on my way home from work on my local Top 40 station. It sounded different than anything on the radio at that time.  I also knew it would be a big hit.  The rest of the album is equally great.  And there was a movie, too.  Surprisingly, it was good.  Morris Day of the Time stole the movie, but Prince held his own.

Anyway, the legend of Purple Rain is secure.  It made Prince the 2nd or 3rd biggest Pop star in the world (behind Michael Jackson and Madonna).  The fact that he never sold as many copies of his other albums is nothing to get upset about.  He still made some great records.  But most artists only get one of these in their lifetime.