When 1999 dropped in October 1982, Prince was no longer just a cult figure or a rising provocateur — he became a superstar. This double album, sprawling with funk, pop, rock, and new wave influences, was both ambitious and wildly accessible. It launched him into the mainstream, setting the stage for his global breakthrough with Purple Rain.

With 1999, Prince perfected the “Minneapolis Sound” — synthesizers, drum machines, funk basslines, and raw guitar riffs all meshed into a sound that was uniquely his. It’s a party record, a protest record, a dance record, and a declaration that Prince was here to dominate the 1980s.