Musicology (album)

Musicology
Studio album by
Prince
ReleasedMarch 29, 2004
Recorded1995–2000; Late 2000–early 2004[1]
Studio
Genre
Length47:26
LabelNPG, Columbia
ProducerPrince
Prince chronology
N·E·W·S
(2003) 		Musicology
(2004) 		The Chocolate Invasion
(2004)
Singles from Musicology
  1. "Musicology"
    Released: April 3, 2004
  2. "Cinnamon Girl"
    Released: September 7, 2004

Musicology is the twenty-eighth studio album by American recording artist Prince. The album was given to concertgoers at his Musicology Tour, from March 27 to September 9, 2004, in North America. A digital release followed two days after his tour started on March 29, 2004. The physical retail version was released on April 19, 2004 (Europe) and April 20, 2004 (US) by NPG Records and distributed by Columbia Records. Musicology was the first album in five years (ten as Prince) that Prince released through a major label (Sony Music) and, being partially recorded in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, was his first to be recorded outside Minneapolis in many years. Musicology is R&B-themed.[3]

Receiving generally positive reviews from music critics, Musicology proved to be Prince's most successful record in years, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200 and reaching top 10 in ten other countries. It was Prince's first album to chart in the US since The Rainbow Children (2001).

Prince won Grammy Awards for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Musicology" and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Call My Name". By January 2005, Musicology was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4] At the time of release, Prince was quoted as saying he wished Musicology to provide musical education to listeners.[5]

Commercial performance

Musicology quickly proved to be Prince's most successful album since Diamonds and Pearls, reaching the Top 5 in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany and making a significant impression on charts around the world. It also proved to be well received by music critics. The title track was released as a single in Australia and Europe, where it enjoyed moderate chart success and airplay. However it was also a hit on the US R&B charts through airplay. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA in June 2004[6] and was certified double platinum in late January 2005.[7][8]

Part of the album's chart success was due to concertgoers receiving a copy of Musicology, with the album cost included in the ticket price for the Musicology Tour. This prompted Billboard magazine and Nielsen SoundScan to change its chart data methodology. For future album releases, Billboard said that customers "must be given an option to either add the CD to the ticket purchase or forgo the CD for a reduced ticket-only price".[9] A purple vinyl edition was released in February 2019.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic72/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Chicago Sun-Times[12]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[13]
The Guardian (2004)[14]
(2016)[15]
Mojo[16]
NME6/10[17]
Pitchfork5.8/10[18]
Q[19]
Rolling Stone[20]
Slant Magazine[21]

Musicology received generally positive reviews from music critics. In his review for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau said that after the album's opening uptempo songs, "pleasant shocks lurk near the surface and go against the flow of the quality material, and almost everything packs payback".[22] In a less enthusiastic review, Mojo magazine found it better produced and performed than it was written.[16]

Accolades

Prince won two Grammy Awards, for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("Musicology") and Best R&B Vocal Performance—Male ("Call My Name"), and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance—Male ("Cinnamon Girl"), Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Call My Name"), and Best R&B Album (Musicology). Prince was chosen by Rolling Stone magazine's readers as the best male performer and most welcome comeback.[23][24]

Tour

Prince toured North America from March 27 to September 9, 2004 to promote Musicology. The tour was often billed as the Musicology Live 2004ever, or more commonly, the Musicology Tour. The tour earned $87.4 million and was attended by 1.47 million fans[25] Although the tour promoted Musicology, only half of the tracks from the album were played during the concerts; the title track, "Musicology", "Call My Name" Life "O" the Party, "On the Couch" and "Dear Mr. Man". "A Million Days" was also performed, but only once. The tour featured many of Prince's more famous tracks, such as "Little Red Corvette", "Raspberry Beret", "Kiss", and "Purple Rain". A copy of Musicology was included with every concert ticket sold.

Track listing

All tracks written by Prince.

Musicology track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Musicology"4:26
2."Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance"4:46
3."A Million Days"3:50
4."Life 'o' the Party"4:29
5."Call My Name"5:15
6."Cinnamon Girl"3:56
7."What Do U Want Me 2 Do?"4:15
8."The Marrying Kind"2:49
9."If Eye Was the Man in Ur Life"3:09
10."On the Couch"3:33
11."Dear Mr. Man"4:14
12."Reflection"3:04

Personnel

  • Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, Yamaha Motif 6, Korg Triton, Clavia Nord Lead 2, Fender Rhodes electric piano, piano, bass guitar, drums, percussion, programming, Linn LM-1
  • Candy Dulfer – lead (4) and backing vocals (4, 6), saxophone (4, 8–11), horns (8–10)
  • Chance Howard – backing vocals (4–6)
  • Stokley – backing vocals (5)
  • Kip Blackshire – backing vocals (5)
  • Clare Fischer – string arrangement (5)
  • Rhonda Smith – backing vocals (6), bass guitar (11)
  • John Blackwell – drums (8–11)
  • Maceo Parker – saxophone (8–10)
  • Greg Boyer – trombone (8–10)
  • Ornella Bonaccorsi – Italian speech (7)
  • Sheila E. – shaker (11)
  • Renato Neto – Fender Rhodes electric piano (11)

Singles

Promotional singles

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Musicology
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[58] Gold 50,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[59] Gold 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[60] Gold 20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[61] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[62] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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