{"id":62926,"date":"2026-04-21T13:46:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:46:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/questlove-the-prince-100\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:46:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T13:46:32","slug":"questlove-the-prince-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musicianvoice.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/questlove-the-prince-100\/","title":{"rendered":"Questlove: The Prince 100"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/p>\n
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\n\tI loathe making lists like this, even when I love the things I\u2019m listing. It\u2019s like asking what\u2019s the favorite breath you\u2019ve ever taken. I have long thought that this as a can\u2019t-win situation, one that risks the wrath of the \u201cOrg\u2019ers\u201d (the members of Prince.Org \u2014 a group he and I feared). But here I am, trying to win.<\/p>\n
\n\tThere\u2019s a rumor that I only value the first 10 years of Prince\u2019s career \u2014 perhaps because I have said things like that over the years. I plead guilty, to some degree, though I have my reasons. Over that first decade, Prince consistently delivered revolutionary music in every way: the lyrics, the arrangements, the playing, the vocals. And I was ripe for receiving it all, 11 to 21, open to new ideas and constantly feeling an exhilarating connection to what he was making. As I grew older, my expectations shifted. I became less responsive to new releases, less capable of being hit with sledgehammer force each time. Still, after his passing, I began to hear his music differently, leading me to revisit his entire catalog. It has taken me ten years to approach his later work with the right mindset, and I am still working on it.<\/p>\n
\n\tA few ground rules:<\/p>\n
\n\tIn making this list, I am considering anything Prince wrote and\/or produced that received a public release. By this point, that includes several outtakes and demos that have found their way onto deluxe reissues. The vast majority of these songs are available for streaming. A handful aren\u2019t, for reasons of contractual red tape. (You can go to YouTube.)\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Top Ten has been in print, but even those entries appear here in slightly different, sometimes longer versions. As you\u2019ll see, I like the extended remix.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThere are a hundred entries, but does that mean there are a hundred songs? I bent the guardrails here and there when a duo or trio of songs seemed of a piece or worth considering as a package deal.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t do it often. But it was a way in getting in a little more Prince. Sometimes a hundred just isn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n
\n\tFinally (and this is an important caveat) I am not compiling a list of Prince\u2019s biggest songs or even his quote-unquote best. Some of your favorites may be missing. This is because I look not to the songs with the largest pop-culture footprint but to those that tell me the most about him and how he made music. Some monster songs are of course included, but to me, what he did between them is what matters most. My goal in making this list is to provide a cheat code into why Prince was, is, and will always be genius.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tOkay. The list.<\/p>\n
\n
Photographs in Illustration By<\/p>\n
Kevin Winter\/Getty Images; Larry Busacca\/WireImage; Jed Jacobsohn\/Getty Images; Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tFrom:<\/strong> Lovesexy<\/em> (1988) Recorded:<\/strong> December 1987<\/p>\n
\n\tWhen Prince fans learned that the highly anticipated Black Album<\/em>, the followup to Sign O\u2019 The Times<\/em>, was being shelved for something \u201cmore spiritual,\u201d they \u2014 we \u2014 were left bewildered. The only spiritual element I could discern in this, the first single from the replacement album Lovesexy<\/em>, was Prince playfully mocking the recently disgraced televangelist Jimmy Swaggart in the bridge (\u201cif you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019d like to\u2026 watch\u201d). Despite my confusion, I was pleasantly surprised by his (yet again) inventive mastery of the Linn drum machine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018In A Large Room With No Light\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Goedefroit Music\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/strong>Sign O\u2019 the Times Super Deluxe Edition<\/em> (2020) Recorded:<\/strong> May 4, 1986<\/p>\n
\n\tThis track feels like a sonic soup of everything Prince was inhaling from Wendy & Lisa, Eric and Alan Leeds, and whoever else had his ear in those glory days. While mere mortals would just copy their influences, Prince was the kind of cat who would take a tiny speck of an idea, flip it, stretch it, and reverse it until it was 100 percent Purple. This song represents his first real baby steps toward creating a completely fluid, genreless universe. It isn\u2019t funk, rock, jazz, or fusion. It isn\u2019t pop or Latin. It\u2019s just Prince. And the wild part? He was just getting started. Buckle up, kids!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\u2018Visions\/Dream Factory\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Bill Marino\/Sygma via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom<\/strong>: Sign O\u2019 the Times Super Deluxe Edition<\/em> (2020) Recorded: <\/strong>March 10, 1986 \/November 1986<\/p>\n
\n\tA significant part of Prince\u2019s Revolution-era highlight reel stems from his close relationship with collaborators Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, whose contributions often go unsung. This piano instrumental underscores his collaborative spirit. During the pandemic of 2020, this song became my morning wake-up call, providing\u2026.well\u2026a reason.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\tAn ode to the Poets, Part Time Singers, Puerto Freakans, Pimps & Thangs on the funky side of town.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018She Spoke To Me\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Tracy Tremblay\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/strong>The Vault..Old Friends for Sale<\/em> (1999) Recorded:<\/strong> October 1991<\/p>\n
\n\tMy main issue with post-1988 Prince was the upgrade in sound. I believe artists thrive within limitations. They spark inventiveness. Even in Prince\u2019s bedroom recordings, the lo-fi quality added a unique charm to the songs. As he had access to more and more elaborate studio setups, his work sounded more and more (so-called) professional, and I wasn\u2019t pleased with the sonic results, even if I respected his craftsmanship. That said, this particular song gets a pass (a Purple Pass) for its sophisticated sonics, which fit its smooth-jazz vibe perfectly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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Madhouse, \u2018Thirteen\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rob Verhorst\/Redferns\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/strong>16<\/em> (1987) Recorded:<\/strong> August 1987<\/p>\n
\n\tThis is one of the most sinister gangsta ass riffs in Prince\u2019s arsenal. His ability to make his table scraps into magical feasts is mind blowing. So badass.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018Purple Music\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jim Steinfeldt\/Michael Ochs Archives\/GettyImages\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/strong>1999 (Super) Deluxe Edition<\/em> (2019)\u00a0Recorded:<\/strong> May 22, 1982<\/p>\n
\n\tThis is pretty much Prince\u2019s \u201cI\u2019m already crazy enough, so why would I wanna go over the edge and mess it up doin\u2019 dope and stuff, huh?\u201d song. You can feel him trying to navigate his way around and test out his new toys (the Linn LM-1 & Oberheim Synth).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018Our Destiny\/Roadhouse Garden\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Richard E. Aaron\/Redferns\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n\tThis song was originally earmarked for what would have been the follow-up to 1985\u2019s trippy Around the World in a Day<\/em>. The second half of this track was initially set to be the title song but was shelved for a fresh idea: a black-and-white comedy called Under the Cherry Moon<\/em>. Prince was the king of seeing a project all the way through the final fade only to shrug it off and act it like it was never there to begin with. When I asked about the status of this project decades later, it took him a sec to even remember its existence. Must be nice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018Annie Christian\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Gary Gershoff\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/em><\/strong>Controversy<\/em> (1981) Recorded:<\/strong> August 14, 1981<\/p>\n
\n\tThis marks the first appearance of two drum machines: the Linn LM-1, which would become a staple in Prince\u2019s arsenal for decades, and the Korg Mini Pops SR-120, used just this once. Sonically, this track stands out from the rest. The sloppy natural hand claps were chef\u2019s kiss to me back then \u2014 it felt like they were recorded in my high school bathroom! I\u2019ve lost count of the times I\u2019ve asked engineers to stretch miles of mic cords from the soundboard to a bathroom in any studio just to capture that texture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018Why\u00a0You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Brian Rasic\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/strong>Prince<\/em> (1979) Recorded:<\/strong> May 9, 1979\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThis exemplifies my contrarian rebellion against Prince singles. I grew up in an era when radio DJs had the freedom to play whatever they wanted. Singles ruled the airwaves, but you could easily rock a filler cut if you chose. While everyone was losing it over the overplayed \u201cI Wanna Be Your Lover,\u201d I was hooked on \u201cWhy You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?\u201d largely for the infectious bass and Clavinet riff. This track deserved way more recognition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\tFrom: <\/strong>\u201cAnotherloverholenyohead\u201d single (1986) Recorded: <\/strong>Dec 16, 1985<\/p>\n
\n\tA song that showcases one of Prince\u2019s most underrated talents: bass player. His bass work often assumes the alpha role, as seen in tracks like \u201c777-9311.\u201d Sometimes, we notice its absence, as in \u201cWhen Doves Cry\u201d and \u201cKiss.\u201d And then there are the moments when he completely transforms a song with bold bass lines, like the 12-inch versions of \u201cLittle Red Corvette\u201d and \u201cRaspberry Beret.\u201d And here. At the 4:30 mark, he plays the bass with such intensity that it feels like a personal attack. It\u2019s such an all-consuming performance that it makes you forget everything that came before it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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The Time, \u2018Get It Up\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Gary Gershoff\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom: <\/strong>The Time<\/em> (1981) Recorded:<\/strong> Feb 11, 1981<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile Prince\u2019s struggle to become a mainstream rock star is well-documented, I challenge the commonplace that he had to win over the white audience. There\u2019s always been an exotic allure that attracted white audiences to Black artists. Prince faced a greater challenge in selling his post-Dirty Mind<\/em> identity: connecting with Black audiences, who often represent a stubborn brand of Christian conservatism. Enter The Time \u2014 his proxy to bridge that gap. Once they gave us a hit, we were hooked \u2014 Prince was finally invited to his own BBQ!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Sheila E, \u2018Noon Rendezvous\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Paul Natkin\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom:<\/strong> The Glamorous Life<\/em> (1984) Recorded:<\/strong> Feb 13, 1984<\/p>\n
\n\tLike Sheila E., this song is gorgeous. Prince rarely dropped the ball on his ballads. However, my true obsession with this song is trying to find \u201cthe one\u201d count at the beginning. Long before the \u201cWhitney Houston Challenge\u201d took over social media, I still can\u2019t successfully locate the intro more than forty years later!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\u2018The Ladder\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom:<\/strong> Around the World in a Day <\/em>(1985) Recorded: <\/strong>Oct 31, 1984<\/p>\n
\n\tI have mixed feelings about this song. While it\u2019s cool that 2Pac showed love to \u201cthe laaaaaaddaaah\u201d back in \u201993, it\u2019s heartbreaking to think that during soundcheck in his hometown on Halloween, in the middle of his massive, sold-out-across-the-nation Purple Rain<\/em> tour, Prince recorded this emotionally naked ballad. The lyrics (\u201cthere lived a king who didn\u2019t deserve to be\u201d) capture the profound infinite sadness of a man who had worked so hard yet still felt unworthy of his success.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\u2018Diamonds & Pearls\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jim Steinfeldt\/Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom:<\/strong> Diamonds & Pearls<\/em> (1991) Recorded:<\/strong> November 19, 1990<\/p>\n
\n\tThe title track from Prince\u2019s 13th LP feels so pristine that it could have received FDA approval. It was jarring to hear him sound so unironically \u201cprofessional.\u201d Texture-wise, it took me decades before I could appreciate it fully. Still, his bullseye arranging and craftsmanship are undeniable, and I couldn\u2019t resist giving this song its moment in the sun. Have you heard that epic bridge and the breakdown leading back to the last verse? Who puts that much effort into a bridge?!!!??!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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\u2018Computer Blue\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Ross Marino\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom:<\/strong> Purple Rain<\/em> (1984)\u00a0Recorded:<\/strong> August 3, 1983<\/p>\n
\n\tIn just four minutes he manages to 1) get Wendy & Lisa to create the sexiest conversation about something that might be non-sexual (taking a shower? cooking pasta? bathing the dog?); 2) establish a riff you\u2019ll never forget, paired with an unforgettable groove; 3) challenge the then-dominant rawk axework of players like the Eagles\u2019 Don Felder and Joe Walsh (two of them, but only one of him!) only to land the plane with one of his father\u2019s lush compositions; 4) and then, with 45 seconds left on the clock just crash out, song over. The original version was 12 minutes long, and while I doubt Prince ever planned to release it, he definitely wanted to get it out of his system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018Cloreen Bacon Skin\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Rick Maiman\/Sygma\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n\tThe essence of many of The Time\u2019s songs was Prince and Morris just messin\u2019 round. Prince would grab a fresh reel of tape and record new music over the groove Morris laid down. This time, though, he decided to leave it as a fun party jam for their amusement. It\u2019s about as close as you\u2019ll get to hearing what \u201cin-his-prime\u201d Prince was like behind the scenes, behind closed doors, and behind that purple velvet rope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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The Family, \u2018Desire\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Ross Marino\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n\tThe Family<\/em> (the album) features eight perfect jams from The Family (the group), which was formed after The Time shattered post-Purple Rain<\/em>. Prince joked about wanting that Duran Duran money, and they had everything they needed to get it: the look, the funk, the purple bat signal, and most importantly, the songs. Not a loser in the bunch (we know Sinead was a fan, at least). This is when I start to get angry about how Prince didn\u2019t tend to his legacy better. These songs, including this closer, were gold.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\tFrom:<\/strong> Diamonds and Pearls Super Deluxe<\/em> (2023) Recorded: <\/strong>December 3, 1990<\/p>\n
\n\tThis alternate take revealed to me why I was slow to embrace Prince\u2019s Diamonds & Pearls <\/em>era.<\/em> It captures the nuances I love in his work: a crunch in the mic and compression that pushes the mix to distorted levels. We call it \u201cimperfection,\u201d but it\u2019s really humanity. Delving into the box set that accompanied this LP, I found at least 10 other fantastic \u201ccrunch\u201d songs. They would have fit perfectly, especially since just two weeks after the original album\u2019s release, a new revolution called grunge emerged from Seattle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
\u2018All My Dreams\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\t<\/p>\n
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\n\tFrom:<\/strong> Sign O\u2019 the Times Super Deluxe Edition<\/em> (2020) Recorded:<\/strong> April 28, 1985<\/p>\n
\n\tI believe this song (part Roadhouse Garden,<\/em> part Dream Factory<\/em> showcase) is what Prince\u2019s brain sounds like inside \u2014 twist and turns and most importantly Cap\u2019n Crunch.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\tFrom:<\/strong> For You<\/em> (1978) Recorded: <\/strong>November 1977<\/p>\n
\n\tIf I were a betting man, I would say that Joni Mitchell\u2019s Hejira<\/em> was Prince\u2019s early oxygen, and this is evidence. The song still stands tall (perhaps even taller) to this day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\tFrom: <\/em><\/strong>Around the World in a Day<\/em> (1985) Recorded:<\/strong> September 27, 1984<\/p>\n
\n\tPrince in action was truly unique. None of his peers would risk anything like this. G\u2019head and rock some other 1985 releases at random, then play this. There\u2019s clearly no click track \u2014 Prince the tambourine player rushes while Prince the drummer goes wild. He knows it\u2019s a risk, but his perfectly imperfect background vocals are structured with a\u2026shrug-ness\u2026that lets him succeed at a daredevil jump the average musician wouldn\u2019t dare attempt. And this is just a filler track to close out side one. Now that\u2019s<\/em> dedication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
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