CSPC: Prince Popularity Analysis

Physical Singles Sales – Part 3

As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 3 ratio between one album and one physical single.

Diamonds And Pearls (1991) – 1,191,000 equivalent albums

Thunder – 20,000
Diamonds and Pearls – 1,280,000
Cream – 1,110,000
Gett Off – 1,140,000
Money Don’t Matter 2 Night – 240,000
Insatiable – 180,000

Love Symbol Album (1992) – 516,000 equivalent albums

My Name Is Prince – 480,000
Sexy MF – 440,000
The Morning Papers – 80,000
Damn U – 90,000
7 – 630,000

Come (1994) – 93,000 equivalent albums

Space – 50,000
Letitgo – 260,000

The Gold Experience (1995) – 723,000 equivalent albums

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World – 1,850,000
I Hate U – 340,000
Gold – 220,000

Chaos & Disorder (1996) – 6,000 equivalent albums

Dinner with Delores – 20,000

Emancipation (1996) – 57,000 equivalent albums

Betcha by Golly Wow! – 130,000
The Holy River – 60,000

The album Diamonds and Pearls confirmed Prince‘s skills as a hit maker. The title track, Gett Off and Cream all sold over a million. The latter remains the last US #1 of the artist. Singles from Love Symbol Album was performed well although they weren’t as strong.

In 1994, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World completely shadowed the era Come. A #1 UK hit that peaked at 3 in the US during a 10-weeks stay inside the Top 10, the sold came close to 2 million sales before being added to The Gold Experience latter on.

After selling over 40 million physical singles, most of which in a dozen of years only, the clash with Warner ended the career of Prince on that segment. Himself hardly interested by this format and not supported anymore by FM stations, subsequent releases sold irrelevant amounts.