CSPC: Prince Popularity Analysis

PRINCE CAREER CSPC RESULTS

So, after checking all the figures, how many overall equivalent album sales has each album by Prince achieved? Well, at this point we hardly need to add up all of the figures defined in this article!

In the following results table, all categories display figures in equivalent album sales. If different, pure sales are listed between parentheses.

artist_spotify_id	#	Cover	Album	Studio albums (EAS)	sales_update_date	Other LPs (EAS)	Physical singles (units sold)	Digital singles (units sold)	Streams	Streams increase	Total EAS	valid_as_of	streams_updated_value	album_id
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	1		For You	950,000	04.10.18	111,000	78,000 (210,000)	15,000 (100,000)	33,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 10 LD: 20	1,187,000	20,230,531	33,000	639
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	2		Prince	2,080,000	04.10.18	1,197,000	462,000 (1,321,000)	131,000 (870,000)	174,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 80 LD: 80	4,043,000	20,230,531	174,000	640
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	3		Dirty Mind	1,540,000	04.10.18	582,000	88,000 (150,000)	22,000 (150,000)	45,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 20 LD: 10	2,277,000	20,230,531	45,000	641
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	4		Controversy	2,320,000	04.10.18	455,000	188,000 (450,000)	89,000 (590,000)	62,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 30 LD: 30	3,113,000	20,230,531	62,000	642
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	5		1999	7,010,000	04.10.18	2,570,000	1,317,000 (4,141,000)	612,000 (4,080,000)	310,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 140 LD: 130	11,819,000	20,230,531	310,000	643
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	6		Purple Rain	23,030,000	04.10.18	9,220,000	3,189,000 (10,527,000)	1,577,000 (10,510,000)	1,104,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 480 LD: 540	38,120,000	20,230,531	1,104,000	644
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	7		Around the World in a Day	5,000,000	04.10.18	1,535,000	717,000 (2,045,000)	288,000 (1,920,000)	266,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 120 LD: 150	7,806,000	20,230,531	266,000	645
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	8		Parade	4,560,000	04.10.18	3,361,000	1,068,000 (2,538,000)	421,000 (2,810,000)	457,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 190 LD: 240	9,867,000	20,230,531	457,000	646
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	9		Sign 'o' the Times	5,250,000	04.10.18	1,262,000	1,271,000 (3,882,000)	293,000 (1,950,000)	141,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 60 LD: 60	8,216,000	20,230,531	141,000	647
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	10		Lovesexy	3,390,000	04.10.18	232,000	559,000 (1,132,000)	32,000 (210,000)	18,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 10 LD: 0	4,230,000	20,230,531	18,000	648
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	11		Batman	6,680,000	04.10.18	3,000	944,000 (2,805,000)	53,000 (350,000)	45,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 20 LD: 20	7,724,000	20,230,531	45,000	649
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	12		Graffiti Bridge	2,550,000	04.10.18	161,000	309,000 (741,000)	18,000 (120,000)	21,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 10 LD: 10	3,059,000	20,230,531	21,000	650
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	13		Diamonds and Pearls	7,100,000	04.10.18	1,152,000	1,191,000 (3,957,000)	282,000 (1,880,000)	129,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 50 LD: 60	9,854,000	20,230,531	129,000	651
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	14		Love Symbol Album	3,020,000	04.10.18	327,000	516,000 (1,552,000)	102,000 (680,000)	54,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 20 LD: 20	4,019,000	20,230,531	54,000	652
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	15		Come	1,270,000	04.10.18	0	93,000 (310,000)	6,000 (40,000)	9,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 0 LD: 0	1,378,000	20,230,531	9,000	653
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	16		The Gold Experience	1,130,000	04.10.18	552,000	731,000 (1,850,000)	1,000 (10,000)	50,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 30 LD: 60	2,464,000	20,230,531	50,000	654
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	17		Chaos and Disorder	450,000	04.10.18	0	6,000 (20,000)	2,000 (10,000)	0 (10/04/18)	N/A	458,000	20,230,531	0	655
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	18		Emancipation	1,420,000	04.10.18	0	57,000 (190,000)	2,000 (10,000)	19,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 10 LD: 10	1,498,000	20,230,531	19,000	656
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	19		Newpower Soul	390,000	04.10.18	0	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (10/04/18)	N/A	390,000	20,230,531	0	657
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	20		The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale	300,000	04.10.18	5,000	0 (0)	0 (0)	4,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	309,000	20,230,531	4,000	658
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	21		Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic	820,000	04.10.18	20,000	45,000 (150,000)	2,000 (10,000)	1,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	888,000	20,230,531	1,000	659
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	22		The Rainbow Children	320,000	04.10.18	1,000	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (10/04/18)	N/A	321,000	20,230,531	0	660
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	23		Musicology	2,830,000	04.10.18	1,000	17,000 (30,000)	26,000 (170,000)	14,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 10 LD: 10	2,887,000	20,230,531	14,000	661
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	24		3121	1,080,000	04.10.18	1,000	63,000 (80,000)	21,000 (140,000)	11,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 10 LD: 0	1,176,000	20,230,531	11,000	662
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	25		Planet Earth	520,000	04.10.18	1,000	3,000 (10,000)	15,000 (100,000)	4,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	543,000	20,230,531	4,000	663
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	26		Lotusflow3r / MPLSound	700,000	04.10.18	0	0 (0)	11,000 (80,000)	2,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	717,000	20,230,531	2,000	664
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	27		Plectrumelectrum	190,000	04.10.18	0	0 (0)	8,000 (50,000)	6,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	204,000	20,230,531	6,000	665
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	28		Art Official Age	350,000	04.10.18	0	0 (0)	8,000 (50,000)	27,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	385,000	20,230,531	27,000	666
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	29		Hit n Run Phase One	180,000	04.10.18	2,000	0 (0)	8,000 (50,000)	0 (10/04/18)	N/A	190,000	20,230,531	0	667
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	30		Hit n Run Phase Two	150,000	04.10.18	2,000	0 (0)	5,000 (30,000)	0 (10/04/18)	N/A	157,000	20,230,531	0	668
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	31		Welcome 2 America	0		0	0 (0)	0 (0)	16,000 (05/31/23)	Av.: 0 LD: 0	16,000	20,230,531	16,000	0
5a2EaR3hamoenG9rDuVn8j	32		Orphan	0	04.10.18	4,388,000	222,000 (2,000)	129,000 (860,000)	57,000 (10/04/18)	N/A	4,796,000	20,230,531	57,000	1,721

As a reminder:

• Studio Album: sales of the original album
• Other Releases: sales of compilations generated thanks to the album
• Physical Singles: sales of physical singles from the album (ratio 3/10)
• Download Singles: sales of digital singles from the album (ratio 1,5/10)
• Streaming: equivalent album sales of all the album tracks (ratio 1/1500 for Audio stream and 1/6750 for Video stream)

See where the artist ranks among remaining singers

Conclusions

Purple Rain emerges far and away as Prince‘s most successful album. It registers over 37 million sales on the back of all formats. The album continues to sell well and its streams started off strong since its wide availability from February 2017.

We tend to say that the 80s legend has been strongly inconsistent. While Purple Rain is a one-in-a-lifetime blockbuster, follow ups are numerous and solid. There is as many as 6 albums fighting for the second spot. 1999, Diamonds and Pearls, Parade, Sign ‘O’ The Times, Batman and Around the Word in A Day, in that order, range from 11,5 million to 7,5 million. The average of these 6 albums is over 9 million which shows the singer has been widely popular during many years.

Actually, every album from 1978’s For You to 1994’s The Gold Experience reached at least 1 million equivalent album sales. From 1981’s Controversy to 1992’s Love Symbol Album every era topped 3 million EAS.

The average per release dropped drastically after his departure from Warner. The artist got one more comeback with 2004’s Musicology. Frozen for several years due to the lack of its availability on all formats, the recent arrival of the record on Spotify & cie may push it over the 3 million mark at some point.

Over a career of 38 years plus 2 seasons of posthumous sales, the mastermind amassed 131,92 million equivalent album sales. An incredibly innovative artist that shared new sounds, new formats (he sold downloads virtually before anyone else), new concepts, and new promotion methods, Prince managed to combine all his experiments with highly successful records during his extensive career.

To go deeper…

Thanks to our new ASR (Artist Success Rating) concept, we know that their sales represent 21,81 million times the purchase of his entire discography. Coupled with his total sales, it translates into an ASR score of 304. This puts him ahead of other legends like David Bowie and Bob Dylan.

Additionally, the following pages list their most successful songs as well as their records and achievements. Do not forget to check our amazing cross-artists lists posted inside the CSPC: Data Collector which includes the full listing of all CSPC results compiled so far.

As usual, feel free to comment and / or ask a question!

Sources: IFPI, Spotify, YouTube, Discogs, Chartmasters.org.