With its simmering mix of new beginnings, endings, cultural shifts and innovations, the year 1984 was quietly pivotal, a densely layered meeting point of one period and another. Twelve months that, in many ways, ushered in the modern age.
In a year so full of landmark film soundtracks, you can’t overlook Prince’sagamechanging epic that saw its mercurial mastermind shapeshift between pure pop icon, jazz genius, guitar hero, oddball experimentalist, funky MC and more – occupying the US No.1 spot for 24 weeks in the process. The title track is its shiniest calling card, but with precision-honed, ahead-of-their-time pieces like and it’s a record with many high points.
