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Magnificent Prince single
Sony Legacy
singleThe album, tour and year that saved his career.
Recorded at Paisley Park Studios in May 2003 during Prince’s sessions for the album Musicology, the track Magnificent originally debuted as a digital download exclusive from npgmusicclub.com on 5 April 2004.
Magnificent was offered from the website as the virtual B-side to accompany the US physical CD single Musicology released on 22 April 2004, the title track and first of two singles supporting Prince’s twenty-eighth studio album Musicology. The album itself was released two days previous by Columbia Records, Prince’s first under a major label since Arista in 1999. Never otherwise available in physical format, Magnificent would not receive a subsequent release until 26 April 2024 when it was reissued by Sony Legacy on behalf of The Prince Estate in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Musicology album. Magnificent was the second track issued by The Prince Estate in honour of the occasion, following United States Of Division originally virtual B-side to the album’s second commercial single Cinnamon Girl issued in the US on 28 September 2004. United States Of Division was reissued by The Prince Estate on 5 April 2024 twenty years to the day after Magnificent debuted on NPG Music Club. Cinnamon Girl received its European physical format release on 2 May 2004 but unlike its companion, Magnificent was not included in the European configuration.
Coinciding with the 20th anniversary year of his most successful LP Purple Rain, his 2004 album Musicology would become the highest selling in Prince’s late career and thereby one of his most important releases. Musicology secured Prince what was at the time widely considered his commercial comeback. Although having released albums almost annually since leaving Warner Brothers in 1996 Prince had never gone anywhere in order to ‘come back’, sales of his records was inconsistent. His most successful album for nearly a decade, Musicology was undoubtedly a comeback in the commercial sense. Its supporting Musicology Live2004ever Tour, his first major concert run in the US in six years, grossed a considerable $87.4 million throughout its six month schedule. The album certified double Platinum on 31 January 2005 and was his first non-compilation release to achieve this milestone since Emancipation on 7 February 1997. The tour, which showcased his greatest hits and provided the model for Prince’s concert residencies at Las Vegas and London in 2006 and 2007 reintroduced his back catalogue to the masses. The resurgence of Prince both born out in the charts as well as success as a live act continued right up until Prince’s death in April 2016.
The 2024 reissue of Magnificent celebrates the importance of 2004 in Prince’s legacy. The sound quality of the 2004 reissue upgrades the club MP3 original to the latest audio standard. The 26 April 2024 release brings this hard to obtain track to popular streaming services for the very first time.
Performers
- Vocals / all instr.
- Prince
Data
- Producer
- Prince
- Label
- NPG Records
- Distribution
- Sony Legacy
- Cover/Design
- Afshin Shahidi
- Released
- 2 years ago on 26 April 2024
- Running Time
- 4:30
- US Chart Peak
- Did not chart
- UK Chart Peak
- Did not chart
- Orig. Format
-
Tracklist
- (4:30)
Magnificent single review
Issued somewhat about face in April 2024 with Magnificent following on the heels of United States Of Division, in 2004 Magnificent was the first of the pair issued as ‘virtual B-sides’ to the two commercial CD singles supporting the LP Musicology. All props to The Prince Estate for re-releasing the tracks in the 20th anniversary of Prince’s epoch-delivering album. Of the two, Magnificent became the harder to obtain – legally that is, since United States Of Division was after all available in physical format on the European single Cinnamon Girl still easily found on eBay today.
Magnificent is a pleasingly pumping tune, unlike its thoughtful message laden companion United States Of Division, it failed to light any excitement in 2004 and passed into obscurity. The year 2004 was always going to be significant for Prince, being the 20th anniversary of Purple Rain. Yet that alone could not see Musicology land as deep as number 3 in US album chart. This he could only achieve by creating commercially accessible record. The 2024 reissues of its supporting virtual B-sides is more in acknowledgement of Musicology and its significance to Prince’s legacy, plus fill the few holes that still remain in his digital streaming catalogue, newly given pimped up sound quality to meet current audio expectation. The release shall satisfy completists as well as those whose NPG Music Club original is lost to the passage of time. The Prince Estate celebrates the year 2004, attributed to kickstarting his late career.
Back in the day, Prince was irked by press assertions Musicology was his comeback LP. Yet its traction in 2004 and the resurgence to his commercial appeal since is undeniable. While Prince was correct that he was in no need of a comeback from a creative standpoint. Comparing his post 1996 output using chart ranking as the barometer of success, 2004 was the moment Prince played the role of The (Comeback) Kid.
Magnificent is rated 3 out of 5 by Goldies Parade.
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