Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic is the twenty-third studio album by Prince (his stage name at the time being the love symbol he created). Featuring a radio-friendly sound, the album was conceived as a return to commercial success after several years without significant public attention. However, the album received only modest sales, mixed reviews, and is generally viewed by fans as one of Prince's weakest efforts.
The album's first single, "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold", achieved modest success, peaking at number 63 on the Hot 100. Though Prince's duet with Gwen Stefani, "So Far So Pleased", was considered to be a single, plans were halted when No Doubt's label refused to grant permission (fearing it would confuse fans since the band's album, Return of Saturn, was about to be released).Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic is the twenty-third studio album by Prince (his stage name at the time being the love symbol he created). Featuring a radio-friendly sound, the album was conceived as a return to commercial success after several years without significant public attention. However, the album received only modest sales, mixed reviews, and is generally viewed by fans as one of Prince's weakest efforts.
The album's first single, "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold", achieved modest success, peaking at number 63 on the Hot 100. Though Prince's duet with Gwen Stefani, "So Far So Pleased", was considered to be a single, plans were halted when No Doubt's label refused to grant permission (fearing it would confuse fans since the band's album, Return of Saturn, was about to be released).false2026-01-10 01:38:20Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic19991999-11-091999-11-0997Contemporary R&BDiscoElectronicFunkHip HopPop RockRockSoulSynth-PopSynthpop/Soul/Rock/Pop Rock/Pop Rap11130821107044b769178-6fa8-4bcc-aff3-ec2cc3164512070d193a-845c-479f-980e-bef15710653e62aa5e92-3885-3517-9755-dbe2408a3fa0/media/data/media5/Music/Prince/Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic/folder.jpgPrincePrince feat. EvePrince feat. Gwen StefaniPrince feat. Sheryl CrowPrincePrince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation, he was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona and wide vocal range, which included a far-reaching falsetto and high-pitched screams. Prince produced his albums himself, pioneering the Minneapolis sound. His music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, synth-pop, pop, jazz, and hip hop. He often played most or all instruments on his recordings.Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at age nineteen, releasing the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the innovative albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981) and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his backup band the Revolution, and was the soundtrack to his film acting debut of the same name. Purple Rain continued critical success for Prince and was a major commercial success, spending six consecutive months atop the Billboard 200. Prince won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released Sign o' the Times (1987), widely hailed by critics as his magnum opus. In the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros. in 1993, he changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol (known to fans as the "Love Symbol"), and was often referred to as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince (or TAFKAP) and simply the Artist.The Artist signed with Arista Records in 1998 and began referring to himself by Prince again in 2000. He achieved six US top ten albums over the following decade. In April 2016, aged 57, Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Prince had a prolific output, releasing 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased projects left in a vault at his home after his death, including completed albums and over 50 music videos. He released songs under multiple pseudonyms during his life, as well as writing songs that were made popular by other musicians, such as "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "Manic Monday". Estimates of the complete number of songs written by Prince range anywhere from 500 to well over 1,000. Released posthumously, his demo albums Piano and a Microphone 1983 (2018) and Originals (2019) both received critical acclaim.
Prince sold over 150 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time. His awards included the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, the Billboard Icon Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.