There’s music you hear, and then there’s music you feel. Prince gave us the latter — songs that stitched themselves into our memories, our heartbreaks, our joy, our sense of self. With every note, he pushed boundaries. With every lyric, he dared us to be bold, be soft, be whoever we were. Here are just a few of the songs that remind us why the world got a little brighter every time he stepped to a mic.
“Purple Rain”
A ballad, a storm, a spiritual experience. “Purple Rain” isn’t just a song — it’s a catharsis. That soaring guitar solo? That last chorus? That’s Prince at his most transcendent.
“When Doves Cry”
No bass line, no problem. “When Doves Cry” redefined what a pop song could be — stark, strange, stunning. It’s the sound of heartbreak, rebellion, and genius all wrapped into one.
“Kiss”
The funk is stripped-down, the falsetto is sky-high, and the groove is undeniable. “Kiss” is playful, sexy, and impossibly cool — just like Prince himself.
“Little Red Corvette”
This is how you turn a car metaphor into poetry. With a chorus built to be screamed in your car at night, “Little Red Corvette” gave the ‘80s one of its most unforgettable hooks.
“Raspberry Beret”
A whimsical tale wrapped in a psychedelic breeze. “Raspberry Beret” feels like walking through a vintage thrift store in the middle of a dream — joyful, strange, and unforgettable.
“1999”
A party anthem with an apocalyptic warning. “1999” made us dance even as it made us think. That’s the magic of Prince — he could groove and shake the world at the same time.
“I Would Die 4 U”
It’s devotional, it’s electronic, it’s futuristic. “I Would Die 4 U” captures Prince’s ability to be both human and otherworldly all in one breath.
“Controversy”
Long before the culture caught up, Prince was making songs like “Controversy” — dancing on the line between spiritual and sensual, challenging norms with a beat you couldn’t ignore.
“The Beautiful Ones”
A slow burn that turns into a scream of longing. This song is pure vulnerability — Prince, raw and exposed, daring you to feel everything.
“Adore”
This might be the most romantic song he ever wrote. “Adore” is slow jam perfection — candlelight, satin, and sincerity wrapped in one velvet-gloved hand.
“Let’s Go Crazy”
A sermon in disguise. It starts with a spoken-word intro and ends in guitar chaos. “Let’s Go Crazy” is a call to live — really live — before the elevator tries to bring you down.
“Cream”
Sultry and self-aware, “Cream” is Prince flaunting it — and why wouldn’t he? Every note, every lyric, every wink says: “I know I’m good.” And he was right.
“Sometimes It Snows in April”
This one hurts — it always will. A quiet, haunting ballad about loss and memory, made even more poignant by Prince’s own death in April. It’s beautiful in its ache.
“You’ve Got the Look”
A duet with Sheena Easton that’s all glam, grit, and groove. “You’ve Got the Look” is Prince at his most playful — throwing fashion, flirtation, and funk into a blender and turning it into a wild, infectious anthem.
“Sign o’ the Times”
Bleak, brilliant, and brutally honest. “Sign o’ the Times” strips everything down to the truth — war, drugs, disease, injustice — all told with an icy beat and Prince’s calm, unflinching voice. A masterpiece that still feels urgent.
