Musicology (album)
| Musicology | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Prince | ||||
| Released | April 20, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2001–04 | |||
| Studio | Metalworks Studios, Mississauga, ON, Canada and Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota, US | |||
| Genre | Funk, psychedelic pop | |||
| Length | 47:26 | |||
| Label | NPG, Columbia | |||
| Producer | Prince | |||
| Prince chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Musicology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 72/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    |
| Chicago Sun-Times | |
| Entertainment Weekly | B− |
| The Guardian | |
| Mojo | |
| NME | (6/10) |
| Pitchfork Media | (5.8/10) |
| Q | |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Slant Magazine | |
Musicology is the twenty-eighth studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on April 20, 2004 by NPG Records and distributed by Columbia Records. The album proved to be his most successful in years, reaching the Top 5 of the album charts in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and many other countries.
Musicology was the first album in five years that Prince released through a major label (Sony Music) and, being partially recorded in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, was his first to be recorded outside Minneapolis in many years. Musicology is R&B themed.
At the end of the song "Musicology" snippets of "Kiss", "Little Red Corvette", "Sign o' the Times", "17 Days", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", as well as "Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance" can be heard. At the time of release Prince was quoted as saying he wished the album to provide musical education to listeners.
Musicology quickly proved to be Prince's most successful album since Diamonds and Pearls, reaching the Top 5 in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany and making a significant impression on charts around the world. It also proved to be well received by music critics. The title track was only released as a single in Australia, where it enjoyed moderate chart success and airplay. However it was also a hit on the US R&B charts through airplay. The album was certified platinum by The RIAA in June 2004 and was certified double platinum in late January 2005.
Part of the album's chart success is due to concertgoers receiving a copy of Musicology, with the album cost included in the ticket price for the Musicology Tour. This prompted Billboard magazine and Nielsen SoundScan to change its chart data methodology: For future album releases, Billboard says that customers "must be given an option to either add the CD to the ticket purchase or forgo the CD for a reduced ticket-only price."
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Wikipedia