Musicology (album)

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 an impression on charts around the world. It was also well-received by music critics. The title track was released as a single in Australia and Europe, 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^[6] and was certified double platinum in late January 2005.^[7][8]

Album sales were boosted by the bundling of a copy of Musicology with each ticket sold for the Musicology Tour. This prompted Billboard magazine and Nielsen SoundScan to change its chart data methodology. For future album releases, Billboard said 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".^[9] A purple vinyl edition was released in February 2019.

More information Aggregate scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	72/100[10]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
Chicago Sun-Times	[12]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[13]
The Guardian	(2004)[14] (2016)[15]
Mojo	[16]
NME	6/10[17]
Pitchfork	5.8/10[18]
Q	[19]
Rolling Stone	[20]
Slant Magazine	[21]

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Musicology received generally positive reviews from music critics. In his review for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau said that after the album's opening uptempo songs, "pleasant shocks lurk near the surface and go against the flow of the quality material, and almost everything packs payback".^[22] In a less enthusiastic review, Mojo magazine found it better produced and performed than it was written.^[16]

Prince won two Grammy Awards, for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("Musicology") and Best R&B Vocal Performance—Male ("Call My Name"), and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance—Male ("Cinnamon Girl"), Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Call My Name"), and Best R&B Album (Musicology). Prince was chosen by Rolling Stone magazine's readers as the best male performer and most welcome comeback.^[23][24]

Prince toured North America from March 27 to September 9, 2004, to promote Musicology. The tour was often billed as the Musicology Live 2004ever, or more commonly, the Musicology Tour. The tour earned $87.4 million and was attended by 1.47 million fans^[25] Although the tour promoted Musicology, only half of the tracks from the album were played during the concerts; the title track, "Musicology", "Call My Name" Life "O" the Party, "On the Couch" and "Dear Mr. Man". "A Million Days" was also performed, but only once. The tour featured many of Prince's more famous tracks, such as "Little Red Corvette", "Raspberry Beret", "Kiss", and "Purple Rain". A CD copy of Musicology was included with every concert ticket sold.

All tracks written by Prince.

• Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, Yamaha Motif 6, Korg Triton, Clavia Nord Lead 2, Fender Rhodes piano, piano, bass guitar, drums, percussion, programming, Linn LM-1
• Candy Dulfer – lead (4) and backing vocals (4, 6), saxophone (4, 8–11), horns (8–10)
• Chance Howard – backing vocals (4–6)
• Stokley – backing vocals (5)
• Kip Blackshire – backing vocals (5)
• Clare Fischer – string arrangement (5)
• Rhonda Smith – backing vocals (6), bass guitar (11)
• John Blackwell – drums (8–11)
• Maceo Parker – saxophone (8–10)
• Greg Boyer – trombone (8–10)
• Ornella Bonaccorsi – Italian speech (7)
• Sheila E. – shaker (11)
• Renato Neto – Fender Rhodes electric piano (11)
• L. Stu Young - Engineer (Metalworks Studios)
• Christopher Crerar - Assistant Engineer (Metalworks Studios)

• "Musicology" (No. 20 US Bubbling Under,^[26] No. 3 US R&B)
• "Cinnamon Girl" (UK)

Promotional singles

• "Call My Name" (No. 75 US)