''3121'' (pronounced "thirty-one twenty-one") is the thirty-first
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by American musician
Prince. It was released on March 21, 2006 (or, on 3/21). ''3121'' was released by
NPG Records and distributed, under a "one-album deal", by
Universal Music.
''3121'' reinforced Prince's big comeback after the critical success of ''
Musicology
Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some mu ...
'' (2004). It is the only Prince album ever to debut at number one (during his lifetime) on the
''Billboard'' 200, with over 180,000 copies sold in its first week. It knocked the
soundtrack for ''
High School Musical'' off the top spot, and became Prince's first number one album since ''
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
'' in 1989. Eventually it was certified
Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA).
Album information
The album's first single, "
Te Amo Corazón
"Te Amo Corazón" is a song by Prince, released as the first single from his 2006 album, '' 3121''. It was officially released by the NPG Music Club on December 13, 2005. It failed to chart in the US; however, it was a top 25 hit in multiple Europ ...
", was released in the United States on December 13, 2005; the second single, "
Black Sweat
"Black Sweat" is a song by Prince that was released as the second single from his 2006 album ''3121''. The music video to accompany the single was released on February 2, 2006. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best R&B Song ...
", was released on February 2, 2006. The record is one of the first to utilize the
autotune effect.
The album title refers to Prince's rental home at 3121 Antelo Rd, Los Angeles.
ref name="Thorne2012"> Later homes rented by Prince were colloquially referred to as "3121", including a home owned by professional basketball player
Carlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer Jr. (born November 20, 1981) is an American former professional basketball player. The two-time NBA All-Star played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers, and then spent his last season ...
.
Album sessions started in November 2004 with the recording of the song "3121" at Paisley Park with
Michael Bland and
Sonny T.
A limited number of albums included "purple tickets," whose finders were flown in from Europe, Asia, Mexico and the US to attend a semi-private performance (along with a long list of celebrities) at Prince's home in Los Angeles.
Tickets for the Earth tour in 2007 in London's O2 arena were priced at £31.21, echoing the title of this album.
Track listing
Personnel
*
Michael Bland (on "3121"), Cora Coleman Dunham (on "Te Amo Corazón," "Get On the Boat") – drums
*
Sonny T (on "3121"), Joshua Dunham (on "Te Amo Corazón," "Get On the Boat") – bass
*
Maceo Parker,
Candy Dulfer
Candy Dulfer (born 19 September 1969) is a Dutch jazz and pop saxophonist. She is the daughter of jazz saxophonist Hans Dulfer. She began playing at age six and founded her band Funky Stuff when she was fourteen. Her debut album ''Saxuality'' ( ...
,
Greg Boyer and Ray – horn section
*Herbert Urena, Ricky Salas (on "Te Amo Corazón"),
Sheila E.
Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957) better known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American percussionist and singer. She began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist and singer for The George Duke Band. After leaving t ...
(on "Get On the Boat") – percussion
*
Clare Fischer – string arrangements
*
The New Power Generation (shouts),
Támar (and co-lead on "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed") – additional and backing vocals
*Prince – all other instruments and voices
Technical
*
Produced
Producer or producers may refer to:
Occupations
*Producer (agriculture), a farm operator
*A stakeholder of economic production
*Film producer, supervises the making of films
**Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
by Prince
*
Photo: Afshin Shahidi
*
Designer: Sam Jennings
*
Recorded at
Paisley Park Studios and 3121
*
Engineered
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more specializ ...
by Ian Boxill, L. Stu Young
* Assisted by Lisa Chamblee Hampton
*
Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
External links
''3121'' countdown and contest details*
{{DEFAULTSORT:3121 (Album)
2006 albums
Prince (musician) albums
Albums produced by Prince (musician)
NPG Records albums
Universal Records albums