"1999" was Prince's first album to break the top 10 on the charts. The song titled after the album was written as a protest against nuclear proliferation. The music videos for both "1999" and "Little Red Corvette" were two of the first videos by a black artist to receive heavy rotation on MTV, after heated controversy over its failure to promote black performers.
Prince was 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 his iconic high-pitched screams. He signed his first record deal at just 19 years old, and by the time he recorded his 3rd album, he was on the fast track to stardom. In the early 90s, he changed his stage name to the famous "LOVE" symbol that cannot be pronounced () and started to go by "The Artist" rather than his name. Prince released 39 albums during his life, with a vault full of unreleased projects that were uncovered after his tragic death in 2016.