14 September 1993 (USA)

The set contains most of Prince’s most well-known songs from 13 studio albums, released originally between 1978 and 1993 (Batman being the only album not represented). The third CD, known as The B-Sides, contained 18 previously-released b-sides (in their edited form where there was one), as well as an unreleased version of a relatively obscure song, 4 The Tears In Your Eyes, and a previously-unreleased track, Power Fantastic.

First steps

Warner Bros. had initially considered releasing a larger 4-5 disc box set, but this was quickly rejected as the retail price was considered to be prohibitive. Prince contributed six previously-unreleased songs to the whole set, and at one point wanted to be more involved in the release, but Warner Bros. were already behind schedule on the set, and in the end paid Prince not to be involved.

Promotion

Pink Cashmere was released as a single two weeks before the album’s release. Peach was released as a single two months after the album’s release (three weeks after the album’s release in the UK), and Nothing Compares 2 U was also available as a promotional release in the USA on the same day.

Some territories also received a re-release of Controversy as a single the following month (with an entirely different tracklist and appearance than the 1981 release). Pope was also available as a promotional-release only in the UK (with no commercial release).

The album reached number 19 on The Billboard 200, and number 6 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart.

The album has sold well since its release, and was certified platinum by the RIAA (1,000,000 copies shipped in the US) in late 1993. It was also certified gold (100,000 copies sold in the UK) by the BPI in 2013.

The compact disc version is the original issue.

• Disc 1: (The Hits 1)

1. When Doves Cry (3:47)
2. Pop Life (3:41)
3. Soft And Wet (3:02) ¹
4. I Feel For You (3:24)
5. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (3:48)
6. When You Were Mine (3:43)
7. Uptown (4:09)
8. Let’s Go Crazy (4:39)
9. 1999 (3:36)
10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:38)
11. Nothing Compares 2 U (4:57)
12. Adore (4:39)
13. Pink Cashmere (6:13)
14. Alphabet St. (5:38)
15. Sign O’ The Times (3:42)
16. Thieves In The Temple (3:19)
17. Diamonds And Pearls (4:19) ²
18. 7 (5:09) ³

• Disc 2: (The Hits 2):

1. Controversy (3:35)
2. Dirty Mind (3:49) ⁴
3. I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:56)
4. Head (4:43)
5. Do Me, Baby (3:55)
6. Delirious (2:38)
7. Little Red Corvette (4:55)
8. I Would Die 4 U (2:56) ⁵
9. Raspberry Beret (3:31) ⁵
10. If I Was Your Girlfriend (3:46)
11. Kiss (3:45)
12. Peach (3:48)
13. U Got The Look (3:46)
14. Sexy M.F. (5:24) ⁶
15. Gett Off (4:29) ²
16. Cream (4:12) ²
17. Pope (3:28)
18. Purple Rain (8:40) ⁵

• Disc 3: (The B-Sides)

1. Hello (3:23)
2. 200 Balloons (5:05)
3. Escape (3:30)
4. Gotta Stop (Messin’ About) (2:54)
5. Horny Toad (2:12)
6. Feel U Up (3:44)
7. Girl (3:47)
8. I Love U In Me (4:12)
9. Erotic City (3:55)
10. Shockadelica (3:30)
11. Irresistible Bitch (4:11)
12. Scarlet Pussy (4:18)
13. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (3:21)
14. She’s Always In My Hair (3:27)
15. 17 Days (3:54)
16. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (3:50)
17. Another Lonely Christmas (4:51)
18. God (4:02)
19. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes (3:23)
20. Power Fantastic (4:45)

The MC boxset was released at same time as the CD.

• Cassette One (The Hits 1)

Side One:

1. When Doves Cry (3:47)
2. Pop Life (3:41)
3. Soft And Wet (3:02) ¹
4. I Feel For You (3:24)
5. Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (3:48)
6. When You Were Mine (3:43)
7. Uptown (4:09)
8. Let’s Go Crazy (4:39)
9. 1999 (3:36)
10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:38)

Side Two:

1. Nothing Compares 2 U (4:57)
2. Adore (4:39)
3. Pink Cashmere (6:13)
4. Alphabet St. (5:38)
5. Sign O’ The Times (3:42)
6. Thieves In The Temple (3:19)
7. Diamonds And Pearls (4:19) ²
8. 7 (5:09) ³

• Cassette Two (The Hits 2)

Side One:

1. Controversy (3:35)
2. Dirty Mind (3:49) ⁴
3. I Wanna Be Your Lover (2:56)
4. Head (4:43)
5. Do Me, Baby (3:55)
6. Delirious (2:38)
7. Little Red Corvette (4:55)
8. I Would Die 4 U (2:56) ⁵
9. Raspberry Beret (3:31) ⁵
10. If I Was Your Girlfriend (3:46)

Side Two:

1. Kiss (3:45)
2. Peach (3:48)
3. U Got The Look (3:46)
4. Sexy M.F. (5:24) ⁶
5. Gett Off (4:29) ²
6. Cream (4:12) ²
7. Pope (3:28)
8. Purple Rain (8:40) ⁵

• Cassette Three: (The B-Sides)

Side One:

1. Hello (3:23)
2. 200 Balloons (5:05)
3. Escape (3:30)
4. Gotta Stop (Messin’ About) (2:54)
5. Horny Toad (2:12)
6. Feel U Up (3:44)
7. Girl (3:47)
8. I Love U In Me (4:12)
9. Erotic City (3:55)
10. Shockadelica (3:30)

Side Two:

1. Irresistible Bitch (4:11)
2. Scarlet Pussy (4:18)
3. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (3:21)
4. She’s Always In My Hair (3:27)
5. 17 Days (3:54)
6. How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (3:50)
7. Another Lonely Christmas (4:51)
8. God (4:02)
9. 4 The Tears In Your Eyes (3:23)
10. Power Fantastic (4:45)

All songs written by Prince, except where noted.
¹ Music by Prince, Lyrics by Prince and C. Moon
² Written by Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation)
³ Written by Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation). Contains sample of 'Tramp' as performed by McCrackin and Fulsom
⁴ Written by Prince and Dr. Fink
⁵ Written by Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution
⁶ Written by Prince, Tony M. and Levi Seacer, Jr.

• Prince – all vocals and instruments, except where noted
• Wendy Melvoin – guitar and voice on Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Purple Rain
• Lisa Coleman – keyboards and voice on Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Purple Rain, co-lead vocals on 1999, backing vocals on Controversy, Head, Delirious, Little Red Corvette
• Brown Mark – bass and voice on Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Purple Rain
• Dr. Fink – keyboards on Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, Alphabet St., Dirty Mind, Head, I Would Die 4 U, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Purple Rain
• Bobby Z. – percussion on Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Purple Rain
• Levi Seacer, Jr. – bass and vocals on Alphabet St., guitar and vocals on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Sexy M.F., Gett Off, Cream
• Rosie Gaines – co-lead vocals on Nothing Compares 2 U, keyboards and vocals on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Gett Off, Cream
• Tony M. – Rap on Sexy M.F., backing vocals on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Gett Off, Cream
• Tommy Barbarella – keyboards on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Sexy M.F., Gett Off, Cream
• Damon Dickson – backing vocals and percussion on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Sexy M.F., Gett Off, Cream
• Sonny T. – bass and backing vocals on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Sexy M.F., Gett Off, Cream
• Michael B. – drums, backing vocals and percussion on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Sexy M.F., Gett Off, Cream
• Dez Dickerson – co-lead vocals on 1999, guitar and vocals on Little Red Corvette
• Sheila E. – drums, percussion and vocals on Alphabet St., drums and percussion on U Got The Look, drums on Pop Life
• Jill Jones – co-lead vocals on 1999
• Cat – vocals on Alphabet St.
• Mayte – co-lead vocals on Pope
• Chuck Thomas - drums on 7 (uncredited, sampled loop from Tramp by Lowell Fulson)
• Eric Leeds – horns and vocals on Alphabet St., flute on Gett Off
• Atlanta Bliss – trumpet on Adore, Horns and vocals on Alphabet St.
• Miko Weaver – guitar and vocals on Alphabet St.
• Boni Boyer – vocals and hammond organ on Alphabet St.
• Sheena Easton – vocals on U Got The Look
• Camille – lead vocals on If I Was Your Girlfriend, U Got The Look
• Mazarati – background vocals on Kiss

• Prince – all production and arrangement, except where noted
• Tommy Vicari – executive producer, engineer and remixer on Soft And Wet
• Clare Fischer – string orchestrator on Pink Cashmere
• David Z. – arranger and engineer on Kiss, engineer on I Would Die 4 U, Purple Rain
• Bob Mockler – remixer on I Feel For You, When You Were Mine, Uptown, Dirty Mind, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Head, engineer on Controversy, Do Me, Baby
• Mic Guzauski – remixer on When You Were Mine, Uptown, Dirty Mind, Head, engineer on Controversy, Do Me, Baby
• Keith 'K.C.' Cohen – mixer on 7, Peach, Sexy M.F., Cream
• Bob Rosa – mixer on 7, Sexy M.F.
• Steve Beltran – mixer on 7, Sexy M.F.
• Ron Garrett – assistant remixer on When You Were Mine, Uptown, Dirty Mind, Head
• Peggy Mac – engineer on When Doves Cry, Pop Life, 1999, Delirious, Little Red Corvette, Kiss
• Susan Rogers – engineer on Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man, Adore, Sign O’ The Times, Raspberry Beret, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Kiss, U Got The Look
• David Leonard – engineer on When Doves Cry, Pop Life, Let’s Go Crazy, I Would Die 4 U, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, Purple Rain
• David Tickle – engineer on Pop Life, Raspberry Beret, Kiss
• Gary Brandt – engineer on I Feel For You, Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?, I Wanna Be Your Lover
• Coke Johnson – engineer on I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man, Adore, Sign O’ The Times, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Kiss, U Got The Look
• Michael Koppelman – engineer on Thieves In The Temple, Gett Off, Cream, engineer and mixer on Diamonds And Pearls, 7, Sexy M.F.
• Steve Noonan – engineer and mixer on 7, engineer on Peach, Sexy M.F., assistant engineer on Gett Off
• Dave Friedlander – mixer on Pope, engineer on 7, Sexy M.F.
• Ray Hahnfeldt – engineer and mixer on Pope, engineer on 7, Sexy M.F., assistant engineer on Gett Off,
• Brian Poer – engineer on 7, Sexy M.F.
• Ross Pallone – engineer on Controversy, Do Me, Baby
• Tom Garneau – engineer on Pink Cashmere, Thieves In The Temple and mixer on 7, Sexy M.F.
• Eddie Miller – engineer on Pink Cashmere, Alphabet St.
• Joe Blaney – engineer on Alphabet St.
• Mark Forrester – engineer on Peach
• Airiq Anest – engineer on Peach
• Rolly Ladd – engineer on Peach
• Jamie Starr – engineer on When You Were Mine, Uptown, Dirty Mind, Head
• Steve Fontano – assistant engineer on Soft And Wet
• Dave Roeder – assistant engineer on Soft And Wet
• Mark Ettel – assistant engineer on I Feel For You, Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?, I Wanna Be Your Lover
• Don Batts – assistant engineer on 1999, Delirious, Little Red Corvette
• Tim Penn– assistant engineer on Diamonds And Pearls, Cream

• none.

• The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Princeby Per Nilsen & jooZt Mattheij, with the UPTOWN Staff (Uptown, 2004)