Legendary musician and global icon Prince died today at the age of 57 at his Paisley Park studio in Minnesota. While his ongoing musical revolution was cut short, generations will continue to appreciate his legacy thanks to his unforgettable songs. Prince put out 37 studio albums during his long (but somehow not long enough) career. Here are 11 essential songs to remember the icon:
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"When You Were Mine" (1980)
Whether Prince was singing or it was being covered by Cyndi Lauper or Tegan and Sara, this song from the 1980 album Dirty Mind managed to be both heartbreaking and uplifting.
"She's Always in My Hair" (1985)
This song could have been a lead single for a lesser artist, but for Prince it was relegated to b-side status, released with “Raspberry Beret.” The song was introduced to a new generation when D’Angelo covered it.
"Purple Rain" (1984)
The title track to the soundtrack of his semi-biographical film of the same name helped turn Prince into a household name. He later won an Oscar for Best Original Song Score (a category that no longer exists).
"Breakfast Can Wait" (2014)
The song and its accompanying video showed that Prince never took himself too seriously. The album art featured comedian Dave Chappelle dressed like Prince and holding up a plate of pancakes—a sly reference to Charlie Murphy’s infamous story of playing basketball with Prince before the Purple One made him pancakes.
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