Around The World In A Day

Fans expected *Purple Rain II*; The Kid took ‘em on a trip instead. In 1985, *Around the World in a Day* introduced a psychedelic overhaul to Prince’s lavender world. Songs like “America” and the title track are tinged with exotic instruments (finger cymbals, oud, darbuka) and striking studio tricks. “Raspberry Beret” sums up the mindset—curious, searching, whimsical, a damn near perfect Prince song. By rejecting the predictable path offered by commercial success, Prince inspired fans to seek their own utopia, their own Paisley Park.

After he conquered the world with Purple Rain, Prince made a hard left turn into bright and sweet psychedelia. But the album had more going on beneath the surface.

Purple Rain made Prince sound like he could do anything, but it still didn't prepare even his most fervent fans for the insular psychedelia of Around the World in a Day.

The Purple One’s discography rarely dipped below sublime sex-funk. We rank all 37 LPs from his polymathic 80s masterwork Sign O’ The Times to 2003’s saxophone-heavy N.E.W.S.