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Prince and 'Purple Rain,' 40 years later

Prince's Purple Rain went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score in 1985.
Prince's Purple Rain went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score in 1985.

Take yourself back to the summer of 1984. A 26-year-old Prince is charting with a new single from his upcoming album “Purple Rain.”

It’s been 40 years since Prince changed the sound of the ’80s with his best-selling album and film.How did “Purple Rain” change his career? How did it color his legacy?

That’s the topic of a new book by Andrea Swensson, music journalist and host of the Official Prince Podcast. We sit down with her to talk about her decade covering the artist and what she learned about the making of an iconic album.

Copyright 2024 WAMU 88.5

Arfie Ghedi

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