| Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic | ||||
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| Released | November 9, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | 1988, June 1998–September 1999 | |||
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| Length | 64:08 | |||
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| Producer | Prince | |||
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| Singles from Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic | ||||
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Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic is the twenty-third studio album by American recording artist Prince, who was at the time going by the unpronounceable "Love Symbol" (as shown on the album cover). Released on November 9, 1999, by NPG Records and Arista Records, the album was issued shortly after the release of The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale (1999). It includes several guest appearances, including by Gwen Stefani, Eve, and Sheryl Crow; Prince also completed a cover of Crow's 1996 single "Everyday Is a Winding Road". A pop and R&B album, it departs from the soul genre found on Prince's previous efforts.
The album received generally mixed reviews from critics, who enjoyed the guest appearances on the album, but were confused by Prince's attempts at harnessing the pop music market. Commercially, the album peaked at number eighteen in the United States and number five in Canada, becoming his most successful album in North America in over three years, with moderate results elsewhere. By the end of 1999, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's sole single, "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold", peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100. Duets "So Far, So Pleased" and "Hot Wit' U" were planned for release as singles in summer 2000, but were both cancelled after the album's lukewarm commercial success. Instead, two promotional singles were released, "Baby Knows" and "Man'O'War". To promote the album, Prince hosted a pay-per-view event, entitled Rave Un2 the Year 2000 which would later be released on DVD.