Chaos and Disorder

Chaos and Disorder
Studio album by
Prince
ReleasedJuly 9, 1996
RecordedMay 1993; October 1993; Late 1994; Late 1995–early 1996; February – April 1996
Genre
Length39:13
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerPrince
Prince chronology
Girl 6
(1996) 		Chaos and Disorder
(1996) 		Emancipation
(1996)
Singles from Chaos and Disorder
  1. "Dinner with Delores"
    Released: June 12, 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Consumer GuideA−[2]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[3]
The Guardian[4]
NME2/10[5]
Q[6]
Rolling Stone[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[8]
Select1/5[9]
Tom HullB+[10]

Chaos and Disorder is the eighteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on July 9, 1996, by Warner Bros. Records. The album reached number 26 in the United States—his poorest performance with an album of new material since his debut album For You—and number 14 in the United Kingdom.[11] Prince refused to promote the album, still engaged in his fight against his Warner Bros. contract, and it was released simply to fulfill his contractual obligations.[12] The inlay sleeve carries the message: "Originally intended 4 private use only, this compilation serves as the last original material recorded by (love symbol) 4 warner brothers records - may you live 2 see the dawn".[13]

The single "Dinner with Delores" was released in the United Kingdom only, and despite the low-key promotion, became a Top 40 hit, albeit a minor one by his previous standards. Despite having been out of print for years, the album was released digitally on Tidal in 2016, and on iTunes in 2018.[14] It was reissued on CD and vinyl in September 2019. The inlay sleeve shows a bloody hypodermic needle with a dollar bill inside it, and a human heart sitting in a toilet bowl.[13]

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Prince: Chaos and Disorder Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Prince". robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  3. ^ Browne, David (July 26, 1996). "Chaos and Disorder (1996): Prince". Entertainment Weekly. No. #337. Time. ISSN 1049-0434. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  4. ^ "Prince: every album rated – and ranked". The Guardian. April 22, 2016. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022.
  5. ^ Perry, John (July 6, 1996). "TAFKAP - Chaos and Disorder". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  6. ^ "Prince - Chaos and Disorder CD Album". CDUniverse.com. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  7. ^ Hardy, Ernes (August 22, 1996). "Prince: Chaos And Disorder". Rolling Stone. No. RS 741. Wenner Media. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007.
  8. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (Revised 4th ed.). Firefly. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
  9. ^ Gilbey, Ryan (September 1996). "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince - Chaos & Disorder". Select: 99.
  10. ^ Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Rock (1970s)". tomhull.com. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  11. ^ "Chaos and Disorder > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" at AllMusic. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  12. ^ "Chaos and Disorder". www.goldiesparade.co.uk. Goldies Parade. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Prince, "Chaos and Disorder" (1996)(2019 reissue), CD inlay sleeve
  14. ^ "T.A.F.K.A.P Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 19, 2016.