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The 20 Best Album Re-Issues of 2020

In 2020, the music world saw spectacular reissues spanning rock legends to foundational electronic artists, jazz to pop of all stripes.

                                      
Music
    
        Prince and the New Power Generation - 'Diamonds and Pearls' (Between the Grooves)
    
Dave Heaton

        11 Nov 2020
    
Music
    
        Counterbalance 26: Prince - 'Sign o' the Times'
    
Jason Mendelsohn and Eric Klinger

        27 Jul 2020
    
Music
    
        The 20 Most Memorable Songs of 1991
    
PopMatters Staff

        19 Jun 2020

Recent

Music

Contrastography: Prince vs. Bob Dylan

Contrastography compares the histories of two famous entities to display some unusual coincidences. First up is Prince vs. Bob Dylan.

Music

Prince's '1999' Shines a Light on What Might Be the Best Year Ever for a Pop Artist

Prince's 1999 is not so much one of the greatest albums of all time as a curation from an amorphous mass of music that might be one of the greatest achievements in pop.

Music

The 20 Best Album Re-Issues of 2019

In 2019, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock legends to foundational electronic artists, soul and jazz to pop of all stripes.

Books

Morris Day Gives the Reader a Funky Take on a Life in Funk with 'On Time'

Day built his everything on top of Prince's everything, and it's no secret. In his memoir, On Time, he channels the superstar to enjoyable effect.

Music

Another Treasure Trove Emerges from Prince's Vaults with 'Originals'

A collection of 15 highly enjoyable demos of songs written for other artists is another reminder – as if we needed one – of why we love Prince Rogers Nelson.

Music

The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2018

In 2018, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and electronic to pop of all stripes.

Music

The 10 Most Famous Albums That Never Saw the Light of Day

Here's 10 albums that never happened but are still discussed among fans and often recreated in some shape or form by the original artists, inspired musicians, or just hungry fans.

Books

Prince Shall Forever Remain the Enigma: 'This Thing Called Life'

Instead of cherry-picking facts and quotes, Joseph Vogel lets Prince's legacy shine in all its vague and erratic splendor.

Books

There's Fun to Be Found in Artistic Appropriation

Beg, Steal, and Borrow: Artists Against Originality gives some history -- and brings some levity -- to the subject of unoriginality.

Music

The 21 Best Album Re-Issues of 2017

In 2017, the music world saw amazing reissues from all over the genre map, spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and jazz to soul.

Interviews

The Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli Talks About 'In Spades', Prince, and the Critical Beat

Greg Dulli tells PopMatters that "nothing's excluded when it comes time to write a song... I am absolutely omnivorous."

Reviews

'Complicated Fun' Is a Thorough Study of the Glory Days of the Twin Cities Punk and Indie Scenes

The tales of a record store, a set of like-minded club owners, and a record label all tie together into a beautiful narrative of the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene.

Music

Prince's Classic Finally Expanded: The Deluxe 'Purple Rain' Reissue

Over a year after Prince's stunning death, Warner Bros. offers the first ever expanded edition of the classic Purple Rain. How can something be so amazing and so frustrating at the same time?

Music

Remembering Prince's Greatest Epic: 30 Years of "Sign 'O' The Times"

One year after Prince's shocking death, we celebrate his greatest musical achievement as it passes its 30-year anniversary: Sign ☮ the Times

Interviews

You Say You Want A Revolution: André Cymone Talks Merging Poetic, Personal

After a 25-plus-year hiatus, Anqdré Cymone has begun speaking his mind. In so doing, he's providing a much-needed missive about the state of the world.

Books

'Bar Yarns and Manic-Depressive Mixtapes', or, Music criticism, Minnesota-style

Jim Walsh’s writing combines heartfelt personal stories with knowledgeable music criticism. Reading this collection feels like having a conversation with an old friend.

Music

Phil Collins: Singles

The main question with Singles is this: does Phil Collins really deserve all the critical revilement he's gotten for decades?

Music

Frank Ocean and a Short History of Spite Albums

Frank Ocean's Endless, the decidedly less commercial of his two recent releases, might just be a victory for artists who've been forced to release music to fulfill contractual obligations. Here's a look at some of history's more significant spite albums.

Music

The Bangles: Ladies and Gentleman... the Bangles!

These earliest recordings of the Bangles showcase their chops as a live group and an excellent grasp of songwriting and melody writing. It's a must-have for die-hards and those wishing to delve deeper into the group's discography.

Music

Perhaps Prince Really Did Die 4 Us

On what would have been the groundbreaking musician's 58th birthday, a reflection on his final chord.

Music

Water Baby: A Eulogy for Our Departed Prince

More than a genius, not simply an enigma, to understand and appreciate Prince one must let go of binary sexuality and appreciate the liquidity and flow of his vision and identity.

Jane Clare Jones

Music

Prince: Never Stop Arguing

Prince's life is over but his music is not, and that music was never just about him, and it was never just about me, and it was never just about you.

Music

Prince and Michael Jackson: The Rivalry and the Revolution

Deemed As polar opposites by the media, part of what made the Prince v Jackson rivalry so compelling was their similarities.

Joseph Vogel

Music

Remembering Prince

Prince’s passing feels more significant and deserving of commemoration because his artistry felt so all-encompassing that even his music, in all its purple majesty, couldn’t contain it.

Jonathan Garrett

Music

On Going Preadolescent Batshit With Prince's 'Batman'

Prince was my chaperone away from the music of my parents’ generation towards something forbidden, dangerous, pleasurable, weird, and shockingly modern.

Zeth Lundy

Music

4 the Tears in Your Eyes: Remembering Prince

A reflection on the life and death of Prince, one of popular music's greatest artists.

Music

Always Cry 4 Love, Never Cry 4 Pain: Prince's 30-year 'Parade'

On Parade, Prince allows an openness to ideas and collaboration to a degree he’d never experienced before, and it brings out the best in him.

Music

Prince: HITNRUN Phase Two

Phase Two boasts enough classic Prince moments to sufficiently wash the worst memories of its vapid predecessor out of fans’ memory banks permanently.

Music

Wendy & Lisa: Fruit at the Bottom

The late ‘80s album gets a fresh work-out with re-mastered expanded edition, featuring Prince remix.

Music

Prince - "Stare" (audio) (Singles Going Steady)

A few weeks after removing all his music from Spotify, the always unpredictable Prince has delivered his new track “Stare” exclusively (so far) to the service.

Music

Lianne La Havas: Blood

With Blood, Lianne La Havas rediscovers herself and adds a prefix to her name.

Music

A Blockbuster Turns 30: Alan Light Talks About Prince and 'Purple Rain'

Music journalist and author of Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain Alan Light talks with PopMatters about Prince's one-of-a-kind perfect album.

David Chiu

Music

The Best Albums of 2014

From Polish black metal to mind-blowing progressive R&B and electronic music, 2014's best albums certainly have something for everyone.

Music

The Best R&B of 2014

With no small amount of soul and passion, the best R&B records of 2014 will make you feel the power of love.

Colin McGuire and Devone Jones

Music

Counterbalance: Prince's '1999'

We were dreaming when we wrote this, so sue us if it goes astray. The Purple One’s 1982 breakthrough is the 199th most acclaimed album of all time, and it’s the subject of this week’s Counterbalance. All the hippies sing together.

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In 2020, the music world saw spectacular reissues spanning rock legends to foundational electronic artists, jazz to pop of all stripes.

Contrastography compares the histories of two famous entities to display some unusual coincidences. First up is Prince vs. Bob Dylan.

Prince's 1999 is not so much one of the greatest albums of all time as a curation from an amorphous mass of music that might be one of the greatest achievements in pop.

In 2019, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock legends to foundational electronic artists, soul and jazz to pop of all stripes.

Day built his everything on top of Prince's everything, and it's no secret. In his memoir, On Time, he channels the superstar to enjoyable effect.

A collection of 15 highly enjoyable demos of songs written for other artists is another reminder – as if we needed one – of why we love Prince Rogers Nelson.

In 2018, the music world saw amazing reissues spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and electronic to pop of all stripes.

Here's 10 albums that never happened but are still discussed among fans and often recreated in some shape or form by the original artists, inspired musicians, or just hungry fans.

Instead of cherry-picking facts and quotes, Joseph Vogel lets Prince's legacy shine in all its vague and erratic splendor.

Beg, Steal, and Borrow: Artists Against Originality gives some history -- and brings some levity -- to the subject of unoriginality.

In 2017, the music world saw amazing reissues from all over the genre map, spanning rock titans to indie upstarts and jazz to soul.

Greg Dulli tells PopMatters that "nothing's excluded when it comes time to write a song... I am absolutely omnivorous."

The tales of a record store, a set of like-minded club owners, and a record label all tie together into a beautiful narrative of the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene.

Over a year after Prince's stunning death, Warner Bros. offers the first ever expanded edition of the classic Purple Rain. How can something be so amazing and so frustrating at the same time?

One year after Prince's shocking death, we celebrate his greatest musical achievement as it passes its 30-year anniversary: Sign ☮ the Times

After a 25-plus-year hiatus, Anqdré Cymone has begun speaking his mind. In so doing, he's providing a much-needed missive about the state of the world.

Jim Walsh’s writing combines heartfelt personal stories with knowledgeable music criticism. Reading this collection feels like having a conversation with an old friend.

The main question with Singles is this: does Phil Collins really deserve all the critical revilement he's gotten for decades?

Frank Ocean's Endless, the decidedly less commercial of his two recent releases, might just be a victory for artists who've been forced to release music to fulfill contractual obligations. Here's a look at some of history's more significant spite albums.

These earliest recordings of the Bangles showcase their chops as a live group and an excellent grasp of songwriting and melody writing. It's a must-have for die-hards and those wishing to delve deeper into the group's discography.

On what would have been the groundbreaking musician's 58th birthday, a reflection on his final chord.

More than a genius, not simply an enigma, to understand and appreciate Prince one must let go of binary sexuality and appreciate the liquidity and flow of his vision and identity.

Prince's life is over but his music is not, and that music was never just about him, and it was never just about me, and it was never just about you.

Deemed As polar opposites by the media, part of what made the Prince v Jackson rivalry so compelling was their similarities.

Prince’s passing feels more significant and deserving of commemoration because his artistry felt so all-encompassing that even his music, in all its purple majesty, couldn’t contain it.

Prince was my chaperone away from the music of my parents’ generation towards something forbidden, dangerous, pleasurable, weird, and shockingly modern.

Prince didn't care where you went. He didn't care what you did. And he couldn't take U with him.

A reflection on the life and death of Prince, one of popular music's greatest artists.

On Parade, Prince allows an openness to ideas and collaboration to a degree he’d never experienced before, and it brings out the best in him.

Phase Two boasts enough classic Prince moments to sufficiently wash the worst memories of its vapid predecessor out of fans’ memory banks permanently.

The late ‘80s album gets a fresh work-out with re-mastered expanded edition, featuring Prince remix.

A few weeks after removing all his music from Spotify, the always unpredictable Prince has delivered his new track “Stare” exclusively (so far) to the service.

With Blood, Lianne La Havas rediscovers herself and adds a prefix to her name.

Music journalist and author of Let's Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain Alan Light talks with PopMatters about Prince's one-of-a-kind perfect album.

From Polish black metal to mind-blowing progressive R&B and electronic music, 2014's best albums certainly have something for everyone.

With no small amount of soul and passion, the best R&B records of 2014 will make you feel the power of love.

We were dreaming when we wrote this, so sue us if it goes astray. The Purple One’s 1982 breakthrough is the 199th most acclaimed album of all time, and it’s the subject of this week’s Counterbalance. All the hippies sing together.