Song · Prince
“Diamonds and Pearls” by Prince
From the album Diamonds and Pearls (1991)
“Diamonds and Pearls” by Prince appears on 4 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 2018 and 2024. It was first released in 1991 on the album Diamonds and Pearls. Its best result is #444 on The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s. In the combined RockLists rankings it is #2,903 indie & aaa song of all time.
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"Diamonds and Pearls" is the title track of the 1991 album Prince made with the New Power Generation, and Paisley Park and Warner Bros. put it out as a single that November. It's a ballad with a spring in its step and a rock edge, all guitar and heavy drumming, and Prince shares the lead vocal with the NPG's Rosie Gaines. Where other singles from the album went for lust, this one is about love, and its title phrase reworks an old line from his 1982 song "International Lover".
Prince and the band produced and arranged it, with Michael Bland on drums, Sheila E. adding electronic drums, Sonny Thompson on bass and Tommy Barbarella on synthesizer. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the R&B chart and went to number one on Cash Box.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 540 | The Current | The Current's 893 Essential Songs | 892 |
| 2022 | 953 | WYEP | WYEP Countdown to Fall 2022 | 603 |
| 2023 | 444 | The Current | The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s | 893 |
| 2024 | 845 | WYEP | WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years | 1049 |
Also listed as: Diamonds And Pearls.
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