Music: 10 Of The Most Underrated Songs From Prince

By Mike H.

I could write an article about Prince and his music literally every day if necessary. However, I try to limit our Prince content in fear of slight overkill (I know we discussed Michael Jackson a lot, but that was due to the biopic), but when I sat back and listened to his music recently, I realized how many great songs he's had in such a storied career that goes underrated. From the moment he arrived in the music industry to his last albums, Prince kept his music as fresh as can be and had a ton of classics. With 40 albums however, some songs get lost in the shuffle or don't get the credit like the huge hits. For every "Purple Rain," "When Doves Cry," "1999," or "Adore," there's a "Thieves In The Temple" that didn't get the same recognition. Well, today, I'm attempting to narrow it down to the 10 most underrated songs from the Purple One himself. This is no easy task, and some songs here might be shocking to you if you're a big Prince fan, but for the rest of the world, these songs are slept on. Let's get into it.

10. Future Soul Song (20Ten, 2010) Probably one of his smoothest songs ever, Prince navigates over one of the most funky yet soothing beats I've ever heard him over and creates something special. It's probably the best ballad that Prince created from the later years of his career. The background vocals are harmonically pleasing, and the marriage between all the elements makes this a one-of-a-kind song. As Prince's guitar riffs stab through the drums, there's an element of soul meeting funk and traditional R&B, which is always a treat to hear Prince bring.

9. Slow Love (Sign O' The Times, 1987) Prince’s best album (it is), spawned some amazing songs like "Adore," "Strange Relationship," and more, but the hidden gem on this album is the slightly jazzy "Slow Love." As Prince waxes poetically on how "the man in the moon is smiling because he knows what I’m thinking of," the song reaches the height of romantic bliss. Where Prince excelled with this song is in how subdued the content is, as he uses his words to paint a picture, foregoing his usual aggressive ad-libs and creating one of his smoothest and most relaxed vocal performances.

8. Scandalous! (Batman Soundtrack, 1989) How can you not love this song? From the opening bells in the intro to the very end where Prince does what only Prince can do, this song is magnificent. From the way he coasts through his verses to the off-kilter way the hook resonates, this is the best song on the criminally underrated Batman soundtrack. The lyrics are provocative without becoming overly raunchy, and that's where Prince often found the sweet spot. Seductive, mysterious, soulful, and dripping with atmosphere, "Scandalous!" remains one of the best slow jams he ever recorded.

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7. Automatic (1999, 1982) The resounding vibe on this nine-minute opus is amazing, as one of Prince's greatest albums slows things down and becomes hypnotic. It's quite possibly the best song on 1999, as it embodies the electric sounds and magnetic genius of Prince. The drums hit perfectly, the synths are impeccable, and Prince swaggers all over this track like only he could. If you need an example of his ability to make repetition become addictive, look no further than "Automatic." Simple in structure, yet unbelievably effective.

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6. D.M.S.R. (1999, 1982) Dance. Music. Sex. Romance. Prince basically built an anthem around four words and somehow made it one of the greatest funk records of the decade. The groove never lets up for nearly nine minutes, with Prince layering synths, bass, horns, guitar, and infectious vocals into one massive party. Somehow, despite appearing on one of the most iconic albums ever made, "D.M.S.R." still gets overshadowed by the gigantic singles surrounding it. That's a shame because this is Prince firing on every cylinder imaginable. It's impossible not to move when this song comes on.

5. 17 Days (B-Side, 1984) Leave it to Prince to release one of his greatest songs as a B-side. "17 Days" is heartbreaking without becoming melodramatic. The lyrics are deceptively simple, but Prince's vocal performance tells the real story. Every line carries longing, frustration, and sadness, while the sparse arrangement gives the emotion room to breathe. The drums are classic Prince, the piano quietly anchors the song, and Wendy Melvoin's contributions elevate everything. This could've easily been a major single for almost any other artist. Instead, it became one of Prince's greatest hidden treasures.

**4. Clouds (featuring Lianne La Havas) **(Art Official Age, 2014) I was sleeping on this song myself, to be fair. I had vaguely listened to his newer music, but hadn't been able to find most of it due to it not being available on several streaming platforms when it first released. When the album dropped, I knew this song existed but never fully appreciated it. A few months before Prince passed away, I found myself searching for his newer material, and now that memory almost feels like an omen. I ended up loving the entire album, but this was the song that completely stopped me in my tracks. I played it over and over. Lianne La Havas and Prince have incredible chemistry, both vocally and lyrically. Their voices glide effortlessly over the funky instrumentation, blending modern soul with vintage Prince in a way that feels timeless. This is perfection.

3. In Love (For You, 1978) Sometimes greatness is there from the very beginning. "In Love" came from Prince's debut album, yet already showcased the confidence and creativity that would define his entire career. The falsetto is pristine, the groove is effortless, and the songwriting is surprisingly mature for someone who was barely out of his teens. While everyone points to Dirty Mind or 1999 as the beginning of Prince's greatness, songs like this prove he already had "it." This is vintage Prince before the rest of the world fully understood what they were witnessing.

2. Erotic City (B-Side, 1984) It's almost hard to consider this underrated, but it's really slept on because it's probably one of his ten greatest songs ever... and yet it doesn't get mentioned nearly enough. The funk within this song is undeniable, and the way Prince structures it is nothing short of genius. The vocals are funky themselves, inspiring you to sing along while nodding your head to every single word. The hook is deceptively simple, backed by a sultry female vocal that makes everything even more infectious. This is music heaven, and it's a song I could honestly keep on repeat for hours. How this ended up as a B-side instead of a featured album track is beyond me.

1. Shhh (The Gold Experience, 1995) Originally featured on Tevin Campbell's I'm Ready album, this Prince-penned classic deserved to be heard by the world in Prince's own voice. He finally recorded the nearly seven-minute version for The Gold Experience, and it's honestly one of the greatest songs he ever made. The lyrics are undeniably sensual, but they're also tasteful and playful. That's where Prince was often at his best. His more explicit songs could sometimes venture into being overly crass, but songs like "Shhh," much like my personal favorite Prince song, "Adore," leave plenty to the imagination. That restraint makes them even more effective. The hook is beautifully simple: "Break it down... I don't want nobody else to hear a sound... this love is a private affair." It's seductive without trying too hard and showcases Prince's ability to build atmosphere better than almost anyone who's ever lived. The guitar solo is phenomenal, the vocal performance is flawless, and the arrangement slowly builds into one of the most emotionally satisfying songs in his entire catalog. If you've never heard "Shhh," or you're only vaguely familiar with it, stop what you're doing and go listen to it. Seriously. You will not regret it. Prince has so many classics and hidden gems that narrowing this list down to just ten songs was almost impossible. There are dozens of songs that could've made this article, and on another day the list might look completely different. That's simply the depth of his catalog. Still, I feel like these ten best represent just how incredible Prince was beyond the obvious hits everyone already knows. If you've never heard every song on this list, do yourself a favor and change that today. You won't be disappointed.

-MH