The Gold Experience

The Gold Experience
Studio album by
Prince
ReleasedSeptember 26, 1995
Recorded
  • January 1993
  • September 1993 – July 1994
Genres
Length65:14
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish
Labels
ProducerPrince
Prince chronology
The Versace Experience: Prelude 2 Gold
(1995)		 The Gold Experience
(1995)		 Girl 6
(1996)
Singles from The Gold Experience
  1. "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"
    Released: February 24, 1994
  2. "Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U"
    Released: September 12, 1995
  3. "Gold"
    Released: November 27, 1995

The Gold Experience is the seventeenth studio album by American musician Prince. It was credited to his stage name at the time, an unpronounceable symbol (shown on the album cover), also known as the "Love Symbol".

The album was produced entirely by Prince and released on September 26, 1995, by NPG Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album charted at number 6 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Top R&B Albums. The singles "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", "Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U", and "Gold" charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at numbers 3, 12, and 88 respectively.

On June 18, 2022, The Gold Experience was reissued for Record Store Day 2022. The reissue on vinyl is a replica of the original translucent gold expanded, limited promo album from 1995. The day prior, the album's CD version was rereleased. This marked the first time the complete album had been reissued following the legal battle over "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar
BlenderStarStarStarStar
Entertainment WeeklyA−
The GuardianStarStarStarStar
Los Angeles TimesStarStarStarStar
NME7/10
Pitchfork8.1/10
QStarStarStar
Rolling StoneStarStarStarStar
The Village VoiceA

The Gold Experience sold 500,000 copies in the United States and peaked at number six on the Billboard 200, failing to meet the record label's commercial expectations. According to biographer Jason Draper, it may have undersold because Prince was losing touch with younger listeners and also because his contractual dispute with Warner Bros. Records overshadowed the album's promotion, which he had done well before it was released.

Nonetheless, The Gold Experience was a success with critics. Melody Maker called it Prince's best record in years, while Vibe said it was his best since Sign o' the Times in 1987. In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau wrote that it showcased not only the unbridled artistry displayed on his other records but also "a renewal. It's as sex-obsessed as ever, only with more juice—'Shhh' and '319' especially pack the kind of porno jolt sexy music rarely gets near and hard music never does." He believed its best songs, specifically "Endorphinmachine" and "P Control", "funk and rock as outrageously and originally as anything he's ever recorded". Jon Pareles was less enthusiastic in The New York Times, finding most of the songs to be minor successes and calling it "a proficient album, not a startling one; most of its songs are variations and retreads of previous Prince efforts."

The Gold Experience was voted the 30th best album of 1995 in the Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics published by The Village Voice. Christgau, the poll's supervisor, ranked it 10th best in his own year-end list. In a retrospective review, Keith Harris from Blender cited The Gold Experience as the best album Prince recorded in the 1990s, "a mix of newly stripped-down funk and delicate balladry that reasserts his dynamic range".

Several people speculated that the song "Billy Jack Bitch" was written about a Minneapolis Star Tribune gossip columnist known as "CJ". Prince denied the song was about the columnist when CJ herself interviewed him.

The Japanese broadcast of the K-1 World Grand Prix kickboxing tournament on the Fuji Television network used "Endorphinmachine" as its theme song from 1995 to 2020, and "Gold" as its ending theme.

The Mexican television network Televisa used the first seconds of the song "We March" for its curtain call from 2003 to 2015 in its programs and productions.

The stand Gold Experience from the fifth part of the Japanese Manga/Anime series Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is named after the album.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Prince, except where noted.

The Gold Experience track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."P. Control" 5:59
2."NPG Operator" 0:10
3."Endorphinmachine" 4:07
4."Shhh" 7:18
5."We March"
4:49
6."NPG Operator" 0:16
7."The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" 4:25
8."Dolphin" 4:59
9."NPG Operator" 0:18
10."Now" 4:30
11."NPG Operator" 0:31
12."319" 3:05
13."NPG Operator" 0:10
14."Shy" 5:04
15."Billy Jack Bitch"
  • Prince
  • Michael B. Nelson
5:32
16."Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U" 5:54
17."NPG Operator" 0:44
18."Gold" 7:23
Total length:65:14
Special vinyl edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
19."Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U" (extended remix)6:17
20."Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U" (LP version)6:08
21."Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U" (quiet night mix)3:56
22."Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U" (single version with guitar solo)4:25
23."Abstract eye shape with simple lines. Black pupil looking left with white iris with black outer border. Hate U" (single version without guitar solo)3:48
Total length:1:29:48

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from Benoît Clerc.

Musicians

Technical

Singles

Another track, "Shhh", charted from The Gold Experience in July 1994; it was not the album version, but rather a live version performed on The Beautiful Experience TV special, which aired in 1994. It received some R&B airplay, causing it to chart and peak at #62 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for The Gold Experience
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA) Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Sullivan, Jim (October 5, 1995). "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince The Gold Experience". The Boston Globe. Calendar section, p. 17. Retrieved July 19, 2013. he releases the long- delayed 'The Gold Experience' and zooms back up to the A-level of funk-rock.[dead link]
  2. 1 2 "Celebrate the Catalog : The Prince discography". Treble. June 18, 2014. p. 4. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Gold Experience - Prince : Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Prince – The Gold Experience". Record Store Day. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  5. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Gold Experience – Prince". AllMusic. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  6. 1 2 Harris, Keith (June–July 2001). "Prince — Every Original CD Reviewed: The Gold Experience". Blender. No. 1. New York. Archived from the original on August 20, 2004. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  7. ↑ Flaherty, Mike (September 29, 1995). "The Gold Experience". Entertainment Weekly. No. 294. New York. ISSN 1049-0434. Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  8. ↑ Price, Simon (April 22, 2016). "Prince: every album rated – and ranked". The Guardian. London. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  9. ↑ Coker, Cheo H. (September 24, 1995). "With 'Gold,' Prince Regains His Midas Touch". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Prince: The Gold Experience". NME. London. September 23, 1995. p. 49.
  11. ↑ Light, Alan (March 5, 2023). "Prince: The Gold Experience Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kelly, Danny (October 1995). "Prince: The Gold Experience". Q. No. 109. London. p. 116.
  13. ↑ Cooper, Carol (November 2, 1995). "The Gold Experience". Rolling Stone. New York. ISSN 0035-791X. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  14. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (November 14, 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  15. 1 2 Draper, Jason (2011). "The Exodus Has Begun". Prince: Chaos, Disorder, and Revolution. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1458429414. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  16. ↑ Melody Maker. London: 38. October 14, 1995.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  17. ↑ "Prince - The Gold Experience". Vibe. InterMedia Partners: 131–132. October 1995. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved September 16, 2011. …a Prince experience par excellence.
  18. ↑ Christgau, Robert (October 1995). "Oct. 1995: Randy Newman, Prince". Playboy. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  19. ↑ Pareles, Jon (September 17, 1995). "Still Moaning, Still Shimmying". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Pazz & Jop 1995". The Village Voice. 1996. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  21. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1996). "Pazz & Jop 1995: Dean's List". The Village Voice. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  22. ↑ Grove, Lloyd (June 7, 2002). "The Reliable Source ‒ Live Transcript". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  23. ↑ Webster, Nick (April 10, 2004). "From Sex God to Doorstep Bible Basher". The Mirror.
  24. ↑ blackvoices.com [dead link]
  25. 1 2 Clerc, Benoît (2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus Publishing. ISBN 9781784728816.
  26. ↑ "About the Artist". ArtworkByCJ.com. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  27. ↑ nasumayo (April 28, 2016). "K-1 ワールドグランプリシリーズ/テーマ曲＆エンディング曲まとめ" [K-1 World Grand Prix Series / Theme & Ending Songs]. 洋楽CMソング視聴ブログ [Western Music Commercial Songs: A Listening Blog] (in Japanese). Retrieved April 22, 2026. フジテレビ系列のK-1 ワールドグランプリ（WORLD GP）シリーズのテーマソングは『エンドルフィンマシーン（Endorphin Machine）』。また同じくエンディングテーマの『ゴールド（Gold）』も同アルバムに収録されています。 [The theme song for the Fuji TV-affiliated K-1 World Grand Prix (WORLD GP) series is "Endorphin Machine." Additionally, the ending theme, "Gold," is also included on the same album.]
  28. ↑ theme k-1 grand prix on YouTube
  29. ↑ Digital, Milenio (March 1, 2023). "Televisa usa canción de Prince". Grupo Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved August 15, 2026.
  30. ↑ Raihala, Ross (March 13, 2022). "The curious tale of how Prince's final Top 10 hit, and its accompanying album, disappeared for decades". Twin Cities. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
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  32. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – The Symbol – The Gold Experience" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Symbol – The Gold Experience" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Listen – Danmarks Officielle Hitliste – Udarbejdet af AIM Nielsen for IFPI Danmark – Uge 39". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Copenhagen. October 1, 1995.
  35. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Symbol – The Gold Experience" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  36. ↑ "The Symbol: The Gold Experience" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
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  38. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Symbol – The Gold Experience". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  39. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  40. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – The Symbol – The Gold Experience". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – The Symbol – The Gold Experience". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 1/10/1995 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  43. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  44. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  45. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Prince". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  46. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-06-27" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  47. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2022/06/22 公開". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2022.
  48. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – The Symbol – The Gold Experience". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  49. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 24/6/2022 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  50. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 24/6/2022 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  51. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  52. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Prince Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart on 24/6/2022 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  55. ↑ "Ultratop.be – The Symbol – The Gold Experience" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  56. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1995". Ultratop. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  57. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1995". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  58. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  59. ↑ "Danish album certifications – Prince – The Gold Experience". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  60. ↑ "British album certifications – Prince – The Gold Experience". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Formats field. Type The Gold Experience Prince in the "Search:" field.
  61. ↑ "American album certifications – Prince – The Gold Experience". Recording Industry Association of America.