# 3121
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/3121
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/3121.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3121
> Source revision: 1356298065
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Other uses}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name = 3121
| type = studio
| artist = [Prince](/source/Prince_(musician))
| cover = Prince - 3121.jpg
| alt =
| released = March 21, 2006
| recorded = November 2004 – early 2006[{{Cite web|url=https://princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_3121|title=Album: 3121 - Prince Vault|website=Princevault.com|access-date=March 21, 2025}}]
| studio =
*[Paisley Park](/source/Paisley_Park), [Chanhassen](/source/Chanhassen%2C_Minnesota)
*3121
| genre = {{hlist|[R&B](/source/Contemporary_R%26B)|[funk](/source/funk)|[rock](/source/Rock_music)|[electronica](/source/electronica)}}
| language = {{hlist|English|Spanish}}
| length = 53:42
| label = [NPG](/source/NPG_Records), [Universal](/source/Universal_Music)
| producer = Prince
| prev_title = [The Slaughterhouse](/source/The_Slaughterhouse)
| prev_year = 2004
| next_title = [Ultimate Prince](/source/Ultimate_Prince)
| next_year = 2006
| misc = {{Singles
| name = 3121
| type = studio
| single1 = [Te Amo Corazón](/source/Te_Amo_Coraz%C3%B3n)
| single1date = December 20, 2005
| single2 = Beautiful, Loved and Blessed
| single2date = January 2006
| single3 = [Black Sweat](/source/Black_Sweat)
| single3date = February 7, 2006
| single4 = [Fury](/source/Fury_(song))
| single4date = June 27, 2006
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
|MC = 69/100[{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/3121/prince |title=3121 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic |website=[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic) |access-date=August 5, 2012}}]
|rev1 = [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)
|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r821986|tab=review |label="Prince: ''3121'' > Review" |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |access-date=17 September 2011}}]
|rev2 = ''[Blender](/source/Blender_(magazine))''
|rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}[{{cite web|last=Catucci|first=Nick|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060504080641/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3820|archive-date=May 4, 2006|title=The purple sex machine comes to reclaim pop prominence|work=Blender|date=March 21, 2006|url=http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3820|access-date=July 15, 2018}}]
|rev3 = ''[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)''
|rev3score = C+[{{cite magazine |first=Raymond |last=Fiore |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174173,00.html |title=''3121'' (2006): Prince |magazine=[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly) |publisher=Time |issn=1049-0434 |date=March 20, 2006 |access-date=September 3, 2011 |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018035751/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174173,00.html |url-status=dead }}]
|rev4 = ''[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)''
|rev4score = {{Rating|3|4}}[{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-mar-19-ca-rack19.1-story.html |title=The doves can stop crying now |first=Richard |last=Cromelin |date=March 19, 2006 |newspaper=[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times) |issn=0458-3035 |oclc=3638237 |access-date=September 3, 2011}}]
|rev5 = ''[Newsday](/source/Newsday)''
|rev5score = A[{{cite news |url=http://www.newsday.com/columnists/other-columnists/cover-story-1.640280 |title=Backstage Pass: Prince, "3121" |last=Gamboa |first=Glenn |newspaper=[Newsday](/source/Newsday) |date=March 20, 2006 |access-date=August 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116004512/http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/music/blog/2006/03/prince_3121.html |archive-date=November 16, 2006 |url-status=dead}}]
|rev6 = ''[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website))''
|rev6score = 6.0/10[{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/6481-3121/ |title=Prince: ''3121'' |first=Joe |last=Tangari |date=March 20, 2006 |website=[Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website)) |access-date=September 3, 2011}}]
|rev7 = ''[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)''
|rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}[{{cite magazine|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cdrev/prince-rs.php |title=Prince's New Sensation |first=Robert |last=Christgau |author-link=Robert Christgau |date=April 6, 2006 |magazine=[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone) |publisher=Wenner Media |issn=0035-791X |access-date=September 3, 2011}}]
|rev8 = ''[Spin](/source/Spin_(magazine))''
|rev8score = B[{{cite web|last=Hermes|first=Will|title=Prince: 3121|work=Spin|date=May 2, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517055943/http://www.spin.com/reviews/magazine/2006/05/0605_prince/|archive-date=May 17, 2006|url=https://www.spin.com/2006/05/prince-3121-universal/|access-date=July 15, 2018|url-status=live}}]
|rev9 = ''[Stylus Magazine](/source/Stylus_Magazine)''
|rev9score = A−[{{cite magazine |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=3915 |title=Prince: ''3121'' |first=Thomas |last=Inskeep |date=March 31, 2006 |magazine=[Stylus](/source/Stylus_Magazine) |access-date=September 3, 2011 |archive-date=October 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011043911/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=3915 |url-status=dead }}]
|rev10 = ''[The Village Voice](/source/The_Village_Voice)''
|rev10score = A−[{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=May 2, 2006|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv506-06.php|title=Consumer Guide: Dear Mr. President|newspaper=[The Village Voice](/source/The_Village_Voice)|access-date=July 2, 2020|via=robertchristgau.com}}]
}}
'''''3121''''' (pronounced "thirty-one twenty-one") is the thirty-first [studio album](/source/studio_album) by American musician [Prince](/source/Prince_(musician)). Released on March 21, 2006 (3/21) by [NPG Records](/source/NPG_Records) and distributed, under a "one-album deal", by [Universal Music](/source/Universal_Music), the album reinforced Prince's big comeback after the critical success of ''[Musicology](/source/Musicology_(album))'' (2004). The only Prince album ever to debut atop the [''Billboard'' 200](/source/Billboard_200) during his lifetime, with over 180,000 copies sold in its first week,[{{cite book|author=Jason Draper|title=Prince: Life and Times: Revised and Updated Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B75NDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA173|date=November 2016|publisher=Book Sales|isbn=978-0-7858-3497-7|pages=173–}}] it knocked the [soundtrack](/source/soundtrack) for ''[High School Musical](/source/High_School_Musical)'' off the top spot and became Prince's first number one album since ''[Batman](/source/Batman_(album))'' in 1989,[{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/princes-3121-tops-the-chart-102051/|title=Prince's "3121" Tops the Chart|last=Orloff|first=Brian|date=2006-03-29|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-20}}] eventually being certified [Gold](/source/RIAA_certification) by the [Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America) (RIAA).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/|title=Gold & Platinum|website=RIAA|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-20}}]
==Album information==
The album's first single, "[Te Amo Corazón](/source/Te_Amo_Coraz%C3%B3n)", was released in the United States on December 13, 2005; the second single, "[Black Sweat](/source/Black_Sweat)", was released on February 2, 2006.[{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_3121&oldid=90411 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231058/http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_3121&oldid=90411 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |article=3121 |encyclopedia=Prince Vault |date=August 22, 2011 |access-date=September 3, 2011}}]
The album title refers to Prince's rental home at 3121 Antelo Rd, Los Angeles.[{{cite book|author=Matt Thorne|title=Prince|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XkFbWY4NgYgC&pg=PT8|date=2 October 2012|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=978-0-571-27326-3|pages=8–}}] Later homes rented by Prince were colloquially referred to as "3121", including a home owned by professional basketball player [Carlos Boozer](/source/Carlos_Boozer).[{{cite web |last1=Richardson |first1=Brenda |title=For $30 Million, The Los Angeles Mansion That Prince Painted Purple Could Be Yours |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brendarichardson/2020/04/18/for-30-million-the-los-angeles-mansion-that-prince-painted-purple-could-be-yours/?sh=32363e6c4128 |website=Forbes}}]
Album sessions started in November 2004 with the recording of the song "3121" at [Paisley Park](/source/Paisley_Park) with [Michael Bland](/source/Michael_Bland) and [Sonny T](/source/Sonny_T).[{{cite magazine |last=Amendola |first=Billy |date=August 2008 |title=Michael Bland Interview |magazine=[Modern Drummer](/source/Modern_Drummer) }}]
A limited number of albums included "purple tickets", whose finders were flown in from Europe, Asia, Mexico and the US to attend a semi-private performance (along with a long list of celebrities) at Prince's home in Los Angeles.[{{cite book|author=Jason Draper|title=Prince: Life and Times: Revised and Updated Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B75NDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA171|date=November 2016|publisher=Book Sales|isbn=978-0-7858-3497-7|pages=171–}}]
Tickets for Prince's [The Earth Tour](/source/The_Earth_Tour%3A_21_Nights_in_London) in 2007 at London's [O2 Arena](/source/The_O2_Arena) were priced at £31.21, echoing the title of this album.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.getintothis.co.uk/2017/08/prince-21-nights-at-the-o2-in-london-10-years-on-from-the-greatest-show-on-planet-earth/|title=Prince 21 Nights at the O2 in London - 10 years on from the greatest show on Planet Earth|date=August 3, 2017}}]
==Track listing==
All tracks are written and produced by [Prince](/source/Prince_(musician)).
{{Track listing
| headline = ''3121'' track listing
| title1 = 3121
| length1 = 4:31
| title2 = Lolita
| length2 = 4:06
| title3 = [Te Amo Corazón](/source/Te_Amo_Coraz%C3%B3n)
| length3 = 3:35
| title4 = [Black Sweat](/source/Black_Sweat)
| length4 = 3:12
| title5 = Incense and Candles
| length5 = 4:04
| title6 = Love
| length6 = 5:45
| title7 = Satisfied
| length7 = 2:50
| title8 = [Fury](/source/Fury_(song))
| length8 = 4:02
| title9 = The Word
| length9 = 4:11
| title10 = Beautiful, Loved and Blessed
| note10 = featuring [Támar](/source/T%C3%A1mar)
| length10 = 5:43
| title11 = The Dance
| length11 = 5:20
| title12 = Get On the Boat
| length12 = 6:18
}}
==Personnel==
*[Michael Bland](/source/Michael_Bland) (on "3121"), Cora Coleman Dunham (on "Te Amo Corazón," "Get On the Boat") – drums
*[Sonny T](/source/Sonny_T) (on "3121"), Joshua Dunham (on "Te Amo Corazón," "Get On the Boat") – bass
*[Maceo Parker](/source/Maceo_Parker), [Candy Dulfer](/source/Candy_Dulfer), [Greg Boyer](/source/Greg_Boyer_(musician)) and Ray – horn section
*Herbert Urena, Ricky Salas (on "Te Amo Corazón"), [Sheila E.](/source/Sheila_E.) (on "Get On the Boat") – percussion
*[Clare Fischer](/source/Clare_Fischer) – string arrangements
*[The New Power Generation](/source/The_New_Power_Generation) (shouts), [Támar](/source/T%C3%A1mar) (and co-lead on "Beautiful, Loved and Blessed") – additional and backing vocals
*Prince – all other instruments and voices
'''Technical'''
* [Produced](/source/Record_producer) by Prince
* [Photo](/source/Photography): Afshin Shahidi
* [Designer](/source/Designer): Sam Jennings
* [Recorded](/source/Sound_recording_and_reproduction) at [Paisley Park Studios](/source/Paisley_Park_Studios) and 3121
* [Engineered](/source/Audio_engineer) by Ian Boxill, L. Stu Young
* Assisted by Lisa Chamblee Hampton
* [Mastered](/source/Audio_mastering) at Bernie Grundman Mastering
==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for ''3121''
! scope="col"| Chart (2006)
! scope="col"| Peak
position
|-
{{album chart|Australia|18|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Austria|15|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Flanders|3|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Wallonia|15|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|9|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=November 6, 2025}}
|-
{{album chart|Denmark|2|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Netherlands|3|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Finland|24|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|France|8|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany|4|id=31624|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Italy|10|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Norway|5|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Poland|13|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=April 3, 2006}}
|-
{{album chart|Scotland|8|date=20060326|rowheader=true|access-date=November 6, 2025}}
|-
{{album chart|Spain|40|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|18|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|Switzerland|1|artist=Prince|album=3121|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|UK2|9|date=20060326|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|UKR&B|2|date=20060326|rowheader=true|access-date=6 November 2025}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|1|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=May 2, 2016}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardTastemaker|1|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=November 6, 2025}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|1|artist=Prince|rowheader=true|access-date=July 29, 2020}}
|}
{{col-2}}
===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Year-end chart performance for ''3121''
! scope="col"| Chart (2006)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2006&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2006|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 75
|-
! scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2006&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 2006|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 53
|-
! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)[{{cite web|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2006|title=Top de l'année Top Albums 2006|publisher=SNEP|language=fr|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 193
|-
! scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-2006|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=de|work=[GfK Entertainment](/source/GfK_Entertainment)|publisher=offiziellecharts.de|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 97
|-
! scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2006|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2006|website=hitparade.ch|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 60
|-
! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200[{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2006|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 134
|-
! scope="row"| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (''Billboard'')[{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2006|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 29, 2020}}]
| 46
|}
{{col-end}}
==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''3121''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|title=3121|type=album|artist=Prince|relyear=2006|award=Gold|certyear=2006|access-date=11 September 2019}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=3121|type=album|artist=Prince|relyear=2006|award=Silver|id=12180-1115-2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=3121|type=album|artist=Prince|relyear=2006|award=Gold}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060224133843/http://www.3121countdown.com/ ''3121'' countdown and contest details]
* {{Metacritic album|title=3121}}
{{Prince albums}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:3121 (Album)}}
Category:2006 albums
Category:Prince (musician) albums
Category:Albums produced by Prince (musician)
Category:NPG Records albums
Category:Universal Records albums
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [3121](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3121) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3121?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.