Prince and Purple Rain

Authoritatively written and including rare photography and memorabilia, this beautiful slipcased volume is the only illustrated gift book to examine Prince's most iconic album and film, Purple Rain.

In Prince and Purple Rain, acclaimed Prince authority Andrea Swensson takes a deep dive into the late artist's most iconic album with a beautiful, slipcased gift book.


In 1984, Prince, along with his band, The Revolution, released what would become his best-selling album and a touchstone of 1980s pop culture. Purple Rain has gone on to sell 25 million copies and counting. In Prince and Purple Rain, Andrea Swensson, a Minneapolis-based journalist and host/co-producer of Prince Official Podcast, takes a deep dive into the legendary musician's most famous album on its 40th anniversary. Chapters cover:
Prince's youth and early music career in Minneapolis, as well as each of the five studio albums that preceded Purple Rain
Prince's backing band, The Revolution, and the backgrounds of each of its individual members, with an emphasis on the Purple Rain studio and touring members: drummer Bobby Z, bassist Brown Mark, guitarist Wendy Melvoin, keyboardist Lisa Coleman, and keyboardist Matt Fink
Track-by-track analyses of each side
A look at the groundbreaking film of the same name and its multiplatinum soundtrack
Awards, accolades, and critical reception
Prince's legacy post-Purple Rain, up to his untimely death in 2016


Illustrated with performance and off-stage photography as well as memorabilia from top collectors, Prince and Purple Rain is a decisive and beautifully produced tribute to a legendary album from a legendary performer and artist.

"Poring over all the details in this book, from the ticket stubs to the film stills and all those impeccable Purple Rain tour outfits in the concert photography, it all brings me right back to that summer in 1984 when I first purified myself in those Lake Minnetonka waters. Just when I think I know everything about him I realize that there’s still so much to learn, and reading Andrea’s interviews with The Revolution and with Prince himself provides all these little puzzle pieces. The story keeps unfolding, and that brings me so much comfort."

"The book goes beyond Purple Rain providing a fast-moving biography of Prince’s entire life leading up to Purple Rain. It provides concise but thorough overviews of each of the five previous albums with a wealth of quotes from a cross-section of credible sources, in addition to Swensson’s own interviews, plus a forward written by Maya Rudolph."

"...faithfully recaptures his heyday and the time when Purple Rain was released. Because a film was so integral to the Purple Rain phenomenon, the visual aspect of the project is important and this book, in all its paisley and lingerie glory, is a feast for the eyes. There are few books that so evocatively capture the creative human chimera that was Prince."

"...calling this handsome tome a coffee table book is a bit of a disservice, as it goes into far more depth than most such books, which tend to favor flash over substance...covers Prince’s early days, his career leading up to “Purple Rain” and its cultural impact through a series of candid interviews, sharp insights and endless photos. It’s the perfect memento for anyone who lived through 1984 as well as anyone interested in learning what they missed."

"Using an array of images, memorabilia, and interviews, Swensson celebrates the life and legacy of Prince and his most commercially significant release in a meaningful and stunning book...ultimately providing a greater level of access to the reader than most other Prince biographies are able to."

"Prince enthusiasts will marvel at all the details, especially the purple velvet hardbound slipcase."

"Swensson’s illustrated tome — featuring loving, erudite and poetic descriptions of the artist’s life and work from birth to death — is accessible, complete and uplifting."

Andrea Swensson was music editor at the Twin Cities' premier alt-weekly City Pages from 2008 to 2012. In January 2012, she moved to Minnesota Public Radio, where she created the Local Current Blog and was named host and producer of The Local Show, exploring Minnesota's local music scene. Her first book, Got to Be Something Here: The Rise of the Minneapolis Sound, chronicling the Twin Cities funk and soul scene from the 1950s to the 1970s was released in October 2017 and was honored with a Minnesota Book Award. Andrea has contributed freelance writing to Paisley Park, NPR, Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, Minnesota Monthly, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She is currently the host and co-producer of Prince Official Podcast, produced in collaboration with the Prince Estate, The Current, Warner Records, and Sony Legacy.

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