Prince and the Revolution

Prince and the Revolution refers to the backing band that supported Prince during a pivotal stretch of his career, evolving from his early-1980s touring group into an officially credited creative unit by the time of 1984's Purple Rain. The band was notable for its diverse, mixed-gender, mixed-race lineup at a time when that was uncommon in mainstream rock and pop, drawing inspiration from Sly and the Family Stone's communal band model.

The classic lineup featured Prince on lead vocals, guitar, and piano, alongside Wendy Melvoin on guitar and vocals, Brown Mark on bass and vocals, Lisa Coleman on keyboards and vocals, Matt Fink on keyboards, and Bobby Z on drums. Together they crafted the sound of Purple Rain, blending rock, funk, pop, and new wave into anthems like «Let's Go Crazy», «When Doves Cry», and the title track itself, which became one of the most celebrated rock albums of the decade.

Their final two credited studio albums, Around the World in a Day (1985) and Parade (1986), pushed further into psychedelic and eclectic territory, including the single «Kiss». Prince and the Revolution's work remains a landmark fusion of rock band dynamics with funk and pop songwriting.