Prince and The Revolution

Parade

First released1986

Parade was recorded primarily at Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis during 1985 and early 1986, with Prince serving as the primary producer and engineer alongside David Z and Susan Rogers. The album was created concurrently with the film and soundtrack of the same name, which Prince wrote and directed, influencing the project's artistic direction and timeline. Prince played the majority of instruments on the album himself, though The Revolution members contributed to select tracks, maintaining his established production approach. The recording utilized both analog and early digital technology available at Paisley Park, with Prince experimenting with various production techniques across the album's diverse sonic palette. Parade was released in March 1986 and marked a transitional period where Prince balanced commercial pop sensibilities with experimental arrangements, partly driven by the demands of the accompanying film project.