Prince, aptly named, was music royalty, celebrated among his peers as a musician's musician who combined gifts for songwriting, production, a mastery of instruments and a vocal and stage presence into a legendary catalog that spanned more than four decades.
The performer, born Prince Rogers Nelson, received his first share of national attention in the late 1970s via his self-titled debut album and lusty hits such as "Soft and Wet" and "I Wanna Be Your Lover," the latter a No. 11 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. His popularity grew with subsequent releases Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981) and 1999 (1982).
But he exploded into international stardom with 1984's Purple Rain soundtrack from the Oscar- and Grammy-winning accompanying semi-autobiographical film in which he also starred. Purple Rain gave Prince his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, while its classic singles, "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy," topped the Hot 100 and the title track reached No. 2. For his compositions on the film itself, Prince won an Academy Award for best original song score.
Elevated to a dual threat -- a commercial superstar and a respected transformational creative force -- Prince shaped popular music's impact in the MTV era with his creations, stringing hits through the 1980s and early 1990s including Hot 100 champs "Kiss," "Batdance" and "Cream," and top-five successes including "Raspberry Beret" and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." In the ensuing years, the scope of his catalog and contributions earned high honors from the music industry -- a 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, a 2013 Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards and a headlining set of Super Bowl XLI's halftime show, oft-touted among the best ever, among the highlights.
After nearly 40 years in the music industry, Prince died on April 21, 2016 at age 57 of an accidental fentanyl overdose. During his lifetime, the hitmaker claimed 47 Hot 100 hits, from "Soft and Wet" to 2006's "Black Sweat." Of them, 19 reached the top 10 with five capturing the top slot.
To review Prince's chart career, here's a look at his 40 biggest hits on the Hot 100.
Prince's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits are based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart through April 18, 2026. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower ranks earning lesser values. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, certain eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.
