8 Amazing Music Albums You Can’t Even Buy Anymore
8. Prince - The Black Album
Originally slated to be released in 1987, Prince's The Black Album mysteriously vanished from shelves and was replaced by a completely different album titled Lovesexy. The album was set to release with no artist credit, title, or album cover, the case merely wrapped in a black sleeve.
So what happened?
Prior to release, there was much speculation over the direction of The Black Album. It was reported that Prince was attempting to recapture the attention of his African-American audience, many of whom had been alienated by his strong, pop sound. The album was eventually released by Warner Bros Records in 1994, but it has since become scarce once more, and there's been no word of a subsequent re-release. Which is a shame, really, because the album is regarded by critics and Prince fans as pretty damn good, exploring the funk genre much more prominently than his usual pop.