Pop Life

When Prince was working on Around the World in a Day, a recording that was released in April 1985, he was already thinking about the next step. In fact, Pop Life was recorded before Purple Rain was finished, suggesting that Prince was seeking a new sonic direction after the massive success of that album and film. The song kicks off with a gradually entering synthesizer line, giving way to the main melody. The fluid rhythm is built with a smooth bassline and piano details, while a drum machine provides claps to make it more danceable.

The lyrics of Pop Life address the grueling and stressful side of celebrity life, including the pressure that can lead to drug use, as hinted at by questions about what is being consumed and where the money is going. The song also includes a soundbite featuring the clang of a boxing bell, followed by the murmur of a restless crowd and someone shouting "get the loser out!". It was rumored that this came from a 1981 concert in Los Angeles, when Prince opened for the Rolling Stones and was booed. However, the reality is that these sounds come from a sound effects library, and the same agitated crowd effect appears in the 1982 horror film, Alone in the Dark. Prince himself, when asked about the reason for including this sample, responded with humor.

This track was released in two extended versions. The British 12-inch single version is a nine-minute extension that ends with a synthesizer sound similar to the intro. In the United States, a "Fresh Dance Mix" was presented, a remix by Sheila E. that incorporated parts of the longer UK version, running 6:16. The B-side of the US single was Hello, a quick response to those who criticized Prince's lack of involvement in the "We Are the World" event. The lyrics of Hello criticize intrusive media and fake friendships, driven by an insistent beat. The extended version of this song ends with a spoken monologue from Prince with self-deprecation about his high-heeled shoes. The B-side in the UK was Girl.

Cashbox magazine described Pop Life as a more substantial offering, both lyrically and musically, than Prince's previous single, Raspberry Beret, noting that it "examines the myths of the pop world and aspirations to it." The song's first official music video was released on Prince's YouTube channel on November 8, 2025, directed by Kii Arens with animation by Eben Zboch. The recording of Pop Life took place on February 19, 1984, at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, and was mixed by Prince himself.