Nothing Compares 2 U

Lore & Background

The song was written by Prince, who recorded a demo in 1984. In 1985, Prince's funk band the Family released its sole studio album, The Family, including "Nothing Compares 2 U". It was not released as a single and received little recognition. Prince's demo was released in 2018. O'Connor's version became her signature song, and though it sparked some controversy between O'Connor and Prince, they came to amicable terms in the years before his death in 2016. Prince went on to perform the song regularly during his live performances, with live performances being included on The Hits/The B-Sides, Rave Un2 the Year 2000, and One Nite Alone... Live!. A solo version by Prince was later released in 2018.

Reader's Guide

The music video for O'Connor's version was directed by John Maybury. It consists mostly of a close-up of O'Connor's face as she goes through stages of sadness and anger while singing the lyrics; the rest consists of her walking through the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris. Toward the end of the video, two tears roll down her face. O'Connor has said that her tears were real. She did not intend to cry but then thought, "I should let this happen." She explained that the tears were triggered by thoughts of her mother, who died in a car accident in 1985. She said she learned to channel her emotions with the "bel canto" singing style.

Did You Know?

• The 2018 single of Prince's demo was remixed by Tony Maserati and included on the 2019 compilation Originals.
• O'Connor's version was produced by O'Connor and Nellee Hooper.
• The song was the second-best-selling single of 1990 in the UK and the third-best-selling song for 1990 in the US.