According to his former manager Bob Cavallo , in the early 1980s Prince required his management to obtain a deal for him to star in a major motion picture , despite the fact that his exposure at that point was limited to several pop and R&B hits , music videos and occasional TV performances . This resulted in the hit film '' Purple Rain '' ( 1984 ) , which starred Prince and was loosely autobiographical , and the eponymous studio album , which was also the soundtrack to the film . The '' Purple Rain '' album sold more than 13 million copies in the US and spent 24 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the '' Billboard '' 200 chart . The film won Prince an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and grossed over $ 68 million in the US ( $ million in dollars ) . Songs from the film were hits on pop charts around the world ; " When Doves Cry " and " Let 's Go Crazy " reached No. 1 , and the title track reached No. 2 on the '' Billboard '' Hot 100 . At one point in 1984 , Prince simultaneously had the No. 1 album , single , and film in the US ; it was the first time a singer had achieved this feat . The '' Purple Rain '' album is ranked 72nd in '' Rolling Stone '' s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ; it is also included on the list of '' Time '' magazine 's All-Time 100 Albums . The album also produced two of Prince 's first three Grammy Awards earned at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards — Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
27th Annual Grammy Awards
27th Annual Grammy Awards
Prince (musician)