Prince’s song “1999” became closely associated with New Year’s Eve and the arrival of the year 2000.
Prince released “1999” in 1982 as the title track of his fifth studio album. The song presents a futuristic party atmosphere and includes the famous countdown-like lyric about partying as though the world might end. Its subject made it a natural fit for celebrations surrounding the turn of the millennium.
The single first became a major hit in the United States in 1983. It was reissued in 1985 after Prince’s success increased, then returned to the charts again around the end of 1999. The song’s renewed popularity reflected the cultural attention given to the year 2000.
The title is sometimes treated as a song written specifically for the millennium, but it predates that transition by 17 years. Its connection with New Year’s Eve comes from its theme and title, not from being an official countdown song.