Prince’s 1984 song “Purple Rain” holds the No. 1 spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest guitar solos. However, before he finished the song, Stevie Nicks turned down his request to write its lyrics.
Prince sent Nicks a tape of music that ran for about 10 minutes. She listened, but its length and sound left her unsure where to begin.
“It was so overwhelming, that 10-minute track, that I listened to it and I just got scared,” Nicks said. “I called him back and said, ‘I can’t do it. I wish I could. It’s too much for me.’”
From Demo Tape to Live Recording
The request followed their work on Nicks’ 1983 song “Stand Back,” which featured Prince’s contribution. Still, she left the words to “Purple Rain” for Prince to write.
Prince and the Revolution first performed “Purple Rain” at First Avenue in Minneapolis on August 3, 1983. That performance supplied the recording later used for the song’s 1984 release.
The track appeared on the album Purple Rain, which also served as the soundtrack to a film of the same name. Meanwhile, the single reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
A Solo Recognized Decades Later
In May 2026, Rolling Stone ranked the song’s guitar solo above the other 99 on its list. The ranking reflects the magazine’s editorial judgment, not a public vote.
Nicks later said she was glad she had declined the writing request. “I’m so glad that I didn’t, because he wrote it, and it became ‘Purple Rain,’” she said.
Her account shows how differently the song might have developed with another writer. Instead, Prince completed it with the Revolution, and its live-recorded solo went on to top the magazine’s list.
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