Prince's Purple Rain tour, which ran from November 1984 to April 1985, became one of the most successful concert tours ever, drawing 1.7 million fans and generating $80 million in revenue. The tour was a defining moment in Prince's career, representing the culmination of his Purple Rain project across film, album, and live performances, and it demonstrated his commitment to pushing artistic boundaries whilst maintaining exceptional quality throughout.

The tour comprised 98 dates over six months and showcased Prince's distinctive approach to performance: he viewed his own concerts as both creator and audience member, designing shows around what he would want to see as a spectator rather than simply leveraging his star status. Prince described it in 1986 as "one of the most powerful concerts I've ever attended," emphasising that the tour transcended a purely commercial venture to become a spiritual and artistic movement that connected deeply with fans, driven by his philosophy of prioritising genuine artistic impact over quantity.