"Pop Life" is a song by Prince and the Revolution. It was the second US (and final UK) single from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day, reaching number 7 in the US charts, becoming Prince's eighth top-ten hit in a two-year span.

The song starts with a faded-in synth line and quickly starts the main tune. The easy groove is achieved with a smooth bass guitar and piano embellishments. A drum machine provides handclaps to make the song danceable. "Pop Life" was recorded before Purple Rain was completed, indicating the new direction Prince wanted to take after the success of that album and film. Lyrically, the song describes the tiresome and stressful side of the celebrity life, including the pressure that can lead to drug use ("What you putting in your nose?/Is that where all your money goes?").

The song was released in two extended versions. The UK 12" single version is a 9-minute extension of the tune, and ends with a similar synth sound as the beginning. The US received a "Fresh Dance Mix", which is a remix (by Sheila E.) that included some portions of the longer UK version. It clocks in at 6:16, and was included on the 2006 compilation album, Ultimate.

The US B-side of the track was "Hello", written quickly as a response to those who criticized Prince's lack of participation in the "We Are the World" event. The angry lyrics lambaste the prying media and false friendships, and is driven by a pulsing beat. The extended version of the song ends with a spoken word by Prince, which contain some self-humor about his high-heeled shoes. The UK B-side was "Girl", which the US had as the B-side of "America".

Elvis Costello once planned to do a cover version of the song, with altered lyrics, but Prince refused. Costello later recorded the song "The Bridge I Burned", which borrows the chord sequence from "Pop Life".^[3] Alternative rock band Local H recorded a cover of the song, but it has since gone unreleased.^[4]

Cashbox called it a "much more of a substantial offering — lyrically and musically — than [Prince's previous single] 'Raspberry Beret,'" saying that it "takes a look at the myths of the pop world and aspirations to that world."^[5]

Information taken from Duane Tudahl, Benoît Clerc, Guitarcloud, and the Prince Vault website.^[6][7][8][9]

• Prince – lead vocals, piano, Oberheim OB-8, bass guitar
• Sheila E. – drums, Linn LM-1 (and uncredited additional vocals on the Fresh Dance Mix)
• Lisa Coleman – background vocals
• Wendy Melvoin – background vocals

Orchestral players (Segue to The Ladder)

• Violins – Sid Page and Marcy Dicterow-Vaj
• Violas – Denyse Buffum and Laury Woods
• Stand-up bass – Tim Barr and Annette Atkinson