Dave's Music Hall of Fame: Album Inductees (August 2023)

The Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums Originally posted 8/22/2023. January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog. To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This month marks the nineteenth group of album inductees. These are taken from are taken from the DMDB’s top R&B albums of all time list. The focus of this set inductees is only on those R&B albums from the ‘60s through ‘80s. Previous inductees to fit this category are James Brown’s Live at the Apollo Volume 1, Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Bad, Prince’s Purple Rain, Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life, and the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. See the full list of album inductees here.

Aretha Franklin I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

The Queen of Soul deserves her nickname on the strength of this album all by itself. She released nine albums with Columbia Records from 1961 to ’67. It wasn’t until she left for Atlantic Records. On this album, her first with the company, she’s allowed to fully embrace her soulful side on the title cut, “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” and – the greatest anthem of empowerment of all time – “Respect.” Read more.

Aretha Franklin Lady Soul (1968) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

If anyone questioned Aretha’s ascendency to the throne as The Queen of Soul on I Never Loved a Man, this album erased all doubt. AllMusic.com’s John Bush called her take on Gerry Goffin and Carole King’s “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” “one of the landmark performances in pop music.” She also shows she knows how to groove o “Chain of Fools.” That song and “Since You’ve Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby)” both reached #1 on the R&B chart and the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Read more.

Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (1985) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

Whitney Houston’s debut album was a blockbuster, spending 14 weeks atop the Billboard album chart and selling 25 million copies worldwide. Like many of her ‘80s contemporaries, she pulled off the task with an album that had one foot in pop and one in R&B. “You Give Good Love,” “Saving All My Love for You,” and “How Will I Know” all topped the R&B charts. The latter two along with “Greatest Love of All” were #1s on the Billboard Hot 100. A fully-formed R&B diva had arrived. Read more.

Janet Jackson Control (1986) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

Janet Jackson’s first two albums gave her a pair of top-ten R&B hits, but no one remembers them. It was her third album, Control, and teaming with the songwriting and production duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis that made Janet into a star. She fully embraced a message of empowerment in her songs that were defiant both in their lyrics and their inescapable beats. Four songs from the album were #1 R&B hits. A fifth song, “When I Think of You,” hit #3 – and became her first chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100. Read more.

Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

Michael Jackson’s 1982 album Thriller made him a mega superstar, but it was Off the Wall that established him as a force to be reckoned with beyond the work he’d done with his brothers in the Jackson 5. Off the Wall was only the second album in history (after Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours) to generate four top-ten hits. AllMusic.com’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album “one that remains vibrant and giddily exciting years after its release.” Read more.

Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

In 1984, Prince showed he could conquer the pop world with Purple Rain. In 1987, he showed he still knew how to command the pop charts with top-ten hits “Sign ‘O’ the Times,” “U Got the Look,” and “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man,” but as a whole, Sign ‘O’ the Times was something more – it reminded the world that when it came to flat-out funk, Prince had no equal. Time magazine’s Josh Tyrangiel and Alan Light called it “the best album of the ‘80s.” Read more.

Otis Redding Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

Blender magazine called this “a virtual template for soul music.” Otis has the chutzpah to tackle songs that others made into classics – “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “My Girl,” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” among them. He also gave the world a pair of essential originals. “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” is a song of achingly soulful yearning and “Respect” would become one of the all-time most important anthems of empowerment in the hands of Aretha Franklin. Read more.

Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (1983) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

Lionel Richie had a career trajectory similar to fellow Motown label mate Michael Jackson. He became the face of a hugely successful soul-meets-pop group in the ‘70s (Commodores) before striking out on his own as a solo artist. His first album, 1982’s Lionel Richie, gave him three top-five pop hits. Can’t Slow Down was even bigger. The album spawned five singles which reached the top 10 on both the R&B and pop charts. It also won the Grammy for Album of the Year and sold 21 million copies worldwide. Read more.

Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

With their fourth album, Stand!, Sly & the Family Stone hit the mainstream with the success of #1 single “Everyday People.” Their next album, There’s a Riot Goin’ On, was even bigger. It went platinum and topped the Billboard album chart, generating the #1 hit “Family Affair” and a couple more charting singles in “Runnin’ Away” and “You Caught Me Smilin’.” Blender magazine said it is “one of the great radical albums, and definitely the funkiest.” Read more.

Stevie Wonder Talking Book (1972) Inducted August 2023 as “Top Classic R&B (‘60s to ‘80s) Albums.”

This platinum-selling, Grammy Hall of Fame album established Stevie Wonder – all of 22 years old at the time – as more than just the Motown child prodigy. According to Time magazine’s Josh Tyrangiel and Alan Light, it “secured his position as the reigning genius of his era.” “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” were both chart-toppers on the Billboard Hot 100 and were Grammy winners. Read more.

50 years ago: 13-Year-Old Stevie Wonder hit #1 with "Fingertips"

Fingertips (Part 2) Stevie Wonder

Writer(s): Henry Cosby, Clarence Paul Released: May 21, 1963 First Charted: June 22, 1963 Peak: 13 US, 14 CB, 13 HR, 16 RB, 8 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2.63 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: In 1963, “Fingertips – Part 2” was the first live song to hit #1 in more than a decade. It was primarily an instrumental to showcase this musician’s talents on the harmonica. It sounds like an unlikely hit, but one that a seasoned veteran – like Ray Charles – might pull off. The singer did share similarities with Charles – he was blind and black and is considered one of the greatest soul geniuses in history. One difference – he was a twelve-year-old kid when he recorded his masterpiece and only 13 when it hit the top of the charts. In the nearly fifty years since then, Stevie Wonder has solidified has place as one of the greatest musicians of all time. He ranks in the top ten of the Dave’s Music Database list of the top 100 acts of all time. The DMDB also includes him on its lists of top 100 singers and top 100 songwriters. He’s an inductee in the Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has also amassed more than twenty Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. No one knew what greatness was in store nearly fifty years ago, but a #1 song for a thirteen-year-old for his first chart entry isn’t a bad way to start. At first, some may have thought he was a novelty who would come and go quickly. After all, music history is littered with teen sensations whose careers died before they hit 20. It looked like Wonder might go that route initially – over the next couple years, he only chalked up a few minor top 40 hits. It took 2 ½ years before his next significant hit – “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”, a #3 song in 1966. Jump to present day and Wonder can boast to landing more than two dozen top ten pop hits; nine of them went to #1. He has also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades. If he can chart something before 2020, he’ll have done it for six. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Stevie Wonder WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 8/10/2011; last updated 10/28/2022.

A Stevie Wonder Retrospective

A Retrospective: 1962-2005 Stevie Wonder

A Brief History: R&B singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer born Stevland Hardaway Morris né Judkins on 5/13/1950 in Saginaw, Michigan. He was a child prodigy who was blind since shortly after his birth. He signed with Motown at age 11; initially doing backup work. He started recording in 1962 as “Little Stevie Wonder” and became the youngest artist (age 13) to top the Billboard Hot 100 with “Fingertips.” Married to Syreeta Wright from 1970-72. When he turned 21, he reworked his Motown contract for more artistic freedom. Near-fatal auto accident on 8/16/73. He has won 25 Grammys, the most ever by a solo artist. His albums from 1972 to 1976, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life, are considered one of the best four-album runs in history. All four rank in the DMDB’s top 1000 albums of all time and the latter three won Grammys for album of the year.

Compilations: These compilations are featured on this page: G1 Greatest Hits (1968) G2 Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1971) LB Looking Back (1977) MQ Musiquarium (1982) SR A Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection (1996) AC At the Close of a Century (1999) DC-UK The Definitive Collection: UK version (2002) DC-US The Definitive Collection: US version (2002) NO #1’s (2007) The Studio Albums: You can click on an album below to see a dedicated DMDB page for it. The snapshots on this page of the studio albums (and one live album) shown below indicate all songs featured on any of these compilations, noted with the codes above. Appearing after song titles are the songwriters in italicized parentheses, running times in brackets, and when relevant, the date the song was released as a single and its peaks on various charts. Click for codes to singles charts. The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie (1962): The album failed to chart and no songs were included on any of the compilations featured on this page. A Tribute to Uncle Ray (1962): Like its predecessor, this album failed to chart and no songs were included on any of the compilations featured on this page. The Twelve Year Old Genius Recorded Live (1963): Fingertips (Part 2) (Paul, Cosby) [3:10] (5/21/63, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 1 RB) G1, LB, DC-UK, DC-US, NO, “Fingertips (Parts 1 & 2)” AC, DC With a Song in My Heart (1963): No songs from this album are featured on any of the compilations on this page. Stevie at the Beach (1964): Castles in the Sand (Wilson, Davis, Gordon, O’Brien) [2:14] (2/29/64, 52 US, 52 US, 52 RB) G1, LB Hey Harmonica Man (Josie, Cooper) [2:36] (5/21/64, 29 US, 32 CB, 29 RB) G1, LB Up-Tight, Everything’s Alright (1966): Contract on Love (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Janie Bradford) [2:06] (12/62, --) G1, LB Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:52] (11/22/65, 3 US, 3 CB, 1 RB, 14 UK, airplay: 2 million) G1, LB, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, William Stevenson) [2:41] (4/16/66, 20 US, 20 CB, 4 RB) G1, LB, AC Blowin’ in the Wind (Bob Dylan) [3:02] (6/25/66, 9 US, 11 CB, 1 RB, 36 UK, 12 CN) G1, LB, AC, DC-UK, NO Ain’t That Asking for Trouble (Sylvia Moy, Clarence Paul, Stevie Wonder) [2:47] LB Down to Earth (1966): A Place in the Sun (Wells, Miller) [2:50] (11/12/66, 9 US, 10 CB, 29 AC, 3 RB, 20 UK, 6 CN) G1, LB, AC, DC-UK Hey Love (Paul, Broadnax, Wonder) [2:44] (4/22/67, 90 US, 92 CB, 9 RB) G1, LB, SR, AC, DC-US Thank You Love (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:50] LB Sylvia (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:33] LB Down to Earth (Ron Miller, Avery Vanderberg) [2:48] LB I Was Made to Love Her (1967): I Was Made to Love Her (Cosby, Hardaway, Wonder, Moy) [2:43] (6/3/67, 2 US, 2 CB, 1 RB, 5 UK, 5 CN, airplay: 1 million) G1, LB, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO I’d Cry (Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy) [2:22] LB Someday at Christmas (1967): No songs from this are featured on any of the compilations on this page. Greatest Hits Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.067 out of 5.00 (average of 7 ratings) Recorded: 1963-1967 Charted: April 27, 1968 Peak: 37 US, 6 RB, 25 UK Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, 2.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks: (1) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (2) I’m Wondering (3) I Was Made to Love Her (4) Hey Love (5) Blowin’ in the Wind (6) A Place in the Sun (7) Contract on Love (8) Workout, Stevie, Workout (9) Fingertips (Part 2) (10) Castles in the Sand (11) Hey Harmonica Man (12) Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby About Greatest Hits: This collection offered a good sampling of the first five years of Wonder’s career, especially since none of the albums it covers were really essential. Of course, this set was rendered moot with 1977’s Looking Back, which covered every song on this and the next greatest hits collection. Workout, Stevie, Workout (Paul, Cosby) [2;41] (10/5/63, 33 US, 35 CB, 33 RB) G1, LB I’m Wondering (Cosby, Wonder, Moy) [3:00] (9/30/67, 12 US, 10 CB, 4 RB, 22 UK) G1, LB, AC, DC-UK Eivets Rednow (1968): Alfie (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) [2:58] (9/14/68, 66 US, 73 CB, 11 AC, 86 CN) LB More Than a Dream (Henry Cosby, Stevie Wonder) [3:20] LB For Once in My Life (1968): Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:45] (4/6/68, 9 US, 7 CB, 1 RB, 40 UK) G2, LB, AC You Met Your Match (Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Stevie Wonder) [2:37] (7/13/68, 35 US, 28 CB, 2 RB, 28 CN) G2, LB, AC For Once in My Life (Ron Miller, Orlando Murden) [2:48] (11/2/68, 2 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 2 RB, 3 UK, 5 CN, airplay: 3 million) G2, LB, AC, DC-UK, DC-US I Don’t Know Why I Love You (Lula Mae Hardaway, Don Hunter, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder) [2:43] (2/15/69, 39 US, 41 CB, 16 RB, 14 UK, 41 CN) LB, AC, DC-UK I’d Be a Fool Right Now (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:53] LB My Cherie Amour (1969): My Cherie Amour (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:54] (5/31/69, 4 US, 3 CB, 3 AC, 4 RB, 4 UK, 14 CN, airplay: 4 million) G2, LB, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) [3:06] (10/18/69, 7 US, 9 CB, 10 AC, 5 RB, 2 UK, 10 CN) G2, LB, AC, DC-UK Angie Girl (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) [2:56] LB Signed, Sealed, & Delivered (1970): Never Had a Dream Come True (Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy) [3:13] (1/31/70, 26 US, 22 CB, 31 AC, 11 RB, 6 UK, 22 CN) G2, LB, AC, DC-UK Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) [2:41] (6/20/70, 3 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 1 RB, 15 UK, 19 CN, airplay: 2 million) G2, LB, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Heaven Help Us All (Ron Miller) [3:13] (10/17/70, 9 US, 9 CB, 2 RB, 29 UK, 14 CN) G2, LB, AC, DC-UK We Can Work It Out (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) [3:19] (3/13/71, 13 US, 9 CB, 3 RB, 27 UK, 49 CN, airplay: 2 million) G2, AC, DC-UK I Gotta Have a Song (Don Hunter, Lula Mae Hardaway, Paul Riser, Stevie Wonder) [2:32] LB Where I’m Coming From (1971): Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) [2:53] (6/19/71, 78 US) G2, LB, AC If You Really Love Me (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) [3:00] (8/14/71, 8 US, 9 CB, 10 AC, 4 RB, 20 UK, 60 CN) G2, LB, AC, DC-UK Something Out of the Blue (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) [2:58] LB Do Yourself a Favor (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) [5:58] LB Greatest Hits Volume 2 Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.075 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings) Recorded: 1967-1971 Charted: November 20, 1971 Peak: 69 US, 10 RB, 30 UK Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, 1.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks: (1) Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (2) Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) (3) If You Really Love Me (4) For Once in My Life (5) We Can Work It Out (6) You Met Your Match (7) Never Had a Dream Come True (8) Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (9) My Cherie Amour (10) Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer (11) Travelin’ Man (12) Heaven Help Us All About Greatest Hits, Volume 2: Like its predecessor anthology, this was a good compromise instead of the actual studio albums. It wasn’t until after this that Wonder truly hit his stride as an album artist. Also like the first greatest hits set, though, this one was rendered unnecessary when all the tracks were included on 1977’s Looking Back. Travelin’ Man (Ron Miller, Bryan Wells) [2:54] (3/4/67, 32 US, 41 CB, 31 RB) G2, LB Looking Back Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.498 out of 5.00 (average of 4 ratings) Recorded: 1962-1971 Released: November 30, 1977 Peak: 34 US, 15 RB, 31 CN Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Thank You for Loving Me All the Way (2) Contract on Love (3) Fingertips (Part 2) (4) Workout, Stevie, Workout (5) Castles in the Sand (6) Hey Harmonica Man (7) High Heel Sneakers (8) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (9) Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (11) Blowin’ in the Wind (12) Ain’t That Asking for Trouble (13) I’d Cry (14) A Place in the Sun (15) Sylvia (16) Down to Earth (17) Thank You Love (18) Hey Love (19) Travelin’ Man (20) Until You Come Back to Me That’s What I’m Gonna Do (21) I Was Made to Love Her (22) I’m Wondering Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (2) You Met Your Match (3) I’d Be a Fool Right Now (4) Alfie (5) More Than a Dream (6) For Once in My Life (7) Angie Girl (8) My Cherie Amour (9) I Don’t Know Why I Love You (10) If I Ruled the World (11) Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (12) Never Had a Dream Come True (13) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (14) Heaven Help Us All (15) I Gotta Have a Song (16) Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer (17) If You Really Love Me (18) Something Out of the Blue (19) Do Yourself a Favor About Looking Back: This collection rendered the first two greatest hits sets unnecessary as it gathered all of the songs from those albums along with seventeen more cuts from the same era. Thank You for Loving Me All the Way [2:30] (recorded 1962) LB High Heel Sneakers [2:58] (8/29/65, 59 US, 54 CB, 30 RB) LB Until You Come Back to Me That’s What I’m Gonna Do [3:06] (1967 single, --) LB, AC If I Ruled the World [3:31] (1969 recording) LB Music of My Mind (1972): Superwoman (Where Were You When I Need You) (Stevie Wonder) [7:58] (5/20/72, 33 US, 32 CB, 13 RB, 53 CN) MQ I Love Every Little Thing About You (Stevie Wonder) [3:55] AC Talking Book (1972): Superstition (Stevie Wonder) [4:26] (11/11/72, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 38 AC, 1 RB, 4 CL, 11 UK, 6 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder) [2:50] (3/17/73, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 1 AC, 3 RB, 8 CL, 7 UK, 5 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO I Believe When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever (Stevie Wonder) [4:34] AC You and I (Stevie Wonder) [4:34] AC Innervisions (1973): Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder) [3:46] (8/18/73, 4 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 8 RR, 41 AC, 1 RB, 29 UK, 9 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Living for the City (Stevie Wonder) [7:26] (11/10/73, 8 US, 6 CB, 5 HR, 10 RR, 1 RB, 15 UK, 17 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (Stevie Wonder) [4:45] (3/30/74, 16 US, 10 CB, 11 HR, 15 RR, 9 AC, 2 RB, 13 CN) AC He’s Misstra Know-It-All (Stevie Wonder) [5:36] (4/13/74, 10 UK) AC, DC-UK Too High (Stevie Wonder) [4:36] AC Visions (Stevie Wonder) [5:23] AC Golden Lady (Stevie Wonder) [4:47] AC All in Love Is Fair (Stevie Wonder) [3:43] AC Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974): You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (Stevie Wonder) [3:29] (8/3/74, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 1 RB, 30 UK, 1 CN) MQ, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Boogie on Reggae Woman (Stevie Wonder) [4:55] (11/9/74, 3 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 10 RR, 1 RB, 12 UK, 8 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away (Stevie Wonder) [5:02] AC Too Shy to Say (Stevie Wonder) [3:29] AC Creepin’ (Stevie Wonder) [4:20] AC Songs in the Key of Life (1976): I Wish (Stevie Wonder) [4:13] (11/26/76, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 4 RR, 23 AC, 23 AC, 1 RB, 5 UK, 1 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Isn’t She Lovely (Stevie Wonder) [6:33] (1/8/77, 23 AC, sales: ½ million) MQ, AC, DC-UK Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder) [3:51] (4/2/77, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 HR, 2 RR, 3 AC, 1 RB, 2 UK, 2 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Another Star (Stevie Wonder) [8:22] (8/27/77, 32 US, 29 AC, 18 RB, 29 UK, 34 CN) AC As (Stevie Wonder) [7:09] (11/5/77, 36 US, 24 AC, 36 RB) AC, DC-UK Pastime Paradise (Stevie Wonder) [3:27] AC, DC-UK Knocks Me Off My Feet (Stevie Wonder) [3:36] AC Ngiculela ~ Es Una Historia ~ I Am Singing (Stevie Wonder) [3:48] AC If It’s Magic (Stevie Wonder) [3:12] AC Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants (1979): Send One Your Love (Stevie Wonder) [4:00] (11/3/79, 4 US, 5 CB, 12 HR, 12 RR, 1 AC, 5 RB, 52 UK, 7 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK Hotter Than July (1980): Master Blaster (Jammin’) (Stevie Wonder) [5:08] (9/13/80, 5 US, 1 CB, 15 HR, 1 RB, 12 CL, 2 UK, 22 CN) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (Stevie Wonder) [4:39] (12/13/80, 11 US, 13 CB, 18 HR, 15 RR, 20 AC, 4 RB, 10 UK, 9 CN) AC, DC-UK Lately (Stevie Wonder) [4:04] (3/7/81, 64 US, 88 CB, 33 AC, 29 RB, 3 UK) SR, AC, DC-UK Happy Birthday (Stevie Wonder) [5:58] (7/25/81, 70 RB, 2 UK) AC, DC-UK All I Do (Stevie Wonder, Paul, Broadnax) [5:16] SR, AC Rocket Love (Stevie Wonder) [4:39] AC Musiquarium Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.410 out of 5.00 (average of 4.5 ratings) Recorded: 1971-1982 Charted: May 29, 1982 Peak: 4 US, 13 RB, 8 UK, 18 CN, 9 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 4.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Superstition (2) You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (3) Living for the City (4) Front Line (5) Superwoman (Where Were You When I Need You) (6) Send One Your Love (7) You Are the Sunshine of My Life (8) Ribbon in the Sky Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Higher Ground (2) Sir Duke (3) Master Blaster (Jammin’) (4) Boogie on Reggae Woman (5) That Girl (6) I Wish (7) Isn’t She Lovely (8) Do I Do Total Running Time: 84:44 About Musiquarium: Even those artists who have a successful enough career to make it to a third greatest-hits set don’t usually put one out that doesn’t duplicate songs previously covered by other compilations. However, this captures Wonder’s peak years, which included three Grammy winners for Album of the Year and #1 hits with “Superstion,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” “I Wish,” and “Sir Duke.” Four new songs were also included. That Girl (Stevie Wonder) [5:13] (1/16/82, 4 US, 1 CB, 3 HR, 2 RR, 10 AC, 1 RB, 39 UK) MQ, SR, AC, DC-US, NO Do I Do (Stevie Wonder) [10:28] (5/29/82, 13 US, 14 CB, 16 RR, 25 AC, 2 RB, 10 UK) MQ, SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US Ribbon in the Sky (Stevie Wonder) [5:37] (9/11/82, 54 US, 57 CB, 21 AC, 10 RB, 45 UK) MQ, SR, AC Front Line (Stevie Wonder, Gary Byrd) [5:57] MQ Paul McCartney’s Tug of War (1982): Ebony and Ivory (with Paul McCartney) (Paul McCartney) [3:40] (3/29/82, 1 US, 1 CB, 40 HR, 1 RR, 1 AC, 8 RB, 34 AR, 1 UK, 1 CN, 2 AU, sales: 1 million) SR, DC-UK, NO from the movie The Outsiders (1983): Stay Gold (Stevie Wonder, Carmine Coppola) [3:33] SR The Woman in Red (1984): I Just Called to Say I Love You (Stevie Wonder) [4:21] (8/1/84, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 RR, 1 AC, 1 RB, 1 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU, sales: 4 ½ million) SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Love Light in Flight (Stevie Wonder) [6:54] (12/1/84, 17 US, 16 CB, 14 RR, 10 AC, 4 RB, 44 UK, 39 CN) SR, AC In Square Circle (1985): Part-Time Lover (Stevie Wonder) [3:43] (9/6/85, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 RR, 1 AC, 1 RB, 3 UK, 1 CN) SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) [3:41] (2/22/86, 24 US, 29 CB, 27 RR, 1 AC, 7 RB, 17 UK, 55 CN) SR, AC, DC-UK, DC-US, NO Go Home (Stevie Wonder) [5:19] AC Dionne Warwick’s Friends album (1985): That’s What Friends Are For (Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager) (with Dionne Warwick, Elton John, & Gladys Knight, 11/9/85, 1 US, 1 AC, 1 RB, 16 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU, sales: 1.1 million) NO Characters (1987): Skeletons (Stevie Wonder) [5:24] (10/17/87, 19 US, 32 CB, 30 RR, 1 RB, 59 UK, 43 CN) AC You Will Know (Stevie Wonder) [4:00] (1/16/88, 77 US, 87 CB, 16 AC, 1 RB) SR, AC Jungle Fever (1991): Gotta Have You (Stevie Wonder) [6:26] (6/1/91, 92 US, 3 RB) AC These Three Words (Stevie Wonder) [4:53] (11/30/91, 7 RB) SR, AC Conversation Peace (1995): For Your Love (Stevie Wonder) [4:03] (2/25/95, 53 US, 30 AC, 11 RB, 23 UK, 12 CN) SR, AC, DC-UK Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.183 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings) Recorded: 1965-1996 Released: December 10, 1996 Peak: 100 RB, 19 UK, 4 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 3.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Part-Time Lover (2) I Just Called to Say I Love You (3) Superstition (4) Sir Duke (5) My Cherie Amour (6) I Was Made to Love Her (7) Overjoyed (8) Hey Love (9) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (10) You Are the Sunshine of My Life (11) Ribbon in the Sky (12) Master Blaster (Jammin’) (13) Living for the City (14) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (15) Lately (16) Do I Do Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Send One Your Love (2) Ebony and Ivory (with Paul McCartney) (3) All I Do (4) That Girl (5) For Your Love (6) I Wish (7) You Will Know (8) Boogie on Reggae Woman (9) Higher Ground (10) These Three Words (11) Stay Gold (12) Love Light in Flight (13) Kiss Lonely Goodbye (14) Hold on to Your Dream (15) Redemption Song About Song Review: This two-disc overview was Wonder’s most comprehensive set yet, covering his then thirty-year career. The non-chronological track listing is annoying, but this is the first Wonder album to feature “Ebony and Ivory,” his #1 duet with Paul McCartney. Hold on to Your Dream (Stevie Wonder) [4:19] (1996, from The Adventures of Pincchio soundtrack) SR Kiss Lonely Goodbye (Stevie Wonder) [4:05] (1996, from The Adventures of Pincchio soundtrack) SR Redemption Song (Bob Marley) [3:46] (from the Get on the Bus soundtrack) SR At the Close of a Century Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.762 out of 5.00 (average of 5 ratings) Recorded: 1962-1997 Released: November 23, 1999 Peak: 100 RB Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 0.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Fingertips (Parts 1 & 2) (2) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (3) Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby (4) Blowin’ in the Wind (5) A Place in the Sun (6) Hey Love (7) I Was Made to Love Her (8) Until You Come Back to Me That’s What I’m Gonna Do (9) I’m Wondering (10) Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day (11) You Met Your Match (12) For Once in My Life (13) I Don’t Know Why (14) My Cherie Amour (15) Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (16) Never Had a Dream Come True (17) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (18) Heaven Help Us All (19) We Can Work It Out (20) If You Really Love Me (21) Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer (22) Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) (23) I Love Every Little Thing About You Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Superstition (2) You Are the Sunshine of My Life (3) You and I (4) I Believe When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever (5) Too High (6) Visions (7) Living for the City (8) Golden Lady (9) Higher Ground (10) All in Love Is Fair (11) Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing (12) He’s Misstra Know-It-All (13) You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (14) Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away (15) Too Shy to Say (16) Boogie on Reggae Woman (17) Creepin’ Tracks, Disc 3: (1) Sir Duke (2) I Wish (3) Knocks Me Off My Feet (4) Pastime Paradise (5) Isn’t She Lovely (6) Ngiculela ~ Es Una Historia ~ I Am Singing (7) If It’s Magic (8) As (9) Another Star (10) Send One Your Love (11) All I Do (12) Rocket Love (13) I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (14) Master Blaster (Jammin’) (15) Lately (16) Happy Birthday Tracks, Disc 4: (1) That Girl (2) Ribbon in the Sky (3) Do I Do (4) Love Light in Flight (5) I Just Called to Say I Love You (6) Overjoyed (7) Part-Time Lover (8) Go Home (9) You Will Know (10) Skeletons (11) Gotta Have You (12) These Three Words (13) For Your Love (14) How Come, How Long (with Babyface) About At the Close of the Century: Stevie Wonder’s first box set covers most of the material from his previous anthologies as well as a slew of album tracks, mostly from his classic ‘70s albums. The only “new” song from the album was 1996’s duet with Babyface from the latter’s album, but it showed that Wonder still had it after three decades. How Come, How Long (Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Stevie Wonder) [5:15] (with Babyface, 1996) AC The Definitive Collection (UK version) Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.534 out of 5.00 (average of 4 ratings) Recorded: 1962-1998 Released: October 29, 2002 Peak: 35 US, 28 RB, 11 UK, 66 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 4.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Superstition (2) Sir Duke (3) I Wish (4) Master Blaster (Jammin’) (5) Isn’t She Lovely (6) I Just Called to Say I Love You (7) Ebony and Ivory (with Paul McCartney) (8) As (9) Never Had a Dream Come True (10) I Was Made to Love Her (11) Heaven Help Us All (12) Overjoyed (13) Lately (14) For Your Love (15) If You Really Love Me (16) Higher Ground (17) Do I Do (18) Living for the City (19) Part-Time Lover Tracks, Disc 2: (1) For Once in My Life (2) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (3) We Can Work It Out (4) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (5) Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday (6) I’m Wondering (7) My Cherie Amour (8) You Are the Sunshine of My Life (9) I Don’t Know Why I Love You (10) A Place in the Sun (11) Blowin’ in the Wind (12) Send One Your Love (13) Pastime Paradise (14) I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It (15) Fingertips (Parts 1 & 2) (16) Boogie on Reggae Woman (17) You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (18) He’s Misstra Know-It-All (19) Happy Birthday Awards: About The Definitive Collection: While the double-disc UK version of this album is, pound for pound, the best Stevie Wonder collection out there, it is unfortunate that it couldn’t be compiled chronologically. By contrast, the single-disc US version is chronological, covering from 1962 to 1984. It contains the following tracks: (1) Fingertips (Part 2) (2) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (3) Hey Love (4) I Was Made to Love Her (5) For Once in My Life (6) My Cherie Amour (7) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (8) You Are the Sunshine of My Life (9) Superstition (10) Higher Ground (11) Living for the City (12) You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (13) Boogie on Reggae Woman (14) I Wish (15) Sir Duke (16) Master Blaster (Jammin’) (17) That Girl (18) Do I Do (19) I Just Called to Say I Love You (20) Overjoyed (21) Part-Time Lover. All of these songs, except “Hey Love” and “That Girl” are featured on the UK version. A Time to Love (2005): So What the Fuss (with Prince & En Vogue) (Stevie Wonder) [5:06] (3/26/05, 96 US, 40 AC, 34 RB, 19 UK) NO Number Ones Stevie Wonder Rating: 4.273 out of 5.00 (average of 4.5 ratings) Recorded: 1962-2005 Released: August 21, 2007 Peak: 171 US, 40 RB, 23 UK, 89 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B Tracks: (1) Fingertips (Part 2) (2) Uptight (Everything’s Alright) (3) Blowin’ in the Wind (4) I Was Made to Love Her (5) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (6) Superstition (7) You Are the Sunshine of My Life (8) Higher Ground (9) Living for the City (10) You Haven’t Done Nothin’ (11) I Wish (12) Sir Duke (13) Master Blaster (Jammin’) (14) That Girl (15) Ebony and Ivory (with Paul McCartney) (16) I Just Called to Say I Love You (17) That’s What Friends Are For (with Dionne Warwick, Elton John, & Gladys Knight) (18) Part-Time Lover (19) Overjoyed (20) So What the Fuss (with Prince & En Vogue) About Number Ones: This UK collection compiled 20 cuts in a single-disc chronological package. It’s the first to include “That’s What Friends Are For,” the #1 superstar duet with Dionne Warwick, Elton John, & Gladys Knight. The title is a mystery, though. Many of these were #1 songs, but others were far from it (“So What the Fuss”?). Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Stevie Wonder SL Steve Lodder (2005). Stevie Wonder: A Musical Guide to the Classic Albums. Backbeat Books: San Francisco, CA. First posted 6/20/2008; last updated 8/3/2021.