Reviews (page 3 of 14)
starting off with a classic, i see. very widely discussed but not an lp i've ever actually sat down and listened to. composition and arrangement and performances and production are fantastic. lyrics pinball between great, vapid, and incomprehensible, which is above average for the genre imo. putting this in the pop album category is a weight mismatch, but i dunno as you can call it anything else. banger.
Stevie s'est donné à fond pour celui-là. Du stock qui aurait pu en faire 3 albums.
C'est drôle je me suis levé ce matin avec Living for the city dans la tête ! Et j'avais réécouté Innervisions ce week-end. Je pensais que j'avais déjà écouté Songs in the key of life, mais je réalise que non grâce à 2 constats : - je savais pas que c'était un double album - gangsta's paradise vient du grand Stevie Wonder! Je pense je préfère globalement Innervisions parce que celui-ci a des longueurs. PAR CONTRE incroyable jeu d'harmonica de M. Wonder sur plein de pièces (isn't she lovely), l'exploitation mélodique de cet instrument esr rare en pop, on le voit plus en jazz, mais même là très rare. Et le combo groove bass synthé en midi me fait penser à Hancock ++. L'originalité harmonique est encore une fois au rendez-vous, c'est un 5 étoiles all in all pour moi
THIS SHIT SLAPS
All time favorite album.
Banger after banger, production engaging, interesting and perfect such a good album to listen.
Top 3: 1. As 2. Another Star 3. Love's In Need Of Love Tonight
one on my fav albums of all time already I really needed this today thank you.
I'm very glad I had Throbbing Gristle yesterday to prepare myself for this. It's not exactly an approachable album coming in blind. Look, there's not much to say. Even for someone as clueless as me who knew all of 2 Stevie Wonder songs (As and Superstitious), this is a gorgeous album full of absolutely fantastic songs. Guy can sing and the songs are so musically rich. I refuse to believe this is a double album (!) and his 18th studio album (!!) and there's like 1 or 2 filler songs at most. I am very glad that this project, even 50 days in, has opened my ears to the Motown sound because I'm really enjoying it.
One of the best Albums in history of music
No notes. Stevie Wonder should be more celebrated.
Wonderful
Unreal
DAMN!!!!! It's no secret that Stevie Wonder is considered one of the best to ever do it, but I had somehow never actually listened to an album of his. It speaks volumes, then, that I recognized just about all of Disc 1 here from song samples and reinterpretations alone! Then Disc 2 starts with Isn't She Lovely, which if you're like me, might have been the only track you recognize from title alone -- but going into the record with only that knowledge does NOT prepare you for how funky and soulful the experience is gonna get, nor for the sheer stylistic variety in the near-2 hour tracklist. When he started doing straight jazz fusion on Contusion, that's when I knew this was a 5. It might not be my personal GOAT, but I 100% understand why it belongs in the conversation for overall best album of all time. Standouts: Love's In Need Of Love Today • Have A Talk With God • Contusion • Sir Duke • Ordinary Pain • Isn't She Lovely • As • Another Star • Ebony Eyes • All Day Sucker
This is his Sgt. Pepper’s album; brilliant, beautiful, and poignant.
This gets 5* for Sir Duke alone. But the rest of the album is rather excellent. Probably 4.5*, overall, but definitely rounding up.
one of my favorites. just finished a 6 hour podcast on his 5 album run…
So so good
Not sure why this one was so hard for. The first three-four tracks turned me off so much and honestly i think its because i hate when Stevie tries to write social commentary. It just comes off as forced and out of touch. BUT as far as love songs, funk and musicianship - i mean, the album is this highly rated for a reason. Yes its long (to long), yes some of the tracks (IMO the first three in particular) are weaker - but look..."Contusion" to "Isn't She Lovely" on its own - would make the greatest album ever written.
# Album Name: Songs In The Key Of Life # Artist: Stevie Wonder # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: When Stevie is big, he is big!!! Massive hits. Its absolutely unreal this is stevies 18th album. Wowzaaaaaa. Id have given in by that point. The quality of this thing is unreal. Its a real testament to SW he kept going for so long. Theres a number of filler songs or songs that extend for way too long into the 6-8 minute mark. Overall a fantastic album, albeit, a tad too long. # Top Tunes: Too damn many # Would I listen to it again? Yes
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This double album can be rearranged to two albums where one is 3 and the other is 5. I was originally planning to therefore land on 4, but the "5" songs are so strong that I think it's only fair to recognize the musical achievements this album brings forward. This is my second Wonder album, and in both I got a feeling that Wonder doesn't really filter out which songs to include. He's a phenomenal musician, maybe even a generational one, so nothing is "bad", but even well crafted songs can end up not landing, that's just the nature of music. I guess for some people his weaker songs also land, and in that sense, cutting them could be seen as a waste. For me, it just means that his albums are amazing songs surrounded by mediocre ones. With his love of repetition, the mediocre ones overstay their welcome. But the good ones make the wait worth it. Mixing wise, this album is far far superior to his other album I've rated, "Talking Book". Separated by only 2 years, but the craftsmanship and attention to detail is on a whole other level.
This is another all time great album. There are some duds. I don’t really like village ghetto land
JESUS. Perfect.
Top 10
Love this album, the essential of soul music
Listening session: january 17th, while going on a walk Listened to before: yes, listened to most songs many times, but never front to back Thoughts: I love Stevie Wonder and this is exactly what I needed today Favourite tracks: As, If It’s Magic & Love’s In Need Of Love Today
Stevie igjen, denne gangen med et dobbeltalbum. Prog-soul her. Første plate er fantastisk. En god blanding av hjertefølte sanger, som Love's In Need of Love Today og Knock Me Off My Feet, og fartsfylte bangere, som Sir Duke og I Wish. Også må vi ikke glemme Pastime Paradise, som overrasket meg enormt da jeg først sjekket ut dette albumet tilbake i 2023. Andre plate fremstår noe mer eksperimentell; det inneholder blant annet flere innslag som minner om Disney-musikk. Her finner man også noen av albumets beste sanger; for eksempel sosialt bevisste Black Man og kjærlighetserklæringen As, i tillegg til mange sanger med kul og drivende produksjon; deriblant Another Star og All Day Sucker. Jeg vurderte lenge å gi dette en firer, da jeg ikke nødvendigvis er så gira på å lytte til dette på repeat, men det virker urettferdig. Fem stjerner. Top 3 Plate 1: Knocks Me Off My Feet, Sir Duke, Ordinary Pain Plate 2: Black Man, As, Joy Inside My Tears
Brilliant album. It was longer than what I'm accustomed to, but I absolutely loved it.
Wonderful album. Stevie Wonder is, for real, an extremely multi talented musical genius. This is an album that will make you a very happy person whenever you listen to it <3 Easy 5
Another star easily my first unknown track that has caught me off guard and I've fallen in love with the music again Top tier album with so many unexpected amazing album tracks around the hit singles
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! the album title perfectly describes the humanistic essence of this album. i love how stevie wonder keeps to his musical memo, but explores different sounds throughout. i love the synth and rock elements seasoned throughout. favorites: knocks me off my feet; ordinary pain; as
A heavy hitter! This is probably exactly what I was thinking of when I signed up for this: a classic album with iconic singles but one where I'd never sat down and listened to the whole thing through. Great. Do the slower synthesiser ones grab me? Not exactly. Do the 7-minuters hold my attention the whole way through? Not really. Am I glad I listened to the whole thing? Absolutely.
Classic, duh. Needs more stars.
I enjoyed the vast majority of this album, so playful and fun but also some really powerful messages!! It’s of course a classic and was a great start to the listening journey
A true masterpiece.
Out of curiosity I looked through the 1 and 2 star reviews and I was not surprised that I had stumbled upon a small collection of just the dumbest idiots on the internet. This is easily a 5 star album just for having I Wish and Sir Duke, but the rest of the songs are incredible too.
Banger after banger
A very fair and respectable contender for greatest album ever.
Perfect album
I loved it to be honest! Very upbeat energy with a jazzvibe.
So many great songs. Very solid!
So much musical skill on display! Really fun to listen to.
Such a banger of an albummmm. I absolutely loved it, and not just because I had a Stevie Wonder obsession as a kid. Every track is just perfection. Love love love.
This is cracking throughout. Varied- goes from toe tapping to introspective. Bangers on disc one but takes off second disc
Classic!
wow a must listen for every fucking one
9.5 / 10
Always been a favourite anyway but revisiting was a lovely way to start this project, I fear I may have peaked too early... Playlist track: Sir Duke
Love this compilation of Stevie Wonder works! Soulful and inspiring!
amazing. one of my fav albums of all time
Wahey, Songs In The Key Of Life - been waiting for it. Great overall. I appreciate it is LONG, and some of the songs dawdle on an ending, but it is jolly good. Sir Duke, Knocks Me Off My Feet, Isn't She Lovely, and As are my favourites - they stand out more than the rest. No real themes throughout, just some great concepts, lyrics, singing, and music. Thanks Stevie. Finally!
Wow! What an album. And to think that he nearly walked away to work with disabled kids in Africa. Another reviewer wrote that "In a cynical world so often full of gloom and pessimism, anger and despair, love will always the save day and that’s what Songs In The Key Of Life is ultimately about." I like that line so much that I'm stealing it.
The excitement I felt when I was given this album by the generator is only comparable to the excitement I feel when pulling a 5 star in a gacha game. This album has been on my list of albums to listen to since I first played Sir Duke in band class in high school and it didn't disappoint. Despite the crazy runtime it never feels like it drags. There's not much more I can say about Stevie's infectious energy or incredible songwriting that hasn't been said. Incredibly easy 5 stars.
Slowish start, gets upbeat and fun and nostalgic. 4-5 stars, great album!
Pretty peak listen
very beautiful, soulful and thoughtful
I was excited that this album came up. It’s like the baby daddy of all the modern music I grew up listening to, but had never had a chance to listen to the album end to end. Some of the instruments sound a bit cheesy, but the arrangements are timeless.
This is overall a great album. Not every song is a banger, but enough are to make this a must listen. Favorites: Sir Duke, I Wish, Ordinary Pain, All Day Sucker, Pastime Paradise 5
One of the greatest
I love Stevie. What can I say about Stevie Wonder that hasn’t already been said? He’s an amazing musician and made an amazing album. This didn’t feel like a double album because it kept me engaged the whole time.
Amazing album all the way through. It's missing someone when listening to it streaming, though, because you don't get the divisions of the two LPs and the extended EP that shipped with the original pressing. I was recognizing the origins of hip-hop tracks from Stevie, and I'm glad he got composer credits over there.
nice, but a litttle bit long some times
Love Stevie, he's a genius
This album is great. It's so much fun. Talent is off the charts. Why is it a double album and nearly two hours long??? Double albums are my worst enemy at this point
Incredible
Banger after banger. First time hearing this album, will not be the last.
unreal
freaking amazing holy shite
The best soul album ever written
great
A little Christmas treat for me, wowee. I've been looking forward to listening to this album for a long time. As expected, this thing is brilliant. The run time is absolutely ridiculously long but honestly I am all here for it. If I were sitting down and listening to this I would definitely want a breather in between the first and second LP. I can only imagine the people who hate this genre/Stevie Wonder who would be in torture having to endure this long ass album. Every song on this is just brilliant. I must say though, the crying baby noises at the start of Isn't She Lovely is super offputting. Ever tried playing that in front of a group of friends? You look like a weirdo. Anyways, easy 5. Not much else to say since this has been reviewed to death and is easily a top 10 albums of all time OBJECTIVELY.
174/1001 Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ When I opened the app this morning, I had large grin on my face st getting this record. Yes there could be some songs cut, but honestly this was such a pleasure to listen to.
Absolutely love his run of 5 albums from 72 Music of my mind to this album. Rightfully viewed as a classic, a masterpiece. So uplifting, a joyful soulful experience, funk heaven, what grooves that this just came from the one man, now that is someone with talent. When a double album isn’t too long, just going from great track to great track, it is Without doubt 5 Star
The definition of a timeless classic. The total runtime is slightly long, but the time flies by when listening to it. The songs on here could have been made last year and I would have believed it. Stevie is flawles. Just fabulous all around. Easy 5/5
Zum ersten Mal komplett gehört … das wurde mal Zeit, würd ich schätzen.
In den Top 10 meiner Lieblingsalben ever. Hellt mir zuverlässig die Stimmung auf und zeigt eine enorme Vielseitigkeit.
This album feels like the peak of a man at his very best. One thing I really enjoy about Stevie Wonder not only on this project but through his whole discography (at least the records he had most control over) is how he uses different influences in his production. This is shown across this whole album with it feeling bigger than life itself. I feel like there is more I can say and maybe one day I will but the fact that anyone can make an album like this so good is fascinating in itself.
stevie is the greatest and this is one of his best. Nothing else to say really.
Easily Stevie's best, and that's saying something because the previous albums I've got were fantastic in their own right. Pretty great that the album is basically just banger after banger for nearly two hours. Almost no fillers (Village Ghetto Land didn't really hit for me), classics in Sir Duke and I Wish, and my favorite discoveries on this one being Black Man and Another Star. Fantastic album, and definitely understand why its considered one of the best of all time.
Masterpiece. Life is Good.
Revisit,
Not for me
Yeah. This is the greatest album ever made, ever. Argue with a wall. It's an ode to life itself, and all of its emotions, mysteries, tragedies, and beauties. This man Stevie went into the Avatar State of every Black musician to grace this earth and radiated a beam out of his soul. This is the first body of work we need to show the aliens when they arrive. It's imperative. It's almost two hours long, but it should be at least four hours. Some of the most amazing musicianship I've ever heard in my damn life.
I didn't know Sir Duke was by Stevie Wonder. I also didn't know Wild Wild West is a straight copy of Stevie Wonder's I Wish. I also didn't know Gangsta's Paradise "heavily samples" Pastime Paradise. Just me realizing the ridiculous reach of this album, and how often I hear this guys song-writing without even knowing. Disc 1 blew my mind. Disc 2 was pretty good.
Rating: 10/10 now THAT is a SKIPLESS record. I truly didn’t realize just how effortlessly Stevie makes this 1hr45min album feel like not a single moment is wasted, it’s divine and uplifting and inspired the entire way through. We all know who Stevie Wonder is. He’s a blind black man. Who created this work of art 50 years ago. This is a guy who knows he can do absolutely anything he sets his mind to and wants you to feel the same while listening to his soulful rhythms. A really cool album cover as well, and probably the most perfectly apt album title ever conceived. I have to seriously consider if this is the greatest musical achievement ever, it honestly still feels like the future.
i like, can see where this has been used as inspiration for other songs. listened to on 16/12/25 whilst driving around doing errands
El mejor álbum de la historia. Punto se acabó.
If there is a better album on this list, I don't believe I've heard it. This is the benchmark by which all musical creativity should be measured, twentieth century pop music does not get any better. I'd give another star if I could.
This was a great listen. Not going to lie, I was a bit apprehensive when I saw there were 21 songs over 1 hour 44 minutes. Great production, some catchy tunes, Stevie obviously can sing and there was a nice mix of styles and tempos (unlike say the Sinatra and Loretta Lynn snoozefests I had on my listen list last week). Bravo, Stevie, I really enjoyed it.
Day 125 So many classics on one album, as easy a 5/5 as there is on this list Highlights Sir Duke Pastime Paradise Black Man
Banger, quelques tubes connus (Sir Duke), ça donne le smile
J’ai noté cet album avant de l’écouter car… j’ai le vinyle, je le connais très bien. Je l’écouterai après ! C’est un artiste que j’aime beaucoup, album avec des sons que j’aime profondément (as, pastime paradise, I wish, isn’t she lovely, etc etc). C’est un album qui fait du bien
Banger cet album, je connaissais Isn't She Lovely évidemment mais tout le reste de l'album est top. J'aime bien la vibe Stevie Wonder je pense 5/5
At its core this is a political album with a dance beat. I’m rarely a fan of double albums, but this is one of the few that justifies its length. A great talent and a great person. Low 5
#1 album of 1976 and my favourite from Stevie. Chock full of amazing tunes right up to, but not including, the last 2 tracks, which would have been on the b side of the accompanying EP.
Reasonably speaking this is all v high quality, I need more listens but I think it’s a v low 5 for me and his best that I’ve heard so far
I don't think it'll be in my regular rotation but it is an excellent album!
Alla hits man känner igen, mycket bra
I hadn't listened to much Stevie Wonder before this and I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was. I enjoyed every song on the album, in particular I thought "village ghetto land" was quite a beautiful song and was followed by "contusion" which had some great guitar sections. "Summer soft" was a good 'bop' and was very nice to listen to. I also enjoyed the lyrics and message of "Black man". Really enjoyable overall, great listen. 84/100 Score edited 28/01/26
Well hot damn I haven't had a 5 for a while. He's a genius, that's it.
Very nice listen! Would listen to it again. The almost two hours did not feel like almost two hours. The commentary on racism was also very onspot.
So much has been written about this album that I feel I don't have much to add. It's not completely perfect. Some of the ways Stevie Wonder approaches his themes are a little dated, and the album is a bit sprawling. But this is one of the best popular expressions of the unity of all of humanity in general and Americans in particular. It's a masterpiece. Five stars
Fantastic. Pretty much a near perfect record. Listened 04/13/2021
Not much more you can say about this album that hasn't been said before. Incredible songwriting, performance and influence... just a stone cold classic and my goto Sunday morning album. The Legacy of this album speaks to the range of musical styles with artists from Elton John, George Michael and Whitney Houston to Brann Dailor and Phil Anselmo citing it as either their favourite album or a massive influence.
Classic
This album never disappoints
Amazing. I had never listened to whole album from start to finish before, and what a trip. I feel like this is one of those albums that requires multiple listens over time to truly appreciate, but already I see the genius. It’s funky, soulful, beautiful, introspective, socially relevant, and everything in between.
literally so good..... so joyous...... felt absolutely timeless
This album RULES! So inventive, revolutionary, memorable, no skips ever.
I enjoyed all the familiar songs but it took a second listen to enjoy the rest of the album. It really fits together. Not everything works perfectly and some sounds very dated but a masterpiece album.
Better than his first album
Simply one of the best albums of the 20th century
5/5
Great how the material I was not familiar with sounded so fresh and other hits felt wonderfully nostalgic yet the record is generous and wonderful to listen to with head phones.
All time banger!
The first track is unmatched
Masterpiece. There isn’t a bad song on this.
Loves in Need
The one-two of “If It’s Magic” and “As” really gets me
Absolutely adore this album. Reminds me of my mama
Wow. I mean just WOW. Not one bad or uninteresting song on the album. I REALLY loved As and Another Star, both amazing, and of COURSE Sir Duke and I Wish are top on the list. Would be HAPPY to come back to this album over and over again.
brilliant
Not only one of the better albums of all time, but one of the most aptly named albums of all time. Stevie Wonder sings about the human experience, and often the black American experience, with such conviction and joy that even the saddest songs in here are still comforting and uplifting. The first disc of the double album is generational, specifically the run of songs from “Sir Duke” to “Pastime Paradise”. Those songs don’t need to be talked about. But honestly the second disc is no slouch either, it makes it hard to say that this album is too long - which is insane to say out loud about an hour 45 minute long album. The confident proclamations of “Black Man”, the warmth of “As”, the piano groove in “Ebony Eyes”. Not to mention the perfectly-timed introductions of things like an electric guitar in one song, or a harmonica solo in another song; this album plays itself out with perfect pacing. If you told me to hand you an album that best encapsulates the emotions of the overall human experience, I’d likely give you Songs In The Key Of Life. I don’t want to presume toooo much about the demographic of people who get through these 1001 albums, but I’m guessing a large subsect is atheistic white men? So it’s a testament to the strength of this album that
A double album to end stevie wonders imperial phase, yeah it’s pretty cool
An absolute classic. Loved the chance to revisit it. Strangely enough ‘I Wish’ and ‘Sir Duke’ were played today at random…
Impeccable
Incredible. Might convert. Fav songs: Love's In Need Of Love Today, Sir Duke, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, Isn't She Lovely, Black Man, If It's Magic. Saved a song: Y RYM: Y (#27)
Sublime!
My father would be proud of this rating
Nice
Beloved by music forum users everywhere, this album has it all. All 17 (or 21, in the expanded edition) tracks, from front to back, are great or better. And as voted by people on some subreddit somewhere, it's the best feel-good album of all time. In a strange turn of events, the album starts with a the slow, soulful ballad Love's In Need Of Love Today, and continues the relatively mellow mood with Have A Talk With God and Village Ghetto Land. It's interesting to note that Wonder performs nearly every instrument in every track. The energy really ramps up with the wacky instrumental Contusion, featuring a slew of different time signatures, key changes, and weird melodic ideas. But for some people, these sorts of songs don't quite hit the right spot. Hip-hop heads and pop enthusiasts might turn their noses up at the weird sort of home-studio feel of the opening quartet of songs. But that all changes with the one-two punch Sir Duke/I Wish. I Wish is phenomenal. It's one of my favourite songs of all time. (In fact, it's in my very short playlist of "perfect songs".) The lyrics are top-tier rascally storytelling, the bass riff is ridiculously catchy, the horn hits are amazing, and Wonder's singing is at its sassiest. The preceding track is the other hit, Sir Duke, which boasts its own insane bassline and a sort of anthemic chorus ("You can feel it all over..."). And all the instruments playing octaves of a rapid melody just after the climax... nearly as perfect as I Wish. Nearly. Pastime Paradise is a substantially better version of the spinoff Gangsta's Paradise released 19 years later. It features a lot of keyboard-string effects and a bizarre yet enchanting atmosphere. Summer Soft is another big highlight, with one of the absolute peaks of the album being the gradual semitone-modulation and increasing intensity of the repeated chorus in the song's second half. Disc is just as strong. The two main highlights are also the two hits. Isn't She Lovely is just catchy as heck (though I could do without the baby SFX – really holding my hand there with the song's meaning, Stevie). And a lovely sax part too. The penultimate song on the main album, As, is another intensity-building song. And the backing vocal hook, "Until the X / Until the Y" (ad infinitum) under Wonder's repeated "Always". Beautiful, I tell you. There's so much more to say about this record, but it's all been said before. The top-rated review sums it up: "That's what blows me away; despite the hour forty-five runtime, the songs never grow stale, and not a single track doesn't carry its weight (...) 6 out of 5 stars." 5/5 Key tracks: Sir Duke, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, Summer Soft, Isn't She Lovely, As
Lot of hype surrounding this album. 1 hr 40 is quite long. Enjoyed Contusion. Enjoyed Sir Duke. I Wish is great, too. Isn't she Lovely is a classic as well. There is a lot of variety here. There's also a ton of songs that have been sampled-like Pastime Paradise. This album really does live up to the hype.
01) Love's in Need of Love Today - 8,0 02) Have a Talk with God - 8,5 03) Village Ghetto Land - 8,0 04) Contusion - 8,0 05) Sir Duke - 10,0 06) I Wish - 10,0 07) Knocks Me Off My Feet - 8,5 08) Pastime Paradise - 10,0 09) Summer Soft - 8,5 10) Ordinary Pain - 8,5 11) Isn't She Lovely - 10,0 12) Joy Inside My Tears - 9,0 13) Black Man - 9,0 14) Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing - 8,5 15) If It's Magic - 8,0 16) As - 10,0 17) Another Star - 10,0 TOTAL: 8,97 (90/100) Current ranking: 68/744
Love it. Own it.
Maybe a hot take, but this album is overrated. It's still five stars, don't get me wrong! Just not a top-five album of all time. Innervisions is even better, in my opinion.
Pretty damn good!
It's not perfect but not enough to give less than 5
Kæmpe classic. Det er virkelig flot, føler det er et album som belønner en for at give ens opmærksomhed til hvert eneste sekund af det og selv uden det kan det nydes. Det er et stærkt funk og soul album med nogle gode tracks og jeg forestiller mig helt sikkert det er en af de største nogensinde og har inspireret mange mennesker. Det er sgu bare kæmpe også imponerende det er noget han har udgivet som 26 årig. Der er sgu bare ikke noget som lyder som ham, så det er svært ikke at give det topkarakter synes jeg.
Arguably tpo long but enough top class stuff to justify a double. Ridiculous 18th album
The lyrics veer into sentimentality and it's a bit too long. But musically? The range of emotion and influence, the complexity of the progressions and the arrangements, the strength of the melodic ideas, the precision of the performances, and the quality of the recording are just astonishing. It is among the most extraordinary productions of all time.
Is Songs in the Key of Life one of the greatest albums ever made? Oh definitely. That's why I decided to revisit it today and give this behemoth of an album a much deserved relisten and rating. What is there to be said about this album that hasn't been said before, it manages to tackle a 1hr 46 minute runtime, one that would kill most artists careers, beautifully and in a way that makes you wish there was even more to be desired here. Stevie Wonder somehow created one of the most tight and unbreakable streaks in music. Every section, song, and note is some of the most uplifting music ever created and yet it never gets old. Stevie Wonder is one of the greatest artists and no one can take that away from him, even if he just released this album his name would be known for the rest of time. Songs in the Key of Life will forever be a classic album, and beloved by all.
Top 5 most influential albums ever made
Loved the record, but couldn't pay attention to the lyrics. I think Stevie requires full attention to listen to, so I have to listen again to properly love it. It is a 5 though for sure, maybe a lower one for now
Gun to my head and I can pick 1 album to listen to one more time, this is the album
One of my all time favorite albums
Stevie Wonder is all sorts of absolute magic. Just wonderful stuff from start to finish, and totally didn't know that Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise was lifted from Pastime Paradise as I'd never heard the latter until now! Favourite tracks: Village Ghetto Land, Contusion, Sir Duke, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, Isn't She Lovely, Saturn.
YES. There's not enough stars to rate this album.
love
Yes, please, and thank you…this is one of the 1089 I was waiting on; coming in early at number 50, it’s also my first 5 rating. I think we come here expecting every album to resonate like this, and well that’s why so many of us get disappointed. So, where to begin? A double album of an hour and forty minutes of some of the greatest soul, R&B, funk music ever recorded. Not only is the music amazing, the influence it had on modern pop, R&B and rap speaks for itself (you can hear Mary J Blige, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Ja Rule, Coolio, Will Smith among others who sampled and redid songs from here). The poetic lyrics discuss deep/relevant issues we can all relate to such as youth, growing up, love, parenthood, faith, politics, society; and are at the same time delivered by Stevie Wonder’s warm, smooth tenor voice. This is an instance where major influence meets high-quality art. A classic piece of music that you truly must hear before you die as it may cleanse your soul.
Wow, this is so good and a lot of people have sampled from this.
Stevie Wonder is a visionary. No, really. He has vision. Not blind.
What to say about one of the great double albums of all time? Or maybe just one of the greatest albums of all time, regardless of number of discs? I was thrilled to have this come up today, partially due to it being a fantastic album, but also because I’m visiting my mom and this is one we could absolutely listen to together. What a treat! Back to the question of what to say, I really can’t add much that hasn’t been said already. This is a sprawling but very consistent album with amazing performances and themes. Stevie’s singing is top notch and it’s fantastically produced. And it has timeless songs like Sir Duke, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, and Isn’t She Lovely. What more needs to be said?
I Don’t Have To Listen To This Again To Give It A 10
Lo de Stevie Wonder en los 70 fue algo único e irrepetible. Este es su disco más reconocido, pero cualquiera desde Music of my mind hasta este son prácticamente intercambiables en calidad e importancia. Aquí la idea era hacer un triple álbum pero no era técnicamente posible así que se vendió como doble con un EP de regalo (A Something's Extra Bonus). Ya era el rey del mundo, con un contrato que le dió libertad absoluta como artista. Un negro dominando a la industria a su antojo y además siendo reconocido como el mejor por la academia, que le había concedido varios grammys al mejor álbum en sus discos anteriores. A nivel de ventas el asunto era el mismo: este disco fue el primero en llegar a la cima en su primera semana de publicación. Un artista comprometido, vanguardista (pionero en los sintetizadores ya demás con absoluta maestría) y de un nivel superlativo. Solamente queda disfrutar del genio. La nómina de colaboradores es inmensa: Hancock, Benson, Ripperton, Sembello... Los temas más conocidos son lógicamente Sir Duke, I wish, Pastime Paradise, Isn't She Lovely, As, Another Star o Knocks Me Off My Feet pero en realidad cualquiera es magistral, por ejemplo Joy Inside My Tears.
I mean it IS long. and side two isn't quite as good as side one. but good god Stevie does NOT miss. Banger after Banger Best songs: idk man, all of them (sir duke is pretty good though)
Brilliant
5/5 such a joy to listen to, not every song is a banger, but most were incredibly groovy and has such good instrumentation.
5/5, not every song was a banger but it was very consistently groovy as a baseline with a lot of giga bangers
Great album! Love Stevie
A masterpiece. So many great songs and so much variety.
Une conclusion s'impose à la fin de l’écoute de l’album : impossible de catégoriser Stevie Wonder. In the Key of Life parce que la vie c'est tellement de choses, c'est ça? Du talent brut et raffiné. Un artiste en état de grâce.
Yeah. I mean this album is iconic for a reason. It is so good. All the songs are interesting, great musicality, and obviously Stevie Wonder is a great singer. This album has the ICONIC songs! Liked Songs: "Love's In Need Of Love Today" , "Village Ghetto Land" , "Contusion" , "Sir Duke" , "I Wish" , "Knocks Me Off My Feet" , "Pastime Paradise" , "Summer Soft" , "Isn't She Lovely" , "Black Man" , "If It's Magic" , "Another Star" , "Saturn" , "Ebony Eyes"
Absolutely fantastic album, so feel-good and well composed and well written, basically no critiques aside from some small repetition I was a little miffed about here and there. I've not heard all that much music yet, but I feel comfortable calling this an album of humanity
timeless album fr, crazy how many songs on this have been readapted or remixed
Worthy of its classic status. I was never a fan of Stevie Wonder, per se, but I can see why people might call this the greatest album of all time. I don’t agree that it is, but it’s undeniable that the first disc is hit after hit, and the second disc begins with one of Wonder’s career-top songs. This is a must own, and my only qualm is that it feels ‘musty’, as in I’ve heard this so often in thrift stores, I associate the vibe with moth-eaten clothes. That’s a me problem though.
This album strives to fight for the greatest album. Loaded with hits, but Stevie also continued to show his ability to push music to new heights. So much instrumentation, synthesizers, and unique chords. Mmm Isn't She (the album) Lovely?
I'm a little undecided on this one... for now. There are so many great, great songs on this album, frankly, it's quite unbelievable. However, I did sort of lose focus in the last half of the second disc. I mean, that is probably both an expression of the album being a little to long (at least to my liking) and - with heavier emphasis - my lack of ability to focus. I feel I should probably come back and give the last half a second chance, because I feel if I could learn to dig that it would definitely get a 5. Actually I might just do it now. BRB Ah... I very much dislike when spotify does this; when it includes songs on the album that were not included in the original release... Normally I check, but I forgot to this time. Turns out all the songs that were included are the ones where I lost my concentration. So... I gues that makes it a 5! Incredible album
4.5/5
Wonderful, moving music. A fantastic experience from such an interesting artist
One of the greatest albums of all-time. A masterpiece on par with Mozart etc. Stevie in GOD MODE. 6/5
a perfect record!
Pretty… Pretty… Pretty… Pretty Great. Wasn’t even in the mood to listen to it, but glad I did. Also, FUCK KISS’s 1998 racist ass album “Psycho Circus”. (Actually, I don’t think it’s racist, but fuck it anyway).
An extraordinary album full of gems and what have become classics, the covers of which were big moments in other prominent musician's careers. If, for any reason, you were skeptical about Stevie Wonder's genius, this album alone is enough to silence any doubts.
Insane quality over the length of a long Disney film.
I'm not Lester Bangs. This is a powerhouse of an album. It's absolutely essential in all ways. Saying it's a 5/5 album (which it is) is not good enough and I'm simply not erudite enough of a writer to do it justice. I tried and it's vastly frustrating how short I came up in my first two reviews (yup this is my third attempt) this is why we need critics with an astonishing depth of knowledge and the kind of articulate phrasing that the average layman (that would be you & me) simply doesn't have. My dumbass is simply not well enough educated to be able to express myself properly & it sucks and frustrates the ever-loving poop out of me. So, I'll just list some Fun Facts about this masterpiece and accept that I simply don't have the words to express how great art (and make no mistake this is great art) can be so spiritually healing, how this album feels like a warm hug that you didn't even know needed but by God it feels so good. Four Fun Facts! A Five Album Run of Sheer Greatness. 1.) Songs in the Key of Life has been regarded by music journalists as the culmination of Wonder's "classic period" of recording which began in 1972 with Music of My Mind followed by Talking Book, Innervisions and Fulfillingness' First Finale. That's a 5-album run of sheer greatness that only a handful of recording artists have ever equaled and even fewer have surpassed- The Beatles are the only ones that come to mind at once. Even Pantera's front man is a fan. 2.) Its importance has also been recognized musicians in genres with singer Phil Anselmo describing a live performance of Songs in the Key of Life as "a living, breathing miracle" and Kanye West has stated in so many words that his ultimate artistic dream is to top Songs in the Key of Life. The Waiting Game before the Internet. 3) There was huge anticipation for Songs in the Key of Life, which was initially scheduled for release around October 1975. It was delayed on short notice for just over a year when Wonder (ever the perfectionist) felt that further remixing was essential. According to him, Motown's marketing campaign decided to take advantage of the delay by producing "We're almost finished" T-shirts. Almost out Macs Fleetwood Mac. 4.) Songs in the Key of Life is almost as good as Rumours (an album that was released around the same time as Songs in the Key of Life) IMO and by almost, I mean just about neck and neck with Rumours coming out on top by a nose- if that. Aftermath: OK, that's all I got. I will say that I have never taken so long writing a review before and with Fall falling forward by an hour today I feel like I've been at it since very early this morning. One of the few albums that lives up to the 1001 project's namesake so listen to it, give it your full attention and know that as perfect as a first listen as it is this album somehow somewhat uncannily just gets better with each listen- this is an album I have been hearing half my life and I can honestly say it has never sounded better than today.
Perfect album. No notes.
Vilken Wonderful musik
Super long album, but never once feels like it drags. Favourite track is ebony eyes, on the delux edition tracklist, an adorably cute ballad about a horse
Now we're talking...a classic double album. I could listen to this all day.
Undeniable. Great listen. Leaves me in awe.
Top 10 album of all time for me. Every song has some much to offer and you're getting songs like As and Sir Duke which aew timeless classic this is genuinely just a flawless. Nothing is more upbeat than this.
Absolute Classic.
Perfect
Feed me all of the Stevie he has yet to get anything lower than a high 4 and I can't imagine this album will change that. Holy hell i did not know that Pastime Paradise existed and was the original track for Gangstas/Amish paradise. Just read about it and it was one of the first to use a synthesizer as a string section. That's p cool. So many hits on this one that I did not think I would know. And Another Star was an excellent way of ending the album. Album was status quo for Mr. Wonder just another incredibly well done groovy hour and a half, and I kept going into the bonus tracks because I did not want it to end.
Well, well, well, if it isn't the best album of all time. What can I say about this album? Simply incomparable. Stevie Wonder keeps every single song on this album unique. Love's in Need of Love Today - Listening to this, especially the intro, is like landing in a soft, grassy meadow. Easy to get stuck in your head. Have a Talk with God - So many bits and bobbles to this track! All of the background auxiliary percussion, the background singers, harmonica flourishes? A joy to listen to. Village Ghetto Land - A jarring difference between the pompness of the "strings" in the background and the sad, stark lyrics. Love the use of the synth in this track and the lack of reverb. Emotions come through on this track. Contusion - Fuck yeah. If I could give a gripe with this album, it's that there's not more jazz fusion tracks like this. Because it fuckin' rocks. Sir Duke - One of my very first favorite songs. When I learned trumpet, this was the first some I wanted to learn. When I bought a bass, this was the first song I wanted to learn. The shout chorus is an all-timer, and the chord movement in the chorus is a thing of beauty. If I have to pick a favorite track on this album, it might have to be this one. I Wish - The bass line is elite. The brass thrown in the track and the drum fills and Stevie's screaming in the end is infectious. Knocks Me Off My Feet - If I'm honest, Stevie's slow songs very rarely do much for me. But the soul definitely comes through, the chords and their crunchy upper extensions are satisfying, and the KEY CHANGE? That's delicious, delectable even. Second half of the song really brings it home. Pastime Paradise - Wow, I can't believe Stevie ripped off Weird Al's "Amish Paradise". Honestly this one isn't totally my jam but also...you know...what influence this had on music. Summer Soft - At first you think this one is going to be overly saccharine, but then when you get to the chorus? We start to bring the funk with the bass and the drums. And remember the key change from Knocks Me Off My Feet? How about a few more of those puppies? Yum. Ordinary Pain - A lot like Summer Soft, in a way. At first you worry it's gonna be too sweet and corny, and then Stevie goes into another mode and it transforms the track into something that kind of hits you in the gut. Does it drag on too much at the end? No - it's fun to listen to all the way to the fade out. Isn't She Lovely - Another one of my favorites on the album. I think I've listened to this one enough where I can, and will at every opportunity, whistle the entire harmonica solo at the end. Joy Inside my Tears - OK I'll be honest - every album has a dud. Too slow and saccharine for my taste. Black Man - This song just makes me want to strut. Just so much funk from beginning to end, love the synthy horn punches in the background. If anyone thinks the end goes on too long, I will disagree wholeheartedly, because the beat is just so good. My only complaint is they don't name MORE black men at the end! Ngiculela - This has become a favorite for me to sing in the shower. Great chords and upper extensions, and a great book of sounds used in this song. And a great song to show off Stevie's voice. If It's Magic - In the lower tier of songs on the album, and yet it's still phenomenal. The use of harp makes it unique from the other tracks, and the reverbs harmonicas in the end wrap it up in a bow. As - Anytime Stevie gets gravelly with his voice, it's an instant classic - gives me chills every time. Love when he vamps with the constant force of the background singers holding it down. Another Star - The drums and horns almost give this a Copacabana feel, and then the jazz flute? Magnifique. We need more jazz flute in our life. Saturn - Love the triumphant vibes of this track, I feel like I am in an 80s movie and I just feel in love while winning a sports game or something. Ebony Eyes - Of all the songs on the album, this is definitely on the simpler side. And yet, it's just such a fun listen. Easy on the ears, a fun talkbox solo, easy chords that tickle the brain, just a great one. All Day Sucker - Has the "tough" energy of "Higher Ground", but not as good as Higher Ground. A good listen, but another that doesn't stand out from the crowd. Certainly unique though! Easy Goin' Evening - ...we do unfortunately end my favorite album of all time with a whimper instead of a bang - I think this one just seemed like filler and could've been kept off. But...after 1:40 of hit after hit, I'll allow a miss. So, all this being said - it's all downhill from here, unless I can be proven otherwise. Thanks Stevie for an all-time unmatched masterpiece.
What a voice. I could listen to Stevie Wonder for hours. How does he do it?
Wall to wall bangers. A masterpiece. A culmination of a five-album run that's arguably the greatest in the history of popular music - only slightly tripped up by Fullingness' First Finale being like a quarter notch below the other four. Flip it and Songs in the Key of Life and you have a season 5 of The Wire equivalent.
😁
It should be illegal for one person to have this much talent. So many bangers in this one, even the throwaway tracks at the end were great. WTF Stevie Wonder. Playlisted: Contusion Summer Soft Ordinary Pain Joy Inside My Tears If It's Magic Another Star Saturn
I've heard a lot of these songs but the only other time I've listened to the album was on Kate's floor on 12th Street and I was too distracted by the makeout at the time to pay attention to music properly. This time I did and wow what a work of art! I didn't make it all the way through but this is one I will be revisiting.
Beautiful, from what I can tell the last 4 songs are not apart of the original release and included as a bonus 7". I prefer it ending at "Another Star"
Brilliant album. Funky and soulful. Lyrics and music were great. Never really gave any time to stevie wonder before this but I’ll defo be coming back
this was just incredible front to back
I did not have enough time to listen to this properly today, like forcing down an eight-course meal during lunch break, but quality is undeniable. I’m a tired old man muttering around the dark outskirts of a brilliant festival. Hope to return someday.
really enjoyed this one
già solo il titolo dell’album è un fatto oltre all’ovvietà del fatto che è bellissimo da ascoltare, è anche pieno di riflessioni sulla vita nelle sue sfumature quindi veramente questo è proprio cinque cinque
Che gli vuoi dire a quest’album. Tutte tracce bellissime. Grande voce e grandi arrangiamenti e una serie di brani iconici. L’unica cosa dura 1h 45 che per i miei gusti è un pochino tanto. Vabbè ma comunque 5/5
peak clamoroso
Classic. Surprisingly a couple duds, but lots of Stevie songs I hadn't heard before on the album that are just as good of bangers as his other classics.
1hr and 40m of pure genius.
Just a near perfect record already owned it
This was quite magical and lovely! Some of the songs went on a bit with the outros but otherwise it was a fantastic album. Lots of bangers!
Tip top
What a timeless banger of an album. It has really grown with me over the years in different phases of life, and expresses so beautifully a lot of what life is, layers and different parts of experience. It's worth listening to many times over time. Accomplished, beautiful, far-ranging music. Real, expansive, devotional. Brilliant record.
Stevie Wonder is a genius, and this is just a really feel good album. Easy 5
You don't have to like this record, but if you don't, and I meet you, we're gonna fight.
9/10
Always a joy to listen to Stevie Wonder, doubly so after listening to most of the trash on this list of 1001 (plus) albums.
Amazing Album
So much soul, groove, positivity and musicality. Easy 5 stars
Damn. Double album of non-stop gold. Maybe the easiest 5 I've given
Perfect
96/100. This is a record that doesn’t just sound good. It feels good. Even when he’s singing about pain or struggle, there’s warmth in his delivery. It’s not just that the songs are well-written. It’s that they care. With this much music, there are moments that feel like gentle dips in energy. But that’s also part of what makes it so human. It’s not perfect in structure. It’s perfect in intention.
My Favorite Stevie Wonder Album
At first glance It was meh. After half an hour It started to shine. Now, the more I listen to it, the more I like It. Stevie has conquered me.
Dios mio como empezar, este album es literalmente ARTE, los instrumentales son espectaculares, Stevie habla de todos los temas posibles mientras te hace vibear con lo que es probablemente el set de canciones mas sampleado de la historia. Siendo un doble album de tal extension, la calidad y consistencia de este proyecto es simplemente BRUTAL. Lo mejor del soul/funk y lo mejor de Stevie. Tuve que contenerme para no agregar todas las canciones a mi playlist, no darle un 10/10 sería un crimen. La ilusión que me hizo despertar y ver que iba a ir a la facultad escuchando esto habla por si misma🙏🏻
Poco que decir de uno de los mejores álbumes de la historia. Este ni siquiera es mi álbum fav de Stevie y aún así me parece la divina papaya. Muy pocos artistas pueden presumir de una discografía y de un arsenal melódico tan bueno. Su voz es icónica, sus melodías son antológicas y sus canciones suenan importantes y memorables. El paraguas temático de Stevie no parece tener fin, y su creatividad a la hora de componer, tampoco. 1h44 min de doble álbum + A Something's Extra sin precedentes en mi opinión, cada canción es mejor que la anterior y mirad cuantas hay. Simplemente otro rollo. Favs: todas, pero especialmente... As Another Star Summer Soft Sir Duke (did you know this was sampled for an ICONIC hip hop song) I Wish (did you know this was sampled for an ICONIC hip hop song) Pastime Paradise (did you know this was sampled in an ICONIC hip hop song) HE'S JUST THAT RELEVANT
Honrando a su título, son Songs in the Key of Life, y como en la vida misma, con este disco te ríes, lloras, reflexionas, y en definitiva, sientes. Es un disco muy humano, y al igual que cualquiera de su especie, tiene muchísimas capas a las que no les voy a poder hacer justicia por mucho que me ponga a escribir. All killer no filler. Las 5 estrellas más merecidas del mundo. PS: Hasta el rapero de tu barrio sampleó alguna canción de este disco. Influencia innegable. A la playlist: todo el disco.
Is going to be played once again for sure
historic!! lovelovelove
This is such a great record. Just very heartfelt, and extremely musical. Stevie Wonder is a national treasure.
I cannot keep starting to listen to Songs In The Key Of Life only to find that it's two days later and I'm only three quarters of the way through. This is clearly a work of inarguable talent and possibly a masterpiece in a string of masterpieces. I mean, did you notice that this was Stevie Wonder's eighteen album? Yes, and he was twenty-six years old when it came out--just mind boggling.
the one thing i keep thinking as i try and sit down write a review for the third day in a row: this album is overwhelming (-ly good). if i really cared to, i could probably sift through this albums almost two hour run time to find SOMETHING to critique... but you know what? i don't want to. almost every song was a hit. stellar album. great listening. unquestionable classic. highlights - saved almost every song from this album, but special shout out to saturn
Beste album tot nu toe. Veel bekende nummes en mooie nieuwe nummers geluisterd
Очень музыкальный, интересный и крутой альбом. Но почти все песни можно было смело делать на несколько минут короче. Тогда бы и альбом стал меньше по времени и более динамичный. Хотя наверное в семидесятых это было не так актуально
he's back with a bang boys! herzlich willkome zu minere nachhol-journey vo de letschte paar wuche album klöpp – ih dere serie widme ich mich vereinzelte albene wo ich's gfühl han sinds wert zum nache lose… wenn ich aber euchi bewertige ahluege vo de letschte wuche muessi säge hani nöd vill hochkarätigs verpasst – drum bini wahrschinli sehr glii wieder up to date. aber trotzdem: leave a like and smash that subscribe button! und will d'5er quote erschreckend tüüf gsi isch (null 5is weni mi da nöd tüüsche) muessi luege dass es wieder mit rechte dinge zue gad und lah direkt es 5i lah ligge I've said it before and I'll say it again: d'welt wär en bessere ort wenn das album ih de dauerschleife uf jedere geburteabteilig wür laufe! hed de stevie eifach sponti dänkt ach chum für mis 18. album packi mal so richtig us und liefere eu 105 min musikalischi masterclass – merci für de <3
just awesome
Seriously this guy is a genius. How does he do it?!
Incredibly wide ranging effort from Stevie. A classic
Alright, my second Stevie Wonder album, and it's the big one. I'll keep it short, this probably isn't my favorite album of all time or anything, but after listening to this I think there's an argument that this is the greatest album ever. And I really can't think of anyone off the top of my head who I think is "better" at music than Stevie Wonder. Like the magnitude of the accomplishment here is not lost on me. This is basically as close as anyone has ever come to just like creating 21 consecutive, perfect songs. And it keeps the quality up for longer than many feature length films. The only "complaint" I have is that after the magnificent Love's In Need Of Love Today, we have a few weaker songs before getting back up to speed. Weaker is relative, Have A Talk with God, Village Ghetto Land, and Contusion are still better than many artists' best, it's just that after this run we get Sir Duke immediately and you remember how the rest of this album sounds. These songs manage to be so complex and groove *so* hard, it's frankly improbable. And every once in a while, Stevie Wonder realizes that he's found a groove so good that he just has to ride it out for like three minutes: and he's always right. Additionally, I just learned that Gangsta's Paradise is an interpolation, so that rocked my world quite a bit. But yeah, this is pretty much just immaculate, damn near perfect for way longer than should be physically possible.
WOW!
MASTERFUL. That's the word that best describes this album, and in fact, the stretch of albums leading up to this climactic double LP. "I Wish" is my favorite song on the album, it's an energetic, emotional, riveting remembrance of childhood in which joy is baked into every good and bad moment. That represents the album as a whole: the "wonder" is how Stevie can extend goodness, and extract goodness, from all of life's experiences. The most positive, and even the more painful experiences. You will have favorite tracks, but if you just let the music in...something beautiful comes through on each track. An album you TRULY must hear before you die.
I love how Stevie Wonder navigates both the big and the small, the anthem and the love note. And he does so with such skill that it seems simple when it clearly isn't. The wild thing, this isn't even the best album in his big stretch. But it is oh so good.
This is the album with all the hits, it’s also almost 2 hours
'It's that love's in need of love today / Don't delay, send yours right away.' This record confirms that the 'key of life' is 'love.' Just as Joyce's Ulysses is the greatest novel to explore the various manifestations of love (uttered: 'love loves to love love'), Stevie's essential double album is, for my money, the best of all to browse the many incarnations of love: sexual love, familial love, self-love, faith & love, love for community, love for humanity, love for music ('Sir Duke'). At an hour and forty-four mins, it's not only not too long - it could be even lengthier. The genius displayed here is startling infinite. And a divulgence: Stevie Wonder is a witty and quotable lyricist: 'Since one ain't good enuf for you / Then do yourself see how you do.' Lovely, no?
The entire thing is soul cleansing. It is beautiful in its purest form. The entire thing makes you appreciate life. It is cheerful for a cruel world and Stevie Wonder truly embraces the beauty in this cruel world and makes sure that everything isn't horrible. The vocals are beautiful and the instrumentals can ascend someone in a trance. Overall great project. I do admit there are periods that feel lacking and some that aren't as interesting. But generally, everything stands out in pride and truly makes an optimistic point of view on a world filled with oppression and sadness. I highly recommend this to everyone. If you don't mind the one and a half hour album length, I would give this a try as it is beauty in its purest form. Favorite Song: Sir Duke
🗯 By this point, Stevie wasn’t making records — he was showing off. From 1972’s Music of My Mind through to this double-album masterpiece, Stevie Wonder went on arguably the greatest creative run in music history. Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness’ First Finale — and then this: sprawling, fearless, bursting with ideas. It’s Stevie writing the encyclopedia of human feeling, set to funk, soul, gospel, and jazz. The hits are untouchable: Sir Duke’s joy is infectious, I Wish grooves like pure sunshine, and Knocks Me Off My Feet melts hearts instantly. But it’s the depth that makes it staggering. Pastime Paradise reimagines gospel for the future (hello, Coolio), Village Ghetto Land skewers inequality over a deceptively pretty string arrangement, As spirals into infinite devotion, and Ordinary Pain flips halfway through into a whole other song — classic Stevie mischief. Even deep cuts like Another Star and Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing show how wide his palette stretched. And yeah, as it turned out, he did prove he was human after all by following this with Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants — Whyyyyyy? — but that only makes Songs in the Key of Life shine brighter as the consummate peak! Verdict: Essential (depending on the day of the week, this might just be the greatest album ever made) For fans of: Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Prince, encyclopedias written in groove
A masterpiece, not much more to say
Classiiiiic
Love it
ha. colossal album, with massssssive hits with such variety and range, even if there are some tracks I don't 'love', this stands on its own with tracks 1,5,6,8 (tupac used this one) on disc 1 and 1,6,7 on disc 2 - As (mary J blige & george michael) & Another star have been sampled a billion times and influenced who knows how many
An absolute joy in everyway. Tickles the mind body and soul. Not to mention the heart. Makes me believe maybe humanity doesn't have something positive to offer the universe.
A double album that doesn't feel like a slog is a hard thing to accomplish but Stevie manages it with infectious grooves and catchy melodies. I can't say enough good things about this album. If I could I'd probably rate it 4.5/5 but for the sake of this challenge I will give it its full 5/5.
What a classic-but then he’s not made a bad one.
10/10 How do you review an album of this scope? It’s pretty much the culmination of everything Stevie had learned up to this point. He took a year off his standard ‘album a year’ schedule and spent a bit of extra time working on something new. And boy did it pay off. It touches on his personal journey, politics, fatherhood, love and music itself and it does it all with so much groove, drive and musical talent that it’s, frankly, a little bit silly. It flows so beautifully from track to track, but touches base on some of the most heartfelt love songs, some of the funkiest jams and some of the most brilliant pop hits you’re ever likely to hear. And because it never stops shifting and moving, it fails to ever really slip into the ‘lull’ that other double albums often fall into. Yes, there are some songs that aren’t quite as brilliant as others, but given that there are at least a handful of 11/10 songs on the album, the 9/10s don’t really do much to drag down the average. And that’s without considering the album as a whole. It’s just an exceptional piece of work that just sits tall and proud above the sum of its (quite considerable) parts. I’ve listened to this album three times today and I’ve just started on my fourth. Listen closely and I guarantee you will find something new in so many of these tracks even on your 20th, 30th or 40th listen through. Some of these compositions are so thick with talent and musicianship that it’s almost hard to appreciate it in your first few runs through. But he also never lets that overwhelm things, throwing in something more stripped back now and again to let your ears settle before something massive comes cresting over the hill. Oh, and to chuck out a 4 track EP with limited edition releases of the original LP that’s as good ‘A Something’s Extra’, is frankly ridiculous. Fair play Stevie. Love’s In Need Of Love Today - This is a beautiful tour of Stevie’s vocal range, from the subtle to the soaring, with bits of grit and fire thrown in for good measure. Instrumentally, it’s relatively restrained, but the playing is so good. It’s laid back, but tight and has a great groove to it. This is quite like a jazz piece in that there are some defined chord structures and motifs that are then just riffed on in a more freeform way. Have A Talk With God - I love the blend of synths used on this track. It creates a really interesting soundscape, with the sample and hold driven pad in the background and the sharp, staccato tones, along with that fat, smooth bass. And then layer on those vocals and harmonica lines. Lovely. Village Ghetto Land - An overtly political vocal set over an almost baroque synth composition? It’s a bit of a strange blend, but allows the lyrics and vocal to take centre stage, which I think is the point. His vocal is excellent as always and it pays to have variation on any album, let alone one this long. Contusion - So much going on here. In stark contrast to the sparse arrangement of the last track, this is so full, almost to a hectic degree. Fantastic synth and guitar playing in particular. It’s got bags of attitude and drive and some really interesting rhythmic changes. I love this track, there’s always some little bit that I hear like it’s new, even though I’ve heard it so many times. Sir Duke - Well, it’s Sir Duke. It swings, it grooves and it kicks. If this doesn’t get you moving, then I presume you have no reflection. There is no fault to be found anywhere in this song. Exceptional composition, supreme playing and a perfect vocal delivery. How can you follow this? I Wish - Oh, so this is how you follow Sir Duke. It takes the pace down a notch, but, oh lord. That bass line. The horns on this track are absolutely spectacular. There’s so much movement all across this track and again, there are little nuggets all over the place that just beg from repeat listens. Knocks Me Off My Feet - What a love song. The vocal to this are just exquisite. There are some great grooves, the drumming is brilliant, and some tasty little transitions that play around with sequence lengths a little bit and makes things flow in a slightly unexpected way. Pastime Paradise - Another classic. That shuffling rhythm is great and it builds so nicely throughout. It’s got a pretty unique flavour to the composition and instrumentation for a pop/funk/soul tune too. The vocals are, as always, excellent. Summer Soft - The piano in this is so good, the way he kind of shimmers over the keys, tickling this beautiful bed of tone. And when it kicks in, it’s got so much vibe and energy. Great, toe-tapping rhythms, more fantastic vocal riffing and an abundance of key changes. Ordinary Pain - This is more stripped back, but it still just grooves. The synth bass is just great too. And then it just changes into a completely different song half way through. The second half is also decent, but is maybe just a bit too lacking in dynamic range. Some more hidden gems in the playing though. Isn’t She Lovely - A song that pretty much sums up the feeling of wonder a man feels on becoming a father. Is it self-indulgent? Certainly. Is it sickly sweet? Absolutely. Does it perfectly encapsulate the feeling that it is trying to put across? Without a doubt. It’s a brilliant pop song. It’s got some sick harmonica solos in it too. Joy Inside My Tears - The pace drops for something with a really nice slow groove. There are some lovely little fills from some of the instruments in here. It’s all just so warm and tasty. Black Man - This is so funky. All of the parts give so much movement and that bass in particular just shifts. It’s a really good political track too, even though one would perhaps not refer to people as yellow or red these days! It’s perhaps a touch long, but I get the point he was trying to make. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing - Another change of pace, but this time with an almost lazy swagger to it. Again, the vocal is excellent, soaring and then biting. Is it a hit single? No. Is it a really decent album track? Yep. If It’s Magic - This is a beautiful song. So stripped back and just allows a focus on Stevie’s vocal, front and centre. A little palate cleanse and dropping of the pace before… As - So, so, good. The little lead key part that just trips its way along is gorgeous, the groove is rock solid, the chord structure just takes you on a funky journey. Oh, and the vocal… Woof. Is this Stevie’s greatest vocal performance? Maybe. The strength of the opening lines of the second verse are just special. His growly bit in the middle eight. The vocal runs at about 5:50. It’s a brilliant, brilliant song. Another Star - This one SHIFTS. Good lord, no double-album closer has a right to be this good and have this much pace and groove. The horn parts in particular are great, but again, all of the parts are so, so good. Just listen out for some of the little guitar licks that just sit there being amazing. Stevie just lets loose on his vocal too. (Extra EP - I’ve not had enough yet) Saturn - Another great song in its grandiosity. It’s just massive, but it’s got really good dynamic range too, stripping way and then building again. Quality musicianship again. Ebony Eyes - Love the phased backing vocals in this. It fells quite silly in its presentation with the little talk boxy bits, and the call of “Saxophone right here!”, but this is again, so quality. I feel like Vulfpeck probably listen to this before every recording session. All Day Sucker - How dare he release a tossed off bonus EP that’s THIS good. This is so funky, there’s so much going on and it’s hook central. Oh, and that lead guitar? It sounds so good and just bounces around the stereo field and you just can’t help but chase it with your ears. Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call) - What a way to close everything down. It’s just so chilled and lazy, but it swells and rolls and it’s so cool. I mean you wouldn’t buy it as a single, but to close off the extra EP of a double album? Yes please.
Ich hatte große Erwartungen bei diesem Album. Ich wurde nicht enttäuscht, sondern begeistert. Wie kann ein fast zweistündiges Album nicht langweilig werden? Wie kommt es, dass jeder Song anders ist und nicht mit denen davor zusammenfließt? Es fühlt sich eher wie eine gute Playlist an als ein Album, fast so, als wäre die Songs von unterschiedlichen Künstlern. Ein Album, das seinen Ruf mehr als verdient und der Beweis, dass gute und abwechslungsreiche Doppelalben möglich sind.
Given my general preference for doom and gloom, this may be the most cheerful album I've actually enjoyed (ok, there was also Little Richard). Songs... is full of a not-cheesy wholesomeness that's rare to find. From wishes for love to societal issues, this album talks about life in a very intimate, grown-up, and uplifting way—not ignoring problems, but keeping a positive outlook. The lyrics are pretty straightforward; there's not much poetry to find. It's more of a pleasant conversation that'll still leave you with something to think about. Music-wise, this album is a wonder: 1.5 hours long, and it doesn't get boring or repetitive, yet stays cohesive. Every song offers something new in terms of sound but sticks to the general vibe. The piano is beautiful. Sampling baby speech is a ballsy move I could live without. Some of these songs are too sweet for me to take regularly, and the harmonica should be banned, but overall, this is a great album.
Fav: Isn’t She Lovely Least Fav: Love’s In Need Of Love Today He woke up and decided to make the best soul album ever, and he succeeded
One of the greatest albums ever. The only double album I’ll listen to completely.
gran álbum
Had hears parts of it before, but never so focused. Still dont like the guy but the music is great. Also very good engineering
It's so funny I got Talking Book yesterday and now I get Songs in the Key of Life, it's just a fun generation quirk. But anyway, the album... I guess to put my opinion into perspective: despite the very lengthy run time I had a fantastic time with this album, its joyfulness is contagious but it's not a shallow kind of joyfulness, it's about love, it's about freedom, it's about peace. It sounds like Stevie just wanted to gather all the things that are important to him into one album that also happens to be sonically eclectic which feels far more consistent than albums shorter than it. I could gladly listen to this one all the way again, with the exception if Ebony Eyes but even then it's not messing up the album by any means. After it I'm just thinking about how my psych teacher in high school would play this album every time before class started and it was always a nice mood setter and I still associate the album with him, I just kick myself for not checking it out sooner because it is wonderful (heh).
Love this album from start to finish.
This is the greatest album that has ever been recorded. If I could give it all of my stars I would. I love it so much
C'mon. Easy 5. Listened to this album so many times
Songs in the Key of Life is pure joy bottled into sound. Funky grooves, soul-soaked ballads, and Stevie at the absolute peak of his genius.
A sprawling masterpiece of a double album. Eclectic, diverse and never sticking to one genre, Songs in the Key of Life is an adventurous listen that is almost impossible to believe was Stevie's 18th studio album with how defining and sampled nearly every track is. A truly fantastic album and one that has permeated my life from my early years thanks to continuous play from my Mom. A worthy benchmark and one that will be hard to top on this 1001 album journey.
Great album
9.7/10
Very experimental for the time.
Great top to bottom. A lot of this is very famous, either in original form or samples, but still sounds fresh.
It might be a 4 for me but I cannot give it anything less than a 5. Perfect album.
Little Stevie Wonder, one of the best Motown ever featured. I love the Motown sound, I love Stevie Wonder and this was arguably the finest album he ever created.
Good morn' or evenin', friends. Here's your friendly announcer. I have serious news to pass on to everybody... This is the greatest album ever made. I mean, honestly. Is that not just a fact of life? I mean, can **you** think of a single album that's better than this one? Completely and thoroughly? I don't think so. And believe me, I'm the kind of person who wouldn't just unilaterally declare something like that. Besides the fact that there's no accounting for taste, I mean, no album's perfect. There's always little factors about them that would cause even the best candidates to rock-paper-scissor each other and cancel themselves out. Y'know what I mean? You could round debate about them forever, but there'd always be something that'd keep you from coming to a single satisfying conclusion. Except for SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE. I can't think of another album that is so singularly beautiful and perfect that whatever minor flaws it may have just plain don't matter. One that, no matter how many times I hear it, I'm just in awe of it. Its scope, its grandeur, the individual strength of every song, and how they all coalesce into a single product... It would be hard, near impossible for anyone to do — and yet Stevie Wonder did it as his **eighteenth album**. And it's not like this album just came out of the blue. This is the final album in a quintology: his Classic Period. This is a series of albums that includes the likes of MUSIC OF MY MIND, TALKING BOOK, INNEVISIONS and FULLFILLINGESS' FIRST FINALE. None of these albums are to be trifled with; they are all very strong contenders for his best album, in their own rights. I mean, come on, take a song from each: MUSIC OF MY MIND has "Superman"; TALKING BOOK, "Superstitions"; INNERVISIONS, "Living In The City"; and FULFILLINGESS' FIRST FINALE, "They Won't Go When I Go". That's damn stacked. You wouldn't think there'd be a way to compete with that; that, by this point — by **this point** in his career — Stevie would be out of tricks. Well, not only is he not out of tricks, he has enough to spread across **two discs**. Hell, **three**, actually. He had so many songs just laying around that there had to be a bonus 7" EP included just to contain them all — and they're literally just "A SOMETHING EXTRA!" And I've said before, in other reviews: double albums are a risk. If you are not at the absolute top of your game, they can come across as exercises in absolute ego. And even with the best double albums, like The White Album or even SIGN "O" THE TIMES, you could make reasonable arguments for them being cut down. Not here, though. You couldn't cut a single song from this album and still have it work. Not even "Ordinary Pain", the one song on here I'd've said at some point in the past I liked the least. (And of course, being the least liked song on SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE is still something a half.) This is Stevie working at the absolute peak of his power. He expends so much of it here, and so hard, that nothing he could do afterwards could even match. Not that I think he ever tried to, anyway — I mean, **I** make a SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE, I'm not gonna embarrass myself by trying **again**. I'm not stupid. Even if the rest of my career is "Jungle Fever" and "I Just Called To Say I Love You", I've still got this masterwork of masterworks under my belt. Now, this deep in, you've gotta be thinking I'm being a little hyperbolic here. Like, maybe a **little** overly rapturous? I mean, come on, even if this album really is just **that good**, I shouldn't be suckin' it off nearly as hard as I am, right? And, hey, if I am being a little over the top in my praise here — sure, fine. That's fair. But I am not being dishonest. I am not lying when I say I truly, honestly think that SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE is the greatest album ever made. Believe me, it has stiff competition. The Beatles' ABBEY ROAD. Pink Floyd's WISH YOU WERE HERE. The Beach Boys' PET SOUNDS. Prince's PURPLE RAIN. Michael Jackson's OFF THE WALL. Daft Punk's RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES. Weird Al's ALPOCALYPSE — I could go on. But none of them, not even for a second, compare to the honest magic I still feel whenever I listen to this album. I mean, "**if** it's magic?" You're damn sure it is. And at this point in the review, I'm not even 100% sure on any specifics I wanna bring up to try and back my point. And not because I can't think of any, no: more, where do I **start**? This is not an album that's shy on good moments, given how much it's been sampled in hip hop. And, sure, one of those songs was "Wild Wild West", but "I Wish" is undeniable, no matter how you slice it. (Also, I honestly kinda love "Wild Wild West" for how goofy it is, so...) Like... This album starts like I'm getting a radio broadcast sent directly from Heaven. "Love's In Need Of Love Today" — what an opener. One of my absolute favorites off the bat. It **starts like this**. That's how this album **begins**. And it never, ever dips too far below this point. Like, come on, "Have A Talk With God"? "Village Ghetto Land"? "Contusion"? "Sir Duke"? "I Wish"? I mean, I gotta stop myself from naming every song on the album, but I very well could; they're all just that good. Stevie is just a wonder (hah) of a multi-instrumentalist. Every instrument he touches on this album, he stuns on, and every vocal he lays down is amazing. But of course, his keyboard playing is second to none. Magic from those fingertips, honest to goodness. I mean, goodness, those synthesized strings he lays down on "Village Ghetto Land"? They're synthesized, sure, but damn if they're not beautiful in spite of the song's subject matter. And his harmonica playing, oh. It's what got him famous in the first place, and it's no surprise he's still A1 as heck honking on the thing. Just listen to how it wails on "Isn't She Lovely", or how plain calming it is on "Easy Goin' Evening". And this isn't to ignore the absolute cavalcade of other musicians playing on this thing. They still had to pull their own weight, and pull they did. Y'know Michael Sembello, the guy who did "Maniac" for FOOTLOOSE? He played guitar on this album. Herbie Hancock's on here, too, providing his own key stylings. Minnie Ripperton's one of many vocalists who contribute to the "OR-DAH-NARY PAIN" refrain on the song of the same name. And all the horn players, who were able to pull off something like "Sir Duke"? Give 'em a hand. Give 'em a dang ol' hand. And I could keep going with the praise. "Isn't She Lovely" is indeed lovely as hell. "Summer Soft" lives up to its own name. "Pasttime Paradise" sounds wonderfully mysterious and introspective (no wonder Coolio sought to sample it). "Contusion" is an electric instrumental. "Sir Duke" is just a joy. "I Wish" is groovy as all get out. "Anothern Star" is as dramatic a closer as you'd want. All the songs on the A SOMETHING EXTRA just should not be ignored, particularly "Easy Goin' Evening" and "Saturn". And did I mention how gorgeous "Village Ghetto Land" is already — and I know I did, but seriously, it very much is. And "As" is... Just such a truly incredible song. It fights **damn hard** to be the best on the entire album, and Stevie could've titled it something like "Always" or "Until The Day" for commercial appeal, but dang it, he's such a force on this album that he can name it after the first word on the song and, by goodness, he **gets away with it**. You probably well get by this point how great the album is, though. It's truly something to consider that we almost didn't get this album. For real: in 1975, he honestly considered quitting music so he could emigrate to Ghana to help disabled children. A farewell concert to bring the curtain down on his career was being planned and everything. Imagine: Stevie stopping just short before making the single most defining album his career. I don't wanna say that helping children in Ghana would've been a "lesser" option, but could you imagine a world without this album? Heck, a world **deprived** of this album? I can't. Luckily, Stevie changed his mind, and then took so long to make this album that Motown's marketing division was able to take advantage of the delay by makin' shirts with "We're almost finished" on 'em. Is there another album where you could honestly sell shirts that pretty much say "Hey, the damn thing's comin' soon; shut the hell up?" You probably know my answer. And in a review where I've positioned that I might be speaking hyperbolically, and acknowledged that I might be taking my praise over the top, what I'm about to say could be pushing the limits — but heck, if you've read this far, why not, eh? Truthfully, if there's a higher power in the universe, I do believe that they're partly responsible for this music. Not that this is "their music"; these songs are all the results of Stevie's gifts and his collaborators, nothing less. But more just... Well, Stevie probably made up his own mind to make the best of his career and keep going. I'm jus' sayin', I personally wouldn't discount that something up there, out there, knew what a worse place this world would be without this album, and helped give Stevie a nudge. I could keep going. Not only is this only the second 2k word review I've ever written, but it's beaten the one I did for SGT. PEPPER'S by seven words. It's just crazy to me that I've managed to pull out that much to say. In the end, though, no matter how much I babble on, I could never truly express how truly incredible this album is. I could speak until the day becomes the day that is no more and I'd never really come close. And believe me, you just saw me make a **very** good attempt to try and get there. It's just that amazing of a record. I mean, heck, I wouldn't even really say this is an album: it's more like an experience unto itself. I've never stopped being in awe of it, no matter how many times I spin it. I couldn't even begin to imagine how anyone could truly, completely dislike it. And believe me, I've tried to get it. I've sampled some of the reviews on this album: it's a long album, it's a long album, it's a long alb— yeah, most of the negative reviews I came across really harped on the fact that this album was 104 minutes long when you include the A SOMETHING EXTRA EP. And, y'know, that's fair. I've ragged on plenty of albums for their length before, mostly from the 90's when CD bloat was a thing. And beyond that, maybe this album's sound just plain didn't click with them — also fair. I can't tell you I always loved every part of this album. As I said above, until recently I would openly say that "Ordinary Pain" was my least favorite half, and all because I couldn't jive with the second half. So it's not like I haven't tried to find the faults in this album. They do exist, and I can completely understand how, for some people, it would keep them liking the thing, let alone thinking it's one of the greatest albums of all time. But personally... Well, until the day that 8 times 8 times 8 is 4 — until the day the oceans cover the mountains high — until dear Mother Nature says her work is through — until the day that is the day there is no more, I'll always be loving this album. Thank you, Stevie. Truly.
What a fucking album. Would give 6 stars if it were available.
It’s the greatest album of all time. I knew it was going into it, and even with the last 597 albums I’ve listened to occasionally leaving me mesmerized beyond belief, it only took one more listen of this piece of art to remember that it is, indeed, the greatest album of all time. The first time I heard this album in full was around 2013. My musical journey, in many ways, begins around that year. Sure, I’d heard music all my life, but I wanted to really, truly dive into it and finally figure out what my tastes were really aligned towards. I did that the way any absolute moron would at the age of 13: I made a Pandora account and let the radio station play, liking whatever I liked and disliking whatever I didn’t. I let the algorithm send me along, even back then. Obviously, that strategy’s a little loose, but I’d honestly recommend it; I think it’s much easier for a younger brain to digest individual tracks for a while, to let the seeds plant in and really figure out what constitutes “good” music to them. I figured out that I really liked pop music, but along the way, a lot of 70s & 80s stuff popped up. Obviously, this “Stevie Wonder” guy showed up eventually, and while I knew him by name as that blind guy who makes music, I think the chemicals in my brain fundamentally changed the second I heard “Sir Duke” for the first time. “Sir Duke” is a perfect pop song. No ifs, ands or buts about it – if you want to study any singular track in history to figure out pop structure, you have to listen to “Sir Duke”. I’m fairly certain that was the catalyst for me to sit down and listen to “Songs in the Key of Life” for the first time, but not before getting through the vast discography of this other guy called Michael Jackson, of whom we happened to get “Off the Wall” from just yesterday. Unbelievable back to back pulls. Whenever I got around to “Just Good Friends” off of Bad, I figured I was in for a real treat by the time I’d loop around to Stevie. So, after looping around, I chose to go straight into this one. Gotta tell you; maybe not the greatest move to have your first Stevie Wonder album be this one. I felt overwhelmed back then by the size & scope of it, and with my brain much more attuned to poppier stuff, I remember really getting into the first side of the album, but just feeling drained by the second half, since it all just felt so long. Michael’s stuff is usually snappy, constantly hitting you musically, and while this album occasionally did that, its artistry was lost on me, due to a general lack of just worldly experience & a brain not ready for it. I still liked a lot of the album, but I don’t think I truly got it. Fast forward to… I want to say 2017 – I’m not sure exactly why I wanted to listen to the album again, but with a LOT more experience with music (especially with more of Stevie’s singles prior to this album) & a bit more worldly experience to pull from, I fucking got it. Everything about the first side of the album clicked in full, from an instrumental, vocal & lyrical standpoint, and I felt HOOKED to it. And yet, for whatever reason, a lot of the second side still didn’t click with me as easily. I’ve checked my playlist on this; the only songs I had from the second side were “Isn’t She Lovely”, “As”, & “Saturn”, with “Another Star” not getting added until *2023*, BY ITSELF, without the rest of the second half in tow. I’m guessing I heard it from Spotify’s radio feature and added it to a playlist, but I can’t believe I left so much of the second side untouched until now. What the hell was wrong with me, man? So, that brings us here. August 20th, 2025, with 597 albums done in this project, a UNIVERSE of musical influence brought into my stratosphere that’s expanded my tastes to the fullest point they’ve ever been, and another crack at an album that I had already proclaimed, on several occasions, to be the greatest album of all time from the greatest recording artist of all time. I made a post on social media years ago saying it’s an album that needed to be taught in schools. I stand by that, by the way. Trust me, I got through the first half the same as I always did, with a newfound appreciation for the second half of “Ordinary Pain”, which I had always been a little bit iffy on, and “Isn’t She Lovely” was as lovely as it’s always been. I have no earthly idea how I managed to ever bounce off of the stretch from “Joy Inside My Tears” to “If It’s Magic”. Sure, you could call it a little long, but I got deeply lost in the rhythm of “Joy Inside My Tears” in a way that felt like listening to “Hot Buttered Soul”. “Black Man” feels so culturally relevant with the 250th coming up, and with so much more history in my brain, the references finally clicked on this track, making the whole thing feel so much more fulfilling. Because of all the worldly albums we’ve been getting, the samba grooves of “Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing” felt far more grand to me than before. “If It’s Magic” has such lovely lyrics & one of the prettiest harps I’ve ever heard, and the way it thematically links to “As” is something I’ve never appreciated until this listen. I finally appreciate “Another Star” within the context of the album, and how it just blasts that fucking Latin disco groove for its final 4 minutes in a way that feels utterly infectious… ugh. What a bow on the album, if you choose to end it there. However, I do think this album would be incomplete without the “A Something’s Extra” part. I fucking adore “Saturn” – one of my favorite Stevie Wonder tracks of all time, and arguably more relevant than ever. I had entirely forgotten about the next two tracks though. “Ebony Eyes” is groovy as hell, with a lot of Beatles-y DNA, and it feels like a leftover Innervisions-era cut because of the talkbox being used. “All Day Sucker” is a really good track; it feels like one of Stevie’s ‘80s tracks (specifically the style he would take by “In Square Circle”), due to the bass & synth work. Ironically, a lot of the DNA of that track feels like it was used for “Just Good Friends”, so maybe Michael REALLY liked that one. I did remember the overall harmonica-driven lo-fi tone of “Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)”, but hearing it as the true album closer here… man, it just evoked a whole world of imagery to my brain that my 13-year-old self would’ve never once come up with. It is a perfect way to end an album titled “Songs in the Key of Life”. Life is tiring & exhausting, as Stevie’s been singing about the whole time. Sometimes, you really appreciate it in the moments where you can just sit there and soak it all in. That’s what the track is trying to represent, and it clicked beautifully this time. So, yes, my 12-year odyssey with this album finally feels complete, and I can indeed confirm it’s the greatest album of all time. I can’t possibly put a number to it; obviously, it’s a 5 for the site, but in terms of a rating… you can’t rate this. You can only sit back, listen, and get lost in it. I still think it can be taught in schools, the same way we teach books, and if we all took the lessons of this album to heart, we’d be living in the utopia that Stevie seemed so hopeful we could achieve at the age of 26. Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention: he was *26* here. He wrote the greatest album of all time, as a culmination to an already incredible stretch of albums that could singularly define anyone’s career by themselves, at the age of *26*. Unbelievable. Even with his output slowing down by the ‘90s, I really think there’s a case to be made for Stevie Wonder to be the GOAT. It’s been 20 years since his last album, and while he’s still performing, I feel like he can give us at least one more album. We need his insight now more than ever. As far as this goes, we are coming up on the 50th anniversary of this album next year, and I can only hope it receives a rose parade’s worth of flowers when the time calls for it. It’s a masterpiece, and to my ears, the pinnacle of an entire art form. I cannot wait for our next album to be just the worst thing ever. Or, hell, I dunno, maybe we’ll get Thriller & I can write another essay’s worth of words.
Incredible.
Such a great record. It doesn’t have the punch of Talking Book or Fulfillingness before it but has a wider cinematic scope and precise personal execution to it. I could get by without ever hearing “Isn’t She Lovely” again - it’s hard to express how omnipresent Stevie Wonder’s more saccharine hits were in a gen X upbringing - but it the one I tend to return to the most.
Only the Beatles' run through the 1960s is as impressive as what Stevie managed to accomplish in the 70s. This isn't even my favorite album from this period of his and it's still, basically, perfect.
I had the pleasure of listening to 2 Stevie Wonder albums in a row - Innervisions was great, and this was even better! Every track is classic after classic. 4.5/5 rounded up to 5/5
Stevie Wonder is definitely one of the top 10 artists of all time. At times I wondered if this album might be too long, but I would have no idea what could possibly be cut.
His best album some of my faves Stevie songs.
Easy 5
Fantastic mix of r&b, soul, jazz, even some progressive rock(?) Quite an impressive album. Didn't feel like 103 minutes and would gladly spin again and again.
A 5 star famous album. I had skipped around this to the more popular tracks that I had heard before.
Already know this is on my favorites of all time list.
I fully understand why so many people recommend this album. It’s has joyous and groovy melodies but also some serious lyrics about the problems of the world Highlights: - Sir Duke - Isn’t She Lovely - I Wish
You can feel the passion and thoughtfulness that was put into the album. It’s truly a labor of love and I have nothing bad to say. Sure, it’s a long album, but most of us were just gonna scroll on reddit most of the evening anyways.
Wow! Tight production, tight playing. All the themes we expect from Stevie in Love, Religion, and the lived Black experience. It's just so damn good. This record was made for headphones. I will be coming back to this one often.
Once an album gets over an hour it generally wars out its welcome. So this ridicuously long 1 hour 45 minute album should start getting annoying, right? Every one of these tracks are not just "not bad", not just "ok", all of them are very good. Half or more are great. Stevie Wonder is a genius.
So good, jazz vives
This record showcases Wonder's outstanding ability as a musician and songwriter, he can practically do any genre and idea, and here he just does it all pretty much flawlessly. Even though it's a pretty long album, it's just packed with excellent tracks so there aren't really any low points. Wonder's compositions are magnificent, he delivers outstanding vocals to bring them to life, and his involvement in the project makes it a cohesive project, with a clear sound and vision for it. There are absolute classics here, like "Sir Duke", "Isn't She Lovely" and "Pastime Paradise", which are masterpieces. But other lesser known tracks are as good, maybe even better. My favourites were "Knocks Me Off My Feet", "Ordinary Pain", "Another Star" and "Black Man". This album is just a masterpiece. It's Stevie Wonder showing he can do it all, and do it really well, and it works.
I like Stevie Wonder. This is a great album with a real exploration of rhythms and lyrics.
Me ha encantado, más alrgo de lo que esperaba, y me han gustado bastantes del total. largo con facil reescucha.
é o goat né não tem jeito não tem uma desse que eu curta p caralho + ordinary pain é uma das melhores coisas já feitas parabéns aos envolvidos...
é o DÉCIMO OITAVO album do mano. pqp imagine vc lançar uma pedrada dessas no décimo oitavo album vsffffffff!! não só isso, mas a sequencia dos albuns dos anos 70 do mano são todos brilhantes. esse aqui eh o perfeitinho, redondinho, no ponto, pra ninguem botar defeito memo, ce ta maluco. lindíssimo, escutarei mais vezes!
Love the music. Could do without his vocals
Superbly arranged, performed and sung, Stevie Wonder gives a lesson in how to create a double album that sounds effortlessly brilliant. Sure he veers into MOR, but there's some cool experimenting as well; Pastime Paradise fuses Latin rhythms with strings, synths and gospel backing vocals while Summer Soft has a breezy cocktail jazz vibe. Not content with a double record, he even slipped in an EP featuring Ebony Eyes. Total legend, still sounding great in 2025
Absolute perfection, this is Stevie at his most powerful, political, soulful, funky, fun, experimental. This album influnces everything from the Peppers to Dre to Coolio to name but a tiny few. This album shows us the resplendance of the human soul in music. What a ledge what a hero, we are not worthy. 7 stars
Awesome
Veers occasionally into the smooshy, but it is a very strong, funky, smooth, charming and unique album.
Such an incredible album! I find some of the ballady ones get a bit long and self-indulgent, but the more funky tracks are superb. Sir Duke, yes siree!
not enough stars available
Amazing album.
Classic masterpiece, a must hear for any music fan.
Deserves the accolades. An enjoyable listen and incredibly influential on future artists.
One of the greatest albums ever made. Stevie wonder is a genius
I have talked about and listened to this amazing musical work for years and to put it bluntly if I could only take five albums with me to hear for the rest of my life, this would be my first pick. It reverberates from beginning to end and will last through the ages.
A rare "long" album that doesn't overstay it's welcome. Incredible how many classic songs one album can have. Stevie is truly one of the greatest musical minds to ever do it. 5/5