Songs In The Key Of Life

This is what pop music should be.

Fantastic album, fantastic vocals, fantastic composition, everything sounds groovy, it the kind of album you let your kids listen to and they think it's magic Favorite Track: Joy Inside My Tears

Never listened to a Stevie wonder album. Not too shabby.

Absolutely solid gold. From front to back. Glorious. Could listen to it over and over.

Banger after banger after banger...

Very good album, but long

Songs in the Key of Life feels like home; it is warm, expansive, and impossibly generous.

If there was an option for 6 stars, this album would get it. An absolutely fantastic album, and once you've listened to it, you'll start hearing it in other places because it has (and deserves) that much influence.

Oh my gosh. I cried so many times listening to this album. So many of these songs I hear growing up but didn't realize they were all from the same album. I also had only ever heard them in passing or in movies so I never really appreciated it the way I did this too. This is absolutely beautiful. They way that the music is layed with each instrument and the vocals are incredible. While listening I had the thought of "i'm so sad I will never be able to make anything as good as this." And then by the end I was just grateful to be listening to it. I thought a lof my family while listening. How many of the good moments are behind us. Of how unsure I am how many good moments are left. And how happy I am to just be a note in the symphony of life. Thank you Stevie.

Unbelievable classic

Such a good one full of bangers

First time listening. Fantastic, start to finish. I can see why this is often ranked as one of the top albums of all time, well deserved. I will be for sure revisiting this one regularly.

Favorite track(s): Love's in Need of Love Today, Contusion, Sir Duke, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, Summer Soft, Isn't She Lovely, Black Man, As, All Day Sucker They're calling it the least bloated double album of all time. How did he do it? Heard before Previous rating: 9/10

This is a long one and it's nothing but hits, this is the kind of album this post was made for. Creative and catchy, I was enraptured, with a ton of stuff others have sampled. You know what, I'm gonna listen to it again now. An easy 5 stars.

This is one of my favorite "background music" albums.

People seem to write extremely long reviews about how great this album is, so I feel a little pressured to like it too. It is good, but as a double album it felt like work. I would feel mean giving it less than 5 stars.

Magic

Greatness isn’t perfection — it’s transcendence

High Bop Ratio (Bops per minute aka Bpm) and tons of variety. I was tapping my toes the entire time. Clearly the pop industry was copying his music for the next 20 years. Legend.

I have no words for Stevie Wonder. Every time I play one of his songs it hits me all over again. The depth, the soul, the feeling, the sheer musical power this man carries is unreal. He isn’t a national treasure. He’s a treasure to humanity. When he goes, a piece of the world’s soul is going with him. I’m not breaking down any of these tracks. They don’t need it. It’s perfection. Straight 10 out of 10.

Every so often, I generate an album from this project where my opinion is practically irrelevant because the album's place in history has already been cemented by decades of non-stop high praise. Songs in the Key of Life is undoubtedly one of those albums. Of course, Stevie Wonder is one of the most iconic musicians of the past 60 years and Songs in the Key of Life is widely regarded to be his greatest masterpiece. Now, this is my fourth and final album of his that I've listened to for the album project, so I can finally make a statement on whether I agree with that sentiment or not! I do. Yeah, the people were right. This may genuinely be one of the greatest albums ever made. I want to start my praise with one of the most impressive aspects of the album. You see, Songs in the Key of Life is a double album. That's nothing new. Many of the greatest artists and bands have legendary double albums. Even in 2026 alone, I've already reviewed both Exile on Main St. and Blonde on Blonde, so I'm well-versed in iconic double albums. But here's the thing. Songs in the Key of Life isn't just a double album. It's that plus a bonus EP at the end, which leads to this thing having 21 songs and a runtime of over 100 minutes. That's a lot of time for an album, and I know from experience that the vast majority of 90+ minutes albums have weak songs and moments. Even an album as highly praised as the Beatles White Album has multiple songs you can point to and call bad without getting much pushback. But this album? There is not a single wasted second on this thing. Every single song is great, and for a record of this length and scope, that is seriously impressive. You'd have to be one of the greatest musicians to ever live to pull off an album like this, and it just so happens that Stevie Wonder is that guy. I genuinely believe that Stevie Wonder is one of the most talented musicians currently alive, if not the most talented, and this album is proof of that. The musical talents are on point, which is impressive considering that the man responsible for these songs literally can't see anything. But of course, Stevie's blindness is merely a physical one, as albums like this have made it abundantly clear that his musical vision is as sharp as it can be. And his singing? Just wonderful. I love it. But these are things I've already talked about. I need to talk about 1/6th of the album's title, that being the songs that make the album so great. I won't talk about every song because that would be insane, but I'll bring up some of the highlights. "Love's In Need of Love Today" works perfectly as the opener. It sets up the themes of love and life that permeate through the entire album in a song that you can't help but enjoy. "Sir Duke" is genuinely a perfect song. It's hard for me to think of a single song that's as uplifting and happy yet musically rich as this. Combine that with the name drops from some of the greatest jazz artists of the past and you get what is quite possibly the best representation of the magic of music you can get. "I Wish" is super cool. This is one of those story songs that really adds depth to the album's themes. The focus on childhood for this one helps to capture all parts of one of the other 1/6ths of the album's title, life. Another song about childhood on the album is the classic "Isn't She Lovely" which is, rather fittingly, a lovely song. It's a very nice tribute to Stevie's daughter. That knowledge makes me happy. "As" is one of the longer songs on the album and I really love it. That's another one of the neat things on this album. There are 7 songs here that are over 6 minutes in length, and none of them go on for too long. "As" might just be the best of them. Stevie's vocal delivery is the star on this one. The way he changes his delivery as the song goes on is a nice touch. I think "Another Star" is one of the clearest moments of this album being better than Stevie's other masterpiece, Innervisions. That album had a song called "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" which had a Latin flair to it that was neat, but I think that could've been executed just a smidge better. "Another Star" is that. I think the horns are what really makes this song work for me. I could go on and on. I could talk about the more political songs like "Black Man." I could talk about "Pastime Paradise" and how a ton of people probably had no idea that Coolio interpolated a Stevie Wonder song for "Gangsta's Paradise." When the weakest song on an album of this length is the instrumental closer, that's how you know the album is great. There's something special about Songs in the Key of Life, and I think it's worth comparing it to other all-time classic albums to see what it is. Part of it is the length, but I think the biggest part of it is just how happy the album is. Most of the other contenders for "Greatest Album of All Time" aren't particularly happy. Even within the 1970s, I don't think I could call albums like The Dark Side of the Moon, Rumours, or Unknown Pleasures "happy albums." Do they have room for happy moments? Some of them, yes, but I wouldn't say that joy is the core of any of those albums. Songs in the Key of Life is different. This album spends its time reminding you that love and life are always there. Things like music and family are worth living for. The length of the album could be seen by some as a detriment, but I view it as something that was necessary for an album like this. It shows that, even over the course of what seems like forever, great things are sure to come. Between that and the sheer excellence of the music, I have no problem calling Songs in the Key of Life a masterpiece. It is an exciting showcase of some of the greatest musical talent of our lifetimes and, as if it hasn't done so already, it is sure to live on in the hearts and ears of many more to come over the decades of the future. But you already knew that. 5/5.

Caramba, que álbum PERFEITO. Não teve uma faixa que eu não tenha gostado, mas “Have a Talk With God” e “Black Man” chamaram minha atenção demaisss. Estou feliz de ter conhecido esse álbum, fiquei muito impressionada ao saber que o Stevie Wonder sofre de cegueira, mas esse é um fator que só contribui para o seu talento aguçado com música. HOJE TIVE AULA DE CULTURA e HISTÓRIA. TODOS deveriam escutar Black Man.

My comment on The Smashing Pumpkins album was that it was far too long. But Stevie Wonder's album is almost as long and I don't give a damn. I knew from song 1 that this was going to get a 5+. Also, his 18th album, um, how come you still have inspiration? Village Ghetto Land could easily be turned into a musical, and I love it! Nothing to complain about!

Meine Güte, ist das fantastisch. Aus unerklärlichen Gründen habe ich das Album immer gemieden, weil ich dachte, dass das bestimmt nicht mein Genre ist. Zudem hatte die stattliche Länge des Releases stets etwas abschreckendes. Aber hey, es ist unfassbar gut, da sind nur starke Songs drauf. Es ist unfassbar gut produziert und soundtechnisch echt zeitlos, das könntest du locker auch heute so veröffentlichen, obwohl es ursprünglich 1976 (!) erschien. Ein sehr vielseitiger und gekonnter Stilmix, Vocals und Band sind absolut klasse. Bisher die mit Abstand stärkste Neuentdeckung dieser Reihe, toll!

Loved it!

most obvious 5/5 of all time

masterpiece. I would've never listen to it on my own so I'm really glad for this project. I knew Stevie because of higher ground but really nothing else. this album was so sooooo good. my fav songs: have a talk with god, I wish, knocks me off my feet, as, pastimeparadise

lovely lovely lovely just wanted i needed today

A masterful work by one of the best. Stevie Wonder brings such positive emotions through his music.

Don't even need to listen to it. An all-time classic!

Genuinely incredible

Love’s in need of today Have a talk with god Contusion (!) Sir duke (!) I wish (!!) Pastime paradise (!) Summer soft (!) Isn’t she lovely Joy inside my tears (!!) As (!!) Saturn Ebony eyes (!!!) All day sucker Топ, Стиви Уандер секс, фанк соул, много фишек которые потом будут видны у Майкла Джексона Хайп, модное звучание, крутой альбом 9/10, но есть пару нудных тем

I am not usually a fan of any song after five minutes, but even with these longer songs I was uplifted by this music.

Just so good. I found it hard to even get past the first song because I just want to keep listening. It’s gorgeously done and so interesting. I have listened to this album many times and it just never gets old.

Hard to do much better than this. A flawless record by someone at the peak of their powers. A commitment due to its length but one worth making.

Songs in the Key of Life, what can I say without being too biased? I used to hear this album on my way to my previous job, the instrumentals with headphones are so immersive. People usually talk a lot about his artistry as a singer and pianist, but this album is a solid reminder of his phenomenal skills as a songwriter. I remember I started listening because I loved Isn't She Lovely (an absolute classic), and ended up discovering an album where it's hard to pick a single favorite track. For highlights this time, I'd choose Village Ghetto Land (lyrically), I Wish, and Saturn.

Working through this list has given me a much better appreciation of Stevie Wonder. The man really was a creative genius, leaning into new tools and instruments to derive new sounds as he does with the synthesizer on this record. This lush beauty of an album displays Wonder’s genius in mixing different styles in a way that really taps into my emotional receptors. This album demonstrates great musicianship and also Wonder’s meticulous attention to detail in production. This album took two years to make, which was an eternity for albums at the time. This is a timeless record that has proven to be highly influential to much music that followed in its wake.

Super Dope

A true classic - what else can I say?

Spectacular album holy moly

One of the great albums- has so many classics like Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, Pastime Paradise that are complemented by a great range of other songs that give a flavour of 1976 as a musical and historical moment. It’s *long* but well worth your time.

What can I say? This is quite simply one of the greatest albums ever made. It's astonishing that he could maintain such quality not only across a sprawling main double album, but also a bonus EP for good measure. The twenty-one tracks cover a whole range of styles and subjects, and in all cases the songs are some of the best he ever wrote. Its power to move me remains undiminished after countless listens. This is truly Stevie Wonder at the absolute pinnacle of his powers, and to think that he almost quit the music business prior to recording it!

I've found myself vibing with this album and being completely taken over by the music of it, only to stop and listen to the lyrics and be hit with a wave of sadness in those words. And other times I would forget about the music and be overwhelmed by a colorful picture Stevie Wonder is painting with his words instead. And in the end, I'd forget both and just become incredibly horny for him instead. I loved it.

Wundervolles Album.

Timeless

I'm not going to overthink this, it's probably a tad too long but there are some all time hits here that are Stevie Wonder at his absolute best. Earnestness is a really difficult tone to strike in great albums and he nails it here. Shoutout to the As and Another Star dance party at the end of this album too.

My god, Stevie might be the best to ever do it. This is a movie's worth of music and it's all perfect. So much soul searching, soul healing, soul magnifying music. Utter perfection.

Brilliant 5/5

Truly perfect album, dance tracks, love songs, justice songs. Unreal.

I’d already enjoyed a few songs, but I‘m kicking myself for not delving into the entire album earlier! This is some of the coolest stuff.

A truly amazing album. In my view the second greatest in history by a true revolutionary artist. Here Wonder sings about exactly what the title suggests. Every facet of life. Politics, religion, love, childhood, parenthood, and so much more. It’s a gorgeous album and will change your life

So many stellar songs on this album. Despite its length, it's never boring thanks to incredible musicianship and diversity of styles.

such talent.

I mean, this thing is just fucking perfect, right? I have a vinyl copy, but I streamed the remastered version this time around. It might be the most impeccably produced recording I've ever heard. It's almost 50 years old, but it feels like it could have been made in a modern studio, like, yesterday. The songs are great, the playing is great, the message is great, and it's just an absolute pleasure to hear. Six fucking stars out of five idgaf.

I had forgotten how great this album is!

Wonder

Epic in scale and scope, but unlike so many other ambitious albums of the era, the songs on here are what keep you coming back every time. In fact, most of the rest of this review is going to be song titles from the album: "Love's In Need of Love Today"! "Sir Duke"! "I Wish"! "Isn't She Lovely"! "As"! It's still Stevie's magnum opus in the popular imagination for good reason, showing him at his peak as performer, songwriter, and bandleader (seriously, check out the album credits, which are also fascinating) that even at its most serious is still just so full of joy and....well, life!

Long, but amazingly no skips. A classic for a reason.

Happy to groove with Stevie any day

This might be the longest album I got so far, so I have a lot of listening to do today. But gladly already familiar with this great work, already rated 4.5 on RYM so could go either way here, but I would be leaning towards 5.

Amazing from start to end. Great energy, even on the longer songs - it never felt like they dragged. Varied and lovely sounding instrumentals.

Classic Stevie! Magnificent Album

Generationally incredible album alert

ya so ... best album of all time status?

An absolute classic. Great music and awesome vocals.

One of the best albums of all time. Everyone should listen to it at least once.

Stevie. Don't really need to say much more. This is such an important album. Enjoyed every minute of it.

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.