Reviews (page 4 of 15)
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
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
How much I love Stevie Wonder! I am glad for the reminder. So good.
Classic that only gets better with time
Funky and smooth
He is the sunshine of my life
Rating: 9/10 Review: I went in with 0 expectation, and this was amazing. It was like discovering the source of so many catchy riffs and melodies from several different songs. And considering this is the 18th album?? That's nuts. It seems like every song experimented with a new sound, instrument, or concept that continuously had me curious as to what was coming next. This was awesome. Great album. I see why he gets as much praise as he does. Notable Songs: Have a Talk with God, Contusion, Isn't She Lovely, Black Man, Ebony Eyes, and Easy Going Evening
This album felt like stepping into an entire world. Each track brings something new, yet it all hangs together with Stevie’s unmistakable voice and feeling. His talent is undeniable. This is the kind of album you live with. A soulful journey I’ll definitely revisit.
This album is such an achievement. There’s loads of stand-out songs on here, but the rest of them are consistently good as well. He has such a lovely voice, but musically there’s tons of creativity and variety across the board. To create a double album of such consistent quality and variety is seriously impressive.
20 years ago, Songs in the Key of Life sparked for me a lifelong journey and fascination with music. To this day, every musical discovery or decision I’ve made can be traced back to my love of this masterpiece. And every piece I do love has this album and its master composer/arranger/producer/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist to thank. This album changed my life hearing it with my dad in the car for the first handful of times when I was 10 years old. Even if I didn’t have the words or terminology to fully describe my fascination with it at the time, this album’s detailed arrangements and dexterous genre-bending floored me. To this day as a musician of over 15 years it baffles me for even more reasons than I can count. Each listen brings with it something new, pure, and beautiful. Seeing and hearing Stevie himself perform this album in its entirety with my dad (Detroit, 2014) is a night I look back on as legitimately spiritual. I loved music all my life and grew up in a house where everybody else did too. But never before had an artist and their music captured my attention for something beyond a catchy chorus or a radio-ready beat. With Key of Life, Stevie gave me a nearly 2 hour masterclass of nearly every established genre at the time. It was like observing paintings in a museum from different corners of the planet all meshing seamlessly to form a gallery or exhibit with a message that goes far beyond anymore words I could possibly blather out. Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder is my favorite album of all time. Loquacious, eloquent, sprawling, heart-filling, life-affirming excellence. Every last second of it. “So *this* is music?”, my 10-year-old-self questioned internally. “Yes this is”, my 30-year-old-self assured him. 10+/10
The greatest.
Almost from beginning to end this is magnificent. Joyful, fun, introspective. Stevie at his absolute peak. Knocks me off my feet is timeless, summer soft is stevie in another key but still imperious. Ordinary pain articulates a break up better than most, you genuinely feel sympathy for stevie! Isn't she lovely is a song for all fathers of baby daughters. The song As is a staple for wedding songs. Another star is the ultimate party song. There are so many peaks that the minor bits of dribble that is on the beginning and end of the album can be forgiven. One of the best albums ever made.
Never heard this before, but did recognize several songs. A classic.
my favorite album ever
The big one. The poster-album-child of the Bachtivision movement ever since day 1. Often cited as one of the greatest albums of all time. The kind of album that is so sprawling that it's impossible to contain it in a review, the kind of album that you notice some new stroke of genius every single time. Last time it was the genius of the instrumental "Contusion". The time before that it was the utopian vision of "Saturn" where people live in orange snow until they're two hundred and five. There are so many grand ideas, little flourishes, and shifting musical styles on this double album - and couple that with the fact that I'm a relatively new listener to Stevie Wonder - that I am still processing much of what's on here. Not to mention just how many incredibly successful songs and artists have sampled or straight lifted entire portions of these songs - Coolio took "Pastime Paradise" wholesale; as did Will Smith with "I Wish", and when I first heard Wonder's version of "As" all I could think of was how George Michael sang it note for note. The sprawling, eclectic, experimental nature of the album isn't without issues (though I am sure people will argue that's what makes it great): Should "Ordinary Pain" REALLY be 2 different songs in one? Unlikely. Would I prefer to listen to "Isn't She Lovely" without the baby crying parts? Probably, but that also might be missing the point. Does the album feel incohesive due to the sheer amount of STUFF going on and mix of styles? Certainly. Will I keep listening to this when I'm two hundred and five? Definitely.
I’ve been waiting for this moment. It’s rare to have an album with so many amazing tracks, this one has 2 sides worth. No other notes
Finally! We've actually hit a streak of quality. Stevie is just a font of creative talent - this is album number 18 (let that sink in for a moment) and a double at that. Influence 5, Quality 5, Intagibles 4 (it could have easily been albums 18 and 19), personal taste 4. Why can't we have 1/2 stars again?
Every song a banger. Sensational.
Stevie reigns supreme
I think Stevie Wonder is one of the only guys who can drop a double album and have it be a good idea. Isnt She Lovely is the high mark for me but truthfully the whole album is a treasure. You will undoubtedly find something to enjoy here.
This is my favorite album of all time
Of all the slop I have subjected myself to by committing to actually listen to what this list has suggested (granted there have been some good albums) THIS is an actual masterpiece.
Perfect! Masterpiece!
I’m glad I’m selective with my 5 stars when albums like this come along.
If you look up "masterpiece" in the dictionary I'm pretty sure it just has this album cover
On almost every one of Stevie's albums he is head and shoulders above his contemporaries, but on this album he is light years ahead of everybody. This is one of those special moments in music where the artist is tapped into the ether and can turn the simplest of expressions into an amazing song(s). This album can still be heard in rnb, funk, pop, and rock albums today (2025). He blends all of the aforementioned genres as well as jazz into a beautiful package. 10/10 104/1001
5/5
Love this album
I would like to live my happy life listening to this
Fantastic!
Musically inspiring. Wonderful lyrics. Timeless.
"holy shit this album is beautiful"
This is a masterpiece given the very high level of workmanship across a double album; something extremely difficult to do. Lots of big hits across both sides and one thing should be noted here: This was Stevie's 18th (!) album. 10/10.
Goated album. Such a wide variety of songs that are all great, easy to groove to, and just honestly follow the theme of the title. Deserves a spot in the library.
Holy hell, this is gorgeous. It’s like soul music pulled up a chair and gave you a TED Talk on joy, heartbreak, justice, and spiritual energy. Stevie's voice is just buttery smooth, and the arrangements are full of flutes, synths, and beautiful harmonies. Unreal. Spins: All Day Playlist Additions: - Sir Duke - I Wish - Pastime Paradise - Isn't She Lovely - As
First thought was, 21 songs and 144 minutes. No thank you. Couldn't have been more wrong. This album might be the most deserving 5 on this list. And it's his18th album?!
An all-time classic!! No arguments!!
Stevie at the top of the worldddd
Another Sun and As back to back were nice Contusion from disc one goes hard. V sick jazz fusion i like how Easy Goin Evenin has chill harmonica vibes that callback to Isnt she lovely's sick solo and bookend the second disc and then the obviously the big songs slap. dude was at the top of his game and knew it
I Like this one! OF COURSE
So, a double album that isn’t absolute Shite. Finally! This is superb. So varied. Some of the songs were a bit weaker - not a surprise given his output - but even the worst song on the album is far above some of the other guff that’s on this list.
If there were a Mt. Rushmore of musicians, Stevie Wonder would have to be on it. He's a national treasure. Classic album, iconic songs. Songs in the Key of Life is five stars plus.
One of the most magnificent albums ever created. The artist was in the midst of a creative streak throughout most of the 70s and this is the pinnacle of his achievement. Two full length albums and a single packed with meaningful, melodic masterpieces. 5/5
I really liked this album, the song all carried different sounds and I enjoyed Stevie wonders voice. I also noticed how many hip hop samples come from this album, showing how much of an impact Stevie Wonder has had on music.
Perhaps Mr. Wonder's magnum opus. It's interesting to read that Wonder had plans to quit the music industry leading up to this album. The creative bug must've got him good, as he eventually conjured up the inspiration to release a double album with all sorts of talent helping out; such as George Benson, Herbie Hancock, and Michael Sembello among many others. So what makes this particular album among Stevie Wonder's best? Well, the aforementioned talent involved certainly helps, but everything in the recording and production just sounds even more refined. The fusion of R&B, soul, jazz, funk is adeptly showcased here, along with the usual passion and vigor from Wonder. All while singing about subjects ranging from love, faith, social justice & equality. This honestly would've been a fine swan song for Wonder if he so desired, but the man just couldn't stop grinding away and creating more records. He's a musician through and through. "Songs in the Key of Life" will always be present whenever we need it.
I've been putting off getting into Mr. Wonder's music besides Talking Book and wow was that a mistake. This is actually Perfect, one of the best albums I've ever heard. How does an album this long be so consistently full of life? I could see any of the 20+ songs being someone's favorite and I'm not even sure mine yet. Genuinely fantastic, easiest ten of my life. 10/10
Beste dubbelalbum ooit. Dit is zo'n moment dat werkelijk alles samenkomt. Een genie dat de grootste golf van inspiratie ondergaat die iemand ooit gehad heeft. Je hebt het gevoel dat er zo nog een dubbelalbum inzat.
yaoyaoyaoya
Brilliant. Will listen often
To be brutally honest, there are songs on here that I don't particularly like, and don't care to listen to - but, across the double album, there still is more than an album's-worth of top quallity material. While this may lose marks for lesser albums, I'm happy enough that the best of Songs In The Key Of Life is so visionary and unique and has inspired so much music that came after that it derserves five stars without hesitation. Definitley an album everyone should hear at least once.
SO GROOVY THIS WAS SUCH A BANGER HOLY, JUST AMAZING
It was a big bite to chew through, but I can't complain when the steak is juicy and the lobster is buttery.
Amazing
Of course this is a 5, don't be silly. Fave Tracks: Sir Duke, Summer Soft, Isn't She Lovely, Black Man, As 4.6/5
AUGHHHH I love this album so much I could explode
Absolutely love it though would probably be a 4.7 there are some parts in the beginning that I don’t love the synth or some of the solos, also some lyrics repeated too much for my taste but the album as a whole has so many fantastic influential songs that are phenomenal
The album was just simply marvelous I enjoyed it very much and it brought back memories
Остался под впечатлением. И записан классно и музыка богата.
Really good beats and classic hits, kinda long though
Wonder is God.
One of the very few 80 minute albums that completely earns its runtime. Literally every song is a total masterpiece.
It’s very simple: this is the very best album ever made. The fact that this is over an hour long and never feels a second too long is testament to that.
One of the best!
6/5 stars—could be in a tier of its own. Just wall-to-wall bangers on a double album no less
This has not only become one of my favorite albums of all time, but I truly believe this is one of the greatest albums of all time.
No skips
Perfect.
Fav- village ghetto land, love in need of love today
One of my favorite albums of all time. I remember when this came out. There were lines out the doors at record shops. But once in a lifetime type album.
I loved it
excellent; i have an original copy!
I always thought Harriet Tubman was a white man.
Such a fun and energetic album with some really beautiful songs in there too, amazing range that keeps a 1h 45m album interesting
A man at the height of his powers. Untouchable groove. At times the tacks drag towards the end as they dont out of their own way on the extended solos, but honestly, who the fuck am I? We're just ants in Stevie's world. While I'm more of an Innervisions guy, this album is near perfect. Summer fucking soft man. Also, maybe the two best singles dropped ahead of an album ever in "I Wish" and "Sir Duke." Talented bastard man. 'Cause I love them so....
Ez gigachad. Best double album ever.
It’s time to put a pin in another artist with multiple albums on the list. I think Stevie Wonder is brilliant, and he has so many songs that I love, but so far, none of his albums have gotten five stars from me. I know that Songs in the Key of Life is typically regarded as his best album, so I’m hoping that the generator wound up saving the best of his work for last! Well, I won’t go against popular opinion on this album. Yes, Songs in the Key of Life is a bold and ambitious album, but it completely sticks the landing. Stevie Wonder is one of the best musicians of our time, and he makes this double album completely worth it. He plays the keyboards like no one else on earth, and his arrangements are not only interesting and boundary pushing, but they’re beautiful as well. His voice is fantastic, and he does an excellent job on every song on this album. One of my favorite things that he does with his singing is when he drops his voice into that really low register, almost to a growl. But even when he does that, his voice just exudes a deep passion. I love his vocal fills as well, and it’s almost an insult to call them a ‘fill,’ because it feels to me like it’s just another instrument, adding more beauty and depth to his sound. I wound up listening to this twice, and on my first listen, I was thinking that I would rate this album four stars. But after going through this again, I’ve changed my mind, and I think it’s worthy of a five-star rating. Its length makes it difficult to listen to in its entirety often, but if time weren’t a factor, I could listen to this many times over. I did want to point out some of my favorite songs: -“Sir Duke” is excellent. I’ve heard this song quite a few times over the years, but I never think about it when I think about my favorite Stevie Wonder songs. It’s got a great sound, and I really love how funky the chorus is, especially compared to the verses. It’s some brilliant song structure. -“Wish” had my favorite bass playing on the album. Pure funk bliss. “Village Ghetto Land” had my favorite lyrics on the album, and awesome string arrangements as well. -I just learned a few weeks ago that Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise interpolated Stevie’s “Pastime Paradise.” The synthesized strings are beautiful and haunting, and I loved how the words changed on the second chorus. Another great example of some excellent song structure. -I love the funkiness and backing vocals of “Ordinary Pain.” I can’t think of another Stevie Wonder song where his vocals dip out for so long, but it worked really well. -“Have a Talk With God” has some great funk sound as well, and I loved the bells in the percussion too. Overall, this is a fantastic album. It’s massive and bold, and a complete testament to Stevie Wonder’s incredible talent as a musician, arranger, vocalist, and visionary. It’s astounding to me that this was his 18th album to record. The man has more ideas and creativity in one of his fingernails than I have in my entire body. What an album, and what an artist!
B-B-B-B-B-B-BANGER! Always love listening to this one. It is, truly, in the key of life. 10/10
One of the finest albums in the history of recorded music. Stevie’s lyrics were never sharper, his voice never clearer, the music never more interesting and gorgeous. When I need instant joy, I turn to side 1 and 2 of this double album; it solves all my problems. I appreciate the jams like Black Man and Ngiculeta more now than I did when I was younger and only wanted the pop songs.
I look at the run time and think, "OMG" but there is so much brilliant stuff on here that many lesser artists could have made a whole career out of, never mind one release.
50 year old album way ahead of it's time
draži mi innervisions, ali remek djelo nevertheless
Sjajan sjajan album
What can you say about this album that hasn't already been said? One of the best of all time.
"ONE" album a day?? Double albums are bombs! Especially this one. Haha. Ok. Wow. There's so much here. HIS 18TH RELEASE?? Unbelievable. AND he was about to retire?? 😂 Absolute monster. Killer grooves. Heavy themes. Blazing trails. Positive vibes. Blind! He's like Daredevil where his lack of sight just juices his other skills to the max. Can't touch Stevie.
Amazing breadth of styles while maintaining an impossible quality. Amazingly talented.
One of my favourites of all time - love it
Making a double album with near universal appeal is no easy feat. But this is Stevie Wonder at the height of his popularity and songwriting. Unlike the vast majority of double albums, it's hard to imagine what you could remove here. There's often some real fatigue by the time you get to side 4 of any LP. But here, it only gets more engaging, with some of the best tracks on the entire album rounding it out (ignoring the four tacked on bonus tracks on Spotify). Such is the brilliance of this one that it's been sampled left, right, and center. Younger listeners will undoubtedly recognize much more than they expected. "Contusion", "Sir Duke", "I Wish", "Pastime Paradise", "Black Man" and "As" are among Wonder's best songs ever. Although I'm a litle more partial to "Innervisions", "Songs in the Key of Life" is still an incredible album, particularly from an artist who almost gave up music entirely before he made it. It's clear that he still had much more to say.
easy 5
AHHHH I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!!!! I will jump on any excuse to relisten to this. Stevie Wonder is just so immensely talented, this album is 1 hr and 44 mins but blows by. It's just loads of fun and you can hear the thought put into every instrument choice, every arrangement, and every lyric. Stevie himself played a lot of instruments on this album! It's just such an important body of work and I love this album so much. 10/10 no questions asked. I was in an American music history class in college and at the end of the semester, our prof asked us to make a list of 5 songs we think encapsulate American music's history. Then we would take everyone's list and narrow them down to 5 collective songs for the whole class. Someone's list had Sir Duke on it and eventually nobody cared about any of the other songs on anyone's list, and we all decided that Sir Duke was maybe the greatest song ever made and encapsulates American music more than any other list anyone made. I have never seen a group of music students agree on something like that. It was magical tbh.
Simply a masterpiece. It had been awhile since I listened to it and never before in headphones - the production is nearly perfect and the melodies are infectious. I often have skipped the hits before but let them play and was impressed with what I heard actively listening. If you like music, you’ll probably like this!
the double perspective in summer soft 🙏
Masterpiece
Awww yeaaahhh. I was so happy to see this pop up today. I was similar with all the big hits (Sir Duke, I Wish, Pastime Paradise, etc) but I never had an excuse to set the time aside to listen to the whole album until today. Better than I would have imagined. Masterpiece. 6/5! There's literally nothing wrong with it. Yeah it's long. So what? Think of it as a movie for your ears. Each song flows so well into the next for an hour and 45 minutes. You won't even notice the time passing. Absolutely worth it to invest in some good headphones. It'll sound great even on the crappiest speakers but you're doing yourself a disservice by missing out on all the tiny details. Not sure if an album like this could be replicated in the future. I'm just happy this exists.
This is a remarkable album. I loved every song
Amazing !
Love this album
Classic. So many catchy tunes, and you realize as you listen where so much music took its inspiration.
Stunning. Maybe a bit long but worth it when time allows a full listen.
adding this to my regular playlists, it cant all be NIN and Barry Adamson
Great album from a fellow Michigander.
Love this album
All timer, Love I Wish and Sir Duke
This album is iconic songs I enjoy but didn’t realise Stevie Wonder produced them. Two discs are a bit ling but no other complaints
This is baby making music! Soft, whimsical, and romantic plus the songs are repetitive and go one a long time so you don't have to worry about which one you pick because you'll have finished before it ends!
Listened on 5/12/25 4.75/5 Favorite songs: Sir Duke, Isn’t She Lovely, Knocks Me Off My Feet The only thing I loved more than this album is the conspiracy that Stevie isn’t blind. The number of absolute bangers is ridiculous
What a phenomenal album throughout. Enjoyed some of my existing favorites from Stevie with Sir Duke and Isn’t She Lovely, but also got to hear some other great songs in Knocks Me Off My Feet and Pastime Paradise. It’s such a joyful listen and I can see why Apple and other sites agree it’s a top 50 album of all time.
Great vibes only on this Monday morning! This album is upbeat, soulful and fun! Soo many good songs, but it’s very long and I did start to loose steam by the end. Overall, strong album from Mr. Wonder! I did prefer disc 1 over disc 2. Favorite song: Sir Duke!! Honorable mentions: - I Wish - Isn’t she lovely - Have a talk with God - Pastime Paradise: no clue Gangsters Paradise was a sample!
So every other album is just trying to catch up to this one. Got it!
Outstanding
Classic, so many great songs
This album rules, Contusion is fucking amazing
Amazibg
I was surprised by how many songs that I knew from this album. Sensational.
Holy shit this was awesome! It’s a humongous album and there’s so many great riffs. Stevie knows how to build a song up good lord! Making an exception and doing top 5. Sir duke, I wish, ordinary pain, As, isn’t she lovely
Near perfect most of the way, with multiple songs that might go on humanity's all time mix tape. Adding the B-sides EP to the normal LP pushes it over into Too Long, but so what.
Gotta be top ten all time
MASTERPIECE
8.5 great
I already knew some of the big hits off this album going in (Sir Duke is a masterpiece) but I was pleasant surprised at some of the other tracks I hadn't heard before. Contusion is not at all something I would expect on a Stevie Wonder album but it's amazing! Top tier album, would listen again.
I own this album and it's fantastic.
Happy happy happy
Did not realize how many classics are on this album. Perfect the whole way through. Love's in Need of Love Today is one of the best songs I've ever heard.
Have a Talk with God, I Wish and Pastime Paradise are standouts but its all of a quality that rightly confers the title of musical genius to Stevie.
Sure, you can argue about how long the album is or maybe how some of songs drag on just a bit but none of that matters when you take a look into how cohesive, mesmerizing, joyful, and perfectly produced this album is. There isn't a single dud on here and considering how stacked this album that is an insane feat. God bless Stevie Wonder. Top 5 (in no order): Knock Me Off My Feet, Sir Duke, Isn't She Lovely (Best), Another Star, Love's In Need Of Love Today No bad songs on here (good/great at worst) 6/5
Damn this is one of the best things I've ever heard in my life, I kinda feel like a clown for never listening until now this rocks
One of the quintessential albums for a reason. Endlessly listenable and timely. An album that changed the course of music history.
Goat
there needs to be a 6/5 stars option
Pure joy. I would say that, where the first disc is wall to wall classic bangers, the second one is a bit more album filler, but even then I’m sure I’ll grow to love these other songs as I listen to it more.
Exquisite album!
An everyman classic, for good reason
Masterpiece. Excellent from start to finish.
So many great songs and moments. I think Stevie ran out of steam after this. It's as if he gave everything he could to one album. He'd already done enough to guarantee his greatness, this just raised him up towards the heavens. Love's in Need.... is my favourite album opener of all time. Sir Duke is the best wedding song. Ordinary Pain, Pastime Paradise, Talk With God...... the songs keep coming one after another. An astonishing album.
One of the best albums ever put to wax. Also one of my finest records owned, it is one of the few that you never need to skip a song, and that you rush to flip to the next side. As a music theory enthusiast and amateur keyboard player, I'm certainly biased in favor of him, but Stevie kills it instrumentally all over this joint. And two of his best grooves ever written in Sir Duke and I Wish are unequivocal proof. Favorite Tracks: Love's in Need, Contusion, Knocks Me Off My Feet, Summer Soft, Isn't She Lovely, As
Most double albums so far I've graded a little lower due to their length, this is how double albums should be, great blend of soul and funk, lovely balance from song to song with some huge hits in there, a fantastic album
Incredible! I was familiar with this album but never listened to it from front to back. Many highlights but “knocks me off my feet” always takes me back to my childhood when i hear it. My 2 year old loved dancing to “sir Duke”. I love how versatile Stevie is with his voice on certain tracks and obviously he showed why he is one of the best musicians and songwriters in the world. Easy 5 out of 5 stars.
Hard to beat as one of the best of all time
So cool, classic timeless funk and soul and sunshine.
This was a very enjoyable listen. Some really great music on this album.
10
Perfect. No notes.
Great Album
Honestly it took two go-rounds to really listen to this. And then suddenly I realized that it is gorgeous. It’s not in your face, so you can have it playing in the background and dismiss it as better than average smooth R&B. But when you sit with it, the genius is undeniable. One beautiful song after another. So few misses even though it’s a long double album. This isn’t necessarily my favorite genre but i can’t deny this one. I look forward to sitting in the sun with this one this summer.
Groovy, fantastic album
To my mind a truly great album.
That was lovely! Very middle school band
Dałabym 6 jak się dało To jest jego 18 album i to jeszcze taki długaśny. Cały dzień go słuchałam. Stevie Wonder's jest geniuszem
10/10 te amoooo
Und immer wieder ein Push nach vorne. Großartig!
Great album. Lots of familiar hits and songs I recognize from hiphop samples. Favourites: As, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Knocks me off my feet New faves: Saturn, Ebony Eyes and Joy inside my tears
i've heard this work so many times front to back i have yet to finish it as i'm writing this review. this is quite possibly the best album that has ever been released in the recorded history of the world.
Genuinely one of the greatest albums ever made. An absolute delight from start to finish. 10/10 An exuberant display of genius
Stevie Wonder was 26 when he made his magnum opus, *Songs In The Key of Life*. This was also his 18th album, which is insane. This album is just so beautiful and astonishing to say the least. The name of the album is accurate! What sets it apart from other “happy” albums for me is that there’s this feeling of authenticity from Stevie. His vocal performance is just great. The intro track, *Love’s In Need of Love Today*, is an amazing example of this. While having great background vocals and vocals from Stevie, it just brings nice vibes like so much of this album. It’s one of many amazing ballads on the album. There’s so many stand out moments that I can’t name them all here. The production on all of the songs is excellent, and the fact that Stevie produced and played a lot of the instruments on this album is crazy. It’s impressive, and it really shows on tracks like *Isn’t She Lovely*, which is a song about his daughter. The harmonica solo played by him is just amazing, and adds to the feeling of excitement and happiness the song has. Another example is *Sir Duke*, which is a tribute to Duke Ellington. The brass on it sounds amazing! There’s also *As*, it’s simply excellent to say the least. In short, being regarded as one of the best albums of all time isn’t easy to live up to, but this album did. I HIGHLY recommend giving this a listen, it’s amazing. Bravo, Stevie.
One of the top albums of the 70's and Stevie's best in a series of 5 super powered albums released by him. A clear 5
Absolute perfection. Was a formative album of my teens. From the opening track - lush uplifting and joyous - to the last (depending on how you view the end - Another Star or Easy Goin Evening as the bonus Ep) it's a hymn to life, it's stages, its highs and lows, the ebbs and flows of people, love, loss.
Massive. Samples galore, the fountainhead of a clear genius. This album truly feels like being in the mind and life of Stevie. Exploding out in every direction with music and experience.
In 1950 a woman found a lamp, rubbed it, out popped a genie and she was offered 3 wishes. The first was for deeper understanding of the human condition so the double helix of DNA was discovered. The second was for man to conquer space so Sputnik was launched. Her third wish for her unborn child to be the personification of the joy of music. This brought us the gift of Stevie Wonder. From the outside it seems like writing beautiful, heart warming music comes as naturally as breathing for him, but im sure there is a lot of hard work involved too. A double album where ever song just seems that it existed forever and was found in nature is insane. Most album reviews talk about stand out tracks, Stevie Wonder had a stand out decade (70's) and this was slap bang in the middle of that.
Been in a rough patch this week as far as this project goes. What a way to get out of it. Maybe a bit long but it's warranted. 9/10
An album that everyone should listen to at least twice
Jeg vil sige det så ofte som bogen kræver - 1972-1976 Stevie Wonder alle 5’ere. Den her er måske den bedste af dem
Turn the key and enter these great songs into your life! Wow…there was so much to unpack from an initial listen to this mammoth double…nay…TRIPLE album, one that is worth every ounce of the accolades it has received with the lasting legacy it laid for the incredible artistry of Mr. Stevie Wonder! Now I won’t sugarcoat the fact that the album’s runtime is quite lengthy at just shy of two hours, however it is jam packed with entertaining grooves and heartfelt soul that will hardly test your patience to enjoy the set list in its entirety the whole way through. What I value most about this 1001 generator listening project beyond discovering such incredible music that I would otherwise have never dedicated the proper time to fully immerse myself with, is learning just how original and influential much of these albums were. I had no idea that ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ was actually interpolated from the Stevie Wonder song Pastime Paradise found in these collection of songs. My mind was blown! 🎧 Classic Track: Isn’t She Lovely 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: Ngiculela - Es una historia - I am Singing 🎧 Personal Favourite: Village Ghetto Land Although a genre of music that is not typically in my regular rotation and a release well before my time, there is no doubt that it’s a classic must listen! 🖼️ Album Artwork: Iconic 💿 A must own for your vinyl collection! Click the thumbs up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album :)
Lungo ma merita tutto
Great album!Despite the long duration, it does not bother, because the music is quite diverse and interesting.
YES YES YES I love everything about this. The guitars, the bassline, the synth stuff, the moog basses, the clavs, the singing, the female backing singers. It all just feels so polished in every way, The ballad-type songs all are great, even though perhaps I wouldn't normally like that kind of thing. The funkier songs are probably my favourite, especially the synth-based ones. The hits are all great as well, although isn't she lovely drags on with the recording at the end, but I still love it. I can't really think of a double album which is so interesting and varied in a good way the whole way through. I still think if each of the individual albums were on their own, it would still be amazing. Its not often a song makes me sporadically pull out every instrument I can play and have a go on it (I know that probably sounds stupid) Favourite songs: pretty much all of them, except maybe knocks me off my feet and a couple of ones at the very end (not the very last one though). Will definitely come back to this Overall around 9/10
This one is also a classic, so many great hits, stevie wonder is a genius
Based on how acclaimed this album is, my expectations were high, but were somehow still surpassed by this great album. I expected the album to be good, but I didn't expect it to be so experimental, political, and full of songs that would be the highlight of almost any other album. Favorite Track: As
Pretty amazing achievement to have an album with a run-time of 1h 45 min that never feels like it drags.