“Stuck on You”, a song he considered giving to Kenny Rogers, even received airplay on country stations. Even if Richie’s approach was decidedly more conservative than Jackson’s, he achieved his goal of crossover success and earned hits on the Pop, R&B, Adult Contemporary, and U.K. Most importantly, both maintain a balance of light funk romps and elegant ballads designed to appeal to the largest possible audience.
Both inspired videos starring onetime Playboy Playmate, Ola Ray. Both feature a song with a hard rock guitar solo. Both feature a track incorporating a pseudo-African dialect. Both Thriller and Can’t Slow Down kick off with energetic dance numbers.
Similarly, Richie had already released his self-titled 1982 solo debut to some success, and was expected - especially by Motown head Berry Gordy - to top it. Thriller was Jackson’s second solo album as an adult, and coming after the success of 1979’s Off the Wall, people expected big things from him. Like Jackson, Richie was a former member of a successful Motown act trying to carve out a distinctive solo career. 2 black male artist in America, right behind Michael Jackson, whose Thriller had been released a year earlier and seems to have provided a blueprint of sorts for Richie’s success. Although Richie’s career has since stalled, at the time he was probably the No. Originally released in 1983, the album was the biggest success of the ex-Commodore’s solo career, with each of its five singles - “All Night Long”, “Penny Lover”, “Stuck on You”, “Running with the Night”, and “Hello” - reaching the Top Ten. While the music on it is slick, commercial, and overly sentimental, it’s still catchy as hell and executed with an incredible amount of artistry. Recorded with the group Alabama, “Deep River Woman” again explored Lionel Richie’s love of country sounds, creating this harmonious delight that became a 1986 country smash – because Lionel makes a success of anything he turns his talent to.I’m ashamed at just how much I’m enjoying the Deluxe Edition of Lionel Richie‘s Can’t Slow Down. Released in 1982, and taken from Lionel Richie’s self-titled debut solo album, the mesmerizing “Truly” made No.1 in the US, helped by Lionel’s sincere performance at the piano in the promotional film clip. One of Lionel’s strengths is his ability to deliver a track like this totally sincerely in a world that prefers to be knowing and cynical. 16: HelloĪnother song from Can’t Slow Down, and a No.1 hit almost everywhere it was released as a single – which was pretty much everywhere. Listen to Lionel Richie’s best songs on Apple Music and Spotify.Ĭlick to load video 17: Running With The Nightįrom 1983’s all-conquering Can’t Slow Down, “Running With The Night” was co-written with Lionel Richie’s regular collaborator/producer James Anthony Carmichael, and Cynthia Weil, who’d composed numerous pop classics such as “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and “Looking Through The Eyes Of Love.” This sound epitomizes early 80s US pop radio: moody, dark, and exciting. Since then, this unique singer has treated us to many more messages from his heart.
LIONEL RICHIE ALBUM DOWNLOAD ZIP FULL
Richie’s third solo set of songs, 1986’s Dancing On The Ceiling, became his last for 10 years as he explored life’s other avenues until he could give his music full focus again. Richie was arguably the only superstar created by Motown in the 80s, but he was careful not to spoil his status by producing anything that was less than his best. In 1981 Richie hit No.1 with “Endless Love,” a duet with Diana Ross, setting the stage for a phenomenally successful solo career. Though Lionel was not the band’s only lead singer, his glowing, highly identifiable tones became associated with most of Commodores’ biggest hits, such as “Easy,” “Sail On” and “Just To Be Close To You,” all vital milestones of their era. Richie’s sincere and soulful voice has been in our lives since 1974, when Commodores roared out of Tuskegee, Alabama, and set about becoming one of Motown’s greatest acts of the 70s. Like his fans, the best Lionel Richie songs started out in party mode, but matured to grow romantic and warm, finding a more satisfying way of life – and love.
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