Characters (Stevie Wonder album)
Characters | ||||
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Tamla | ||||
Producer | Stevie Wonder | |||
Stevie Wonder chronology | ||||
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Singles from Characters | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
New Musical Express | 9/10[8] |
Q | [9] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [10] |
Rolling Stone | (mixed)[11] |
The New York Times | (favorable)[12] |
Characters is the twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter
Overview
Although highly anticipated like his last album, 1985's In Square Circle, upon its release, the album received mixed reviews from critics, and peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard 200. It became Wonder's first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top ten of the charts. In the UK, it also fared less well, reaching only #33, the first album to miss the top 20 since Music of My Mind, which failed to chart in 1972.
It also debuted at number one on the
Awards and nominations
The album earned Wonder three
To promote the album, Wonder performed a one-hour Characters special on MTV, in which he also performed unreleased material as well as a duet with Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Track listing
All songs written by Stevie Wonder, except where noted.
- Side one
- "You Will Know" – 5:00
- "Dark 'n' Lovely" (Gary Byrd, Stevie Wonder) – 4:39
- "In Your Corner" – 4:30
- "With Each Beat of My Heart" – 5:28
- "One of a Kind" – 5:10
- Side two
- "Skeletons" – 5:24
- "Get It" (duet with Michael Jackson) – 4:33
- "Galaxy Paradise" – 3:51
- "Cryin' Through the Night" – 5:48
- "Free" – 4:12
- CD bonus tracks
- "Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down" (featuring B.B. King & Stevie Ray Vaughan) – 5:20
- "My Eyes Don't Cry" – 7:05
Personnel
- Stevie Wonder – synthesizers (tracks 1–4, 6–7, 9, 11), bass synth (1, 9), synth horns (12), piano (9–10), keyboards (including harpsichord – 10), lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1–2, 4, 7), bass (tracks 2, 7–8, 11–12), drums (1–2, 4–9), percussion (1–2, 4, 6–7), strings (1), bells (1), drum machine (3), harmonica (5)
- Michael Jackson – lead vocals (track 7)
- Stevie Ray Vaughan – guitar (track 11)
- B.B. King– guitar (track 11)
- Mary Lee Evans – backing vocals (7, 9)
- Ben Bridges – electric guitar (track 7)
- Gary Olazabal – engineer, associate producer, mixing, keyboard programming (all tracks)
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1987–88) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Kent Music Report[14] | 23 |
Austrian Albums Chart[15]
|
21 |
Canadian RPM Albums Chart[16] | 31 |
Dutch Albums Chart[17]
|
53 |
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[18] | 13 |
Swedish Albums Chart[19]
|
16 |
Swiss Albums Chart[20]
|
23 |
UK Albums Chart[21] | 33 |
U.S. Billboard 200[22] | 17 |
West German Media Control Albums Chart[23]
|
55 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
France ( SNEP)[24]
|
Gold | 100,000* |
Japan (Oricon Charts) | — | 73,000[18] |
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[26] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
See also
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1987 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1988 (U.S.)
References
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Characters (1987, Cassette)". Discogs. 6 November 1987.
- ISBN 9781788400572.
- AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
- ^ Van Matre, Lynn (November 15, 1987). "Wonder's Upbeat 'Characters'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. Consumer Guide Reviews: Characters. The Village Voice. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
- ^ Grein, Paul (November 15, 1987). "Record Rack: Good-Time Wonder". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- New Musical Express. p. 34.
- ^ Bradley, Lloyd (January 1988). "Chunky: Stevie Wonder Characters". Q. p. 81.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2013-04-06. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
- ^ David Wild (1988-01-28). "Characters | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (November 22, 1987). "RECORDINGS; A Pair of Pop Albums Hit a Political Groove". The New York Times.
- ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. September 17, 1988. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "austriancharts.at Stevie Wonder – Characters" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ Library and Archives Canada. Archived 2012-12-28 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved February 20, 2013
- MegaCharts. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com Stevie Wonder – Characters" (ASP) (in Swedish). Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ "Stevie Wonder – Characters – hitparade.ch" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company – Stevie Wonder – Characters" (PHP). Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ "Characters". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- Media Control. 1987. Archived from the originalon July 7, 2014.
- ^ "French album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Characters" (in French). InfoDisc. Select STEVIE WONDER and click OK.
- ^ "British album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Characters". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
- ^ "American album certifications – Stevie Wonder – Characters". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 20, 2013.