Incredible Four-Album Streaks: Stevie Wonder From 1972 to 1976

Many artists have churned out a standout album at some point in their careers. Others have strung together a couple of great ones in a row. But four consecutive stone-cold classics? That list is much shorter.

Stevie Wonder pulled off this incredible feat from the years 1972 to 1976. That’s when Wonder transformed both the singer-songwriter and the R&B genres with his forward-thinking, fearless music.

‘Talking Book’

For all his success as a singles artist in the 60s, Wonder’s albums from that period never quite showed the consistency to be considered classics. By the start of the 70s, he started to shake the assembly line approach of Motown and took control of every aspect of his music. After a solid start to his new era with Music Of My Mind early in 1972, Talking Book, released later that year, solidified his ascent and became his first Top 5 album. His collaboration with synthesizer enthusiasts Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil helped him define his ambitious new sound. And the maturity of his songwriting grew in leaps and bounds on tracks like “Superstition” and “I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)”.

‘Innervisions’

Wonder upped the funk quotient on Innervisions, an impeccable ten-song collection released in 1973. He also started to go a little bit deeper into social commentary, rendering songs like “Higher Ground”, a powerful call to action, and “Living For The City”, a fearless dissection of urban strife, as thoughtful as they were groundbreaking. When you consider that these two songs, with their maelstroms of sound, were recorded by Wonder playing all the instruments, the achievement looks even more impressive. Innervisions is the one album of the four-classic streak where Wonder wrote every bit of the words and music as well. As one-man shows go, it’s quite hard to top.

‘Fulfillingness’ First Finale’

By the time he released Fulfillingness’ First Finale in 1974, Wonder was essentially the preeminent artist in America. Critical love and commercial success accompanied each new release. On this record, other stars joined him in his pursuit of musical excellence. Special guests on the record include established stars like Paul Anka and The Jackson 5. Future hitmakers like Michael Sembello, Minnie Riperton, and Deniece Williams also appear in the credits. But you never forget that this is Wonder’s show. “You Haven’t Done Nothin’”, his unsparing takedown of then-President Nixon, sounds just as searing today. And the woozy, moody “They Won’t Go When I Go” can still mesmerize.

‘Songs In The Key Of Life’

When Wonder sat out 1975, at least from a studio album standpoint, fans likely went into withdrawal. After all, he’d delivered them so much goodness in such a short stretch in the previous three years. He atoned for that by making Songs In the Key Of Life a double-album whopper. Perhaps it’s no surprise that his success rate tailed off after this release. He simply gave every bit of his brilliance over these four sides of music. Hits like “Isn’t She Lovely”, “Sir Duke”, and “I Wish” captured him at his most effervescent. You can glean that the old ambition is still there from the fact that seven of the album’s songs clock in at over six minutes. No discussion of the finest albums of all time is complete without the inclusion of this one.

(Photo by Steve Morley/Redferns)