All of Stevie Wonder's Albums, Ranked From Great to the Very Best

• Our Favorite Song: "A House is Not a Home"

Don't get us wrong, Stevie Wonder's second instrumental album is a vibe (and not something that can be done by many artist's today), but one of the most dynamic elements of Stevie's artistry is his by far his legendary voice, which we don't get to hear on Eivets Rednow. It's still enjoyable—something you can have on in the background to relax you, but we'll always a prefer a track with Stevie singing on it. Always.

• Our Favorite Song: "Hallelujah (I Love Her So)"

The voice that came out of this 11-year-old child prodigy was insane. In hindsight, the decision to have a new artist make an album paying tribute to a more established artist probably wasn't the best marketing strategy, but the music industry as a whole was still relatively new and if you squint, you can kind of see why Motown thought it would be a good idea at first. You had a new artist (Stevie) paying homage to a industry vet (Ray Charles), and by doing so, the assumption was that people would start to wonder who the new kid on the block was.

While Tribute to Uncle Ray wasn't a commercial success, it did give a glimpse into the talent that is Stevie Wonder.

• Our Favorite Song: "Make Someone Happy"

In 1963, 13-year-0ld Stevie Wonder released With a Song in My Heart, which was a cover album of classic songs such as "When You Wish Upon a Star," and "Smile." While still a decent album, obviously it was Stevie's original compositions that would go on to make him a legend. That said, we also have to remember his age at that specific time, and the fact that he was still developing as a songwriter.

• Our Favorite Song: "Sad Boy"

Okay, Stevie at the Beach was another experiment if you will, with the goal being to have Stevie singing a bunch of surfer/beach songs and anthems (which was something very popular at that time). Once again we can see the vision, but it didn't quite connect for audiences. Nonetheless, it's still nice hearing something different from Stevie in retrospect.

• Our Favorite Song: "The Square"

There's something to always be appreciated about an artist's debut album. It may not be their most popular or commercially successful, but there's a certain innocence to it that makes it magical—a preview of things to come so to speak. The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie is an instrumental album, and our feelings remain the same (anything with Stevie's voice is going to automatically be ranked higher for us), but as we just said, it was his debut—and that makes it special.

• Our Favorite Song: "Same Old Story"

This is technically more of a "soundtrack album" as opposed to a major studio project, so not quite sure if this should be included (though it is listed as an album), but we're going for it. Stevie Wonder’s Journey through The Secret Life of Plants was the soundtrack to the 1979 documentary The Secret Life of Plants, which in turn was based on the 1973 book of the same name. While we wouldn't list this as our favorite Stevie Wonder album, it is kind of earthy and interesting hearing the narrations.

• Our Favorite Song: "Baby Don't You Do It"

This is around the time we started getting closer to that insane 1970s run from Stevie. I Was Made to Love Her is Stevie getting a little bit older and into his artistry. It's right on the cusp of his breakthrough where you can see the potential, and his voice is more evolved. The signature sound was being established, and the song "I Was Made to Love Her" received some good traction. When we say artist development is something that desperately needs a comeback, this what we're talking about. A record label willing to invest and put in the time even if massive hits aren't being released right away. Imagine if Motown had given up on Stevie Wonder?

• Our Favorite Song: "For Once in My Life"

1968's For Once In My Life gave us the amazing track "For Once in My Life," which is one of our favorite Stevie Wonder songs. The album also notably showcased Stevie's continued growth as a vocalist and songwriter. Some other stand outs include the songs "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day," "I Don't Know Why," and "You Met Your Match," all of which hit the Hot 100.

• Our Favorite Song: "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"

Before we get into the thick of it, let's rewind to 1966's Down to Earth. This was Stevie's "sweet sixteen," and the turning point to some the projects we got those final couple of years in the 1960s. Down to Earth was just that—down to earth with some more soulful tracks than its predecessors. It was arguably this album that put Stevie on the track of becoming a soulful funky R&B king, and for that, Down to Earth deserves it's credit.

• Our Favorite Song: "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in the Summer"

Stemming from a desire to talk about pressing issues such as social consciousness, along with wanting to experiment with different musical styles and techniques, Where I'm Coming From tackles on tough topics such as the song "I Wanna Talk to You," which is about a racially charged dialogue between a black man and an old southern white man. The album also yielded a few softer ballads like "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer," which were really full of breathtaking a vocals. In fact, this could be considered one of Stevie's best albums in terms of vocal performances.

• Our Favorite Song: "Dark 'N' Lovely"

Where Characters should be ranked in the discography of Stevie Wonder is something that gets debated quite a bit. We think the midway point is a good spot to put it because the album isn't his magnum opus, but still has several gems that can be enjoyed such as "Skeletons" (which was nominated for a Grammy), and "You Will Know." The duet with Michael Jackson "Get It" is also a fun listen and one of the few times the two worked together. "Dark 'N' Lovely" is also an underrated track.

• Our Favorite Song: "Tomorrow Robins Will Sing"

The slight midway point of this article is also a good place to put 1995's Conversation Peace, which was Stevie's first album in nearly a decade. As you can imagine, a lot had changed in the music industry in that decade, especially when it came to R&B music, and as a result Conversation Peace has some of that mid-1990s R&B/hip-hop feel to it, which is different sound than what we're used to from Stevie. This is where the term "acquired taste" can be applied in a music sense. The album wasn't something that hit us immediately, but we grew to love it.

• Our Favorite Song: "Uptight (Everything is Alright)"

If "Uptight" isn't in your top 20 Stevie Wonder songs, then what are we doing here? 1966 was really the year that Stevie turned the corner with his music and sound, and you've also got to give props to the Funk Brothers who backed the album. Stevie's cover of Bob Dylan's "Blowin in the Wind," is also a high point on the album, and one that made him crossover a bit.

• Our Favorite Song: "Sweetest Somebody I Know"

There comes a point in an artist's career where they officially have their legacy status cemented, and can do whatever the heck they want, and by 2005, Stevie Wonder had long reached this point. A Time to Love sounds a lot like some of the other R&B albums that were released during that 2003-2005 period, but with Stevie's personal touch. It was also his first album since 1995's Conversation Peace, and his last LP to date.

• Our Favorite Song: "My Cherie Amour"

My Cherie Amour is an album that screams young and in-love, and that's one of the many reasons why we love it. Songs like the title track "My Cherie Amour," "Hello Young Lovers," and "The Shadow of Your Smile" visually and sonically put you back into the late 1960s when young folks in their teens, 20s, and 30s were running around carefree, and that's how you know an album is a banger—when it can transport you into a different era.

• Our Favorite Song: "I Just Called to Say I Love You"

Soundtrack Stevie is one of our favorites, and we got to see him again in 1984 with The Woman in Red, which was the official soundtrack album to the film of the same name starring Gene Wilder. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" is hands-down one of the best love songs ever created (and one of Stevie's best as well), and when you throw in a few duets with Dionne Warwick, The Woman in Red is a masterpiece that allows us to master peace.

• Our Favorite Song: "Queen in the Black"

And since we're talking about soundtracks, let's go on ahead and talk about Jungle Fever, which if you haven't already figured out was the soundtrack album to Spike Lee's 1991 film of the same name. We'll always appreciate Spike's dedication to having his films accompanied by awesome soundtrack albums, and Stevie did the darn thing on this. While we unfortunately we're alive at the time of the album's release, the critics who reviewed the album made it point to mention that Stevie sounded the most jubilant and carefree he had in years.

Upon listening to this album again, we can agree with that viewpoint.

• Our Favorite Song: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"

If there's one Stevie Wonder song that everybody universally recognizes, it's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)." That song has been everywhere—various movies, television shows, and commercials—everywhere. Aside from the standout track, you've also got the silent bangers "Heaven Help Us All," "Sugar," and "You Can't Judge a Book By It's Cover." A solid album to kick off the 70s for sure.

• Our Favorite Song: "Love Having You Around"

Enter Music of My Mind. A new era of Stevie Wonder that was complete full creative control over his music. Electric music pioneers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff were recruited to be the associate producers, and the result was the institution of synthesizers on multiple tracks, and a sound that was more magnetic. While the album may not have been a massive commercial success, it was the start of a new chapter for Stevie and his music.

• Our Favorite Song: "Part-Time Lover"

Whew. Where do we start with In Square Circle? Is it with "Part-Time Lover, or "Land of La La?" Perhaps "Stranger on the Shore of Love?" Remember those synthesizers that were introduced on Music of My Mind? They were in full effect on In Square Circle as the mid-1980s were the peak of that synthesized sound. Just about every single artist was using them, and it is one of the defining sounds of the 1980s. As always, Stevie was ten steps ahead.

• Our Favorite Song: "Boogie on Reggae Woman"

And then there were five. Released in 1974, Fulfillingness’ First Finale went straight to number one on the Billboard Soul LP's Chart, where it stayed for nine weeks. Fulfillingness also nabbed Stevie three Grammy Awards the following year, which was super deserving. The album was a departure from some of the upbeat songs Wonder had been associated with earlier in his career, as the album was deep and somewhat somber. It kind of had to be though, as the album was the follow-up to Innervisions. Sometimes you have to take things in a different direction to really hammer your point home, and Stevie did just that on this record.

• Our Favorite Song: "Superstition"

The youngsters aren't making songs like "Superstition" anymore, and I've got a serious problem with that. Talking Book is one of the greatest albums to have ever been composed, and it was reflected in the success of "Superstition" (which reached No 1. on the Billboard Hot 100), and "You are the Sunshine of My Life (which hit No. 1 on the Hot 100). Talking Book was also the album that got Stevie his first Grammy Award, with "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" taking home "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance."

• Our Favorite Song: "Happy Birthday"

You can choose to sing Happy Birthday one of two ways—the traditional way or the Stevie Wonder way. Jokes aside, Hotter than July is a blend of many different musical genres that make this an eclectic album. You've got the funk. You've got the soul. There's a little bit a country up in there, and even reggae (which matched Stevie's look during that time). If Stevie started the 1970s strong with Signed, Sealed & Delivered, then Hotter than July was the perfect start to the 1980s.

• Our Favorite Song: "Higher Ground"

Thank You Stevie Wonder for creating Innervisions, and thank you for the brilliant track that is "Higher Ground." We're having a difficult time deciding if Stevie's magnum opus is Innervisions or Songs in the Key of Life (spoiler for our number one). Sure the latter is widely regarded at Stevie's greatest, but Innervisions challenged the themes of racism, corruption, substance abuse, issues within politics and more during a time where it was considered controversial for an artist to do so. We personally can't choose, but this album is a 10/10.

• Our Favorite Song: "Sir Duke"

And if Innervisions is what the laid the groundwork for Stevie Wonder to be recognized as a legend, then Songs in the Key of Life is what made him a musical prophet. This, ladies and gentleman, is the definition of a perfect album. The songwriting, production, vocals, harmonies, and background vocals (yes, even the background vocals) can't be praised enough. What's more, the album still sounds fresh today, and we're nearing the 50th anniversary! Timeless, just timeless.