Characters (Stevie Wonder album)

Highly anticipated like his last album, 1985's In Square Circle, Characters debuted at number one on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart for seven weeks, while peaking at No. 17 on the US Billboard 200. With this, Characters became Wonder's first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top 10 of the charts. In the UK, it also fared less well, reaching only No. 33, the first album to miss the top 20 since Music of My Mind, which had failed to chart in 1972. What is more, Characters featured three singles that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 – "Get It" (No. 80) (duet with Michael Jackson), "Skeletons" (No. 19), and the ballad "You Will Know" (No. 77) – with each of these songs being hits on the Billboard R&B singles charts, along with two other singles: "My Eyes Don't Cry" (No. 6, R&B) and "With Each Beat of My Heart" (No. 28, R&B). The album's final single, "Free", hit No. 49 on the UK Pop Singles chart. ==Critical reception==

With an A− Robert Christgau of the Village Voice wrote: "Nine lines in, he assumes the voice of God to assure sufferers that everything's gonna be all right, and instantly you lose heart. But then his chronic self-importance disappears--the worst it gets is spacy, and Stevie can make spacy a trip when he's on. Which he definitely is--melodically, rhythmically, emotionally, politically, sonically." ==Awards and nominations==

Characters earned Wonder three Grammy Award nominations in 1988–89. The album's first single, "Skeletons", received two nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 30th Grammy Awards, losing to "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers, and Smokey Robinson's "Just to See Her" respectively. Characters received a nomination at the 31st Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, losing to Terence Trent D'Arby's debut album ''Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby''. 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 "Dark 'n' Lovely" (lyrics by Gary Byrd, music by Wonder). ;Side one • "You Will Know" – 5:00 • "Dark 'n' Lovely" – 4:39 • "In Your Corner" – 4:30 • "With Each Beat of My Heart" – 5:55 • "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 ;Bonus tracks (CD and cassette) • "Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down" – 5:20 • "My Eyes Don't Cry" – 7:05 Note: On cassette pressings, "Come Let Me Make Your Love Come Down" is moved to track six, closing side one. == Personnel ==

• Stevie Wonder – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1–2, 4, 7–8), synthesizers (2–7, 9, 11–12), moog bass (1), synth bass (9), synth horns (12), piano (9–10), keyboards (including harpsichord – 10), synclavier (1, 5, 8, 11), Fairlight CMI (1, 3, 5, 8), bass (tracks 2, 7–8, 11–12), drums (1–2, 4–12), percussion (1–2, 4, 6–7), synth strings, bells (1), drum machine (3), harmonica (5) • Michael Jackson – lead vocals (7) • Quincy Jones – Michael Jackson's vocal producer (7) • Stevie Ray Vaughan – guitar (11) • B. B. King – guitar (11) • Ben Bridges – guitar (5, electric on 7, acoustic on 10) • James Allen – additional backing vocals (2) • Windy Barnes – backing vocals (11) • Judith Bennett – gospel choir vocals (10) • Shirley Brewer – backing vocals (3, 6, 12), kazoo (12) • Alex Brown – backing vocals (11) • Bridgette Bryant – backing vocals (2, 5, 9–10) • Bobby Carr – gospel choir vocals (10) • David Daniels – gospel choir vocals (10) • Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals (3, 6, 12), kazoo (12) • Alexis England – backing vocals (3, 6, 12), kazoo (12) • Marcia Escoffery – gospel choir vocals (10) • Sandra Escoffery – gospel choir vocals (10) • Mary Lee Evans – backing vocals (7, 9) • Lynne Fiddmont – backing vocals (3, 5–6, 9–10, 12), kazoo (12) • Gina Foster - gospel choir vocals (10) • Junior Giscombe – backing vocals (5) • Derek Green – gospel choir vocals (10) • Renee Hardaway – backing vocals (11) • Marva Hicks – backing vocals (5, additional on 10) • Dorian Holley – backing vocals (3, 6, 12), kazoo (12) • Keith John – backing vocals (2–6, 8, 10, 12), kazoo (12) • Paul Johnson – backing vocals (9) • Patricia Knight – gospel choir vocals (10) • Paul Lee – gospel choir vocals (10) • Melody McCully – backing vocals (3, 6, 12), kazoo (12) • Myx – background vocal group (2) • Darryl Phinnessee – backing vocals (3, 6, 12), kazoo (12) • Iris Sutherland – gospel choir vocals (10) • Syreeta – additional backing vocals (2) • Carroll Thompson – gospel choir vocals (10) • Cleveland Watkiss – gospel choir vocals (10) • Steve Wise – additional backing vocals (8) • Robert Arbittier – synthesizer programming (all tracks), synclavier programming (1, 5, 8, 11), computer music programming (6) • Julian Bahula – African drums (10) • Brad Buxer – Moog synth (10), additional synthesizer (5) • Dennis Davis – percussion (10) • Isaiah Sanders – synth horns (10), additional synthesizer (5) • Nathan Watts – synth bass (10) • Gary Olazabal – engineer, associate producer, mixing, keyboard programming, additional keyboard overdubs (all tracks) ==Charts==

Weekly charts ==Certifications==