The Definitive Collection

Hugely popular throughout the '70s and '80s, Lionel Richie started his career as a founding member of The Commodores. That funk/soul group racked up a slew of crossover hits, including timeless party jams ("Brick House") and ultra-smooth love songs ("Easy"). In the early to mid-'80s Richie was one of the planet's biggest pop stars, right up there with Prince and M.J., unleashing a long run of chart-topping singles and becoming especially well-known for his tearjerker ballads and now-classic videos. This 20-track compilation features a handful of early Commodores favorites, notably "Three Times a Lady" and "Just To Be Close to You," as well as Richie's '80s-era solo standouts like "All Night Long," "Stuck on You," and "All Night Long (All Night)." The playlist ends with lesser-known newer material ("Angel," "Goodbye"), but those songs still showcase his uniquely captivating voice. Overall a great collection from one of this generation's greatest singer/songwriters.