Lionel Richie

Richie’s work with the Commodores established both sides of that musical personality: a connection to a band’s groove and an instinct for a direct, emotionally legible song. His self-titled solo debut appeared in 1982, with Truly and You Are among its familiar recordings.

The singing is recognisable before a large chorus arrives. Richie can make a phrase feel personal through timing and tone, rather than needing to add a vocal flourish at every turn. That economy gives the melody room to do its work.

The 1983 album Can’t Slow Down brought together All Night Long, Hello, Stuck on You and Running with the Night. Those songs ask for different kinds of performance, but the voice connects them without strain.

A dance-oriented refrain can have the same clarity as a ballad when the singer knows which part of the line matters. Richie’s phrasing often makes the tune sound established almost immediately, as if the listener has joined a song already being sung somewhere else.

Renaissance arrived in 2000. Angel brought his voice into a more overtly electronic pop setting, with Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling producing and Taylor, Paul Barry and Richie sharing the writing credit.

The track is a useful later introduction because the production changes without obscuring the singer’s identity. The rhythm is brighter and more tightly programmed, while the vocal retains the same easy melodic direction. A different studio vocabulary still leads back to the song.