The American singer Lionel Richie has released 11 studio albums, three live albums, and seven compilation albums. Formerly the lead vocalist of The Commodores, Richie began a solo career in the early 1980s and has released over 40 singles, five of which became number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Richie's first three studio albums have all been certified "Multi-Platinum" by the Recording Industry Association of America. His second album, Can't Slow Down, is his most successful, being certified 10× Platinum (i.e. Diamond) in the US. The album spent 59 consecutive weeks inside the Billboard Top 10 (including the entire year of 1984) and a total of 160 weeks (over three years) on the Billboard 200 chart. It became the third best-selling album of 1984, and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
In addition to multiple pop, R&B, and adult contemporary hit singles, two of his singles reached the Top 30 of the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart (now Hot Country Songs). "Deep River Woman", which features country music group Alabama, was a Top 10 hit on the country music charts in 1987.
Richie's eleventh studio album, Tuskegee, was released in 2012 and peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200, making it his third number one album on the chart.
Albums Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsUSUS R&BAUSAustralian chart peaks: Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to June 12, 1988: N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 12, 1988. Top 50 (ARIA) peaks from June 13, 1988: Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: "Don't Wanna Lose You" (ARIA) peak: N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.CANCanadian Albums Chart positions The RPM-era Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down Dancing on the Ceiling Louder Than Words Back to Front Coming Home Billboard Canadian Albums-era GERNLDNZNORSWESWIUKLionel Richie Chart History – United Kingdom
Lionel Richie Released: October 6, 1982 Label: Motown Format: LP, Cassette, 8-track, CD 3 1 18 5 — 21 3 — 41 — 9 US: 4× Platinum CAN: 4× Platinum UK: Platinum Can't Slow Down Released: October 14, 1983 Label: Motown Format: LP, Cassette, Reel-to-Reel, 8-track, CD 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 2 3 1 US: Diamond (10× Platinum) CAN: Diamond (10× Platinum) FRA: Gold GER: Gold NZ: Gold UK: 3× Platinum Dancing on the Ceiling Released: August 5, 1986 Label: Motown Format: LP, Cassette, 8-track, CD 1 3 2 3 5 2 3 1 2 2 2 US: 4× Platinum CAN: 3× Platinum FRA: 2× Gold UK: 2× Platinum Louder Than Words Released: April 16, 1996 Label: Mercury Format: CD, Cassette, DCC 28 15 32 25 26 6 31 29 21 10 11 US: Gold FRA: Gold UK: Silver Time Released: June 23, 1998 Label: Mercury Format: CD, Cassette, digital download 152 77 174 — 15 71 — — — 9 31 Renaissance Released: October 16, 2000 Label: Island Format: CD, HDCD, Cassette 62 54 — — 3 10 — 24 45 6 6 GER: Platinum NVPI: Platinum SWI: Gold UK: Platinum Just for You Released: May 4, 2004 Label: Island Format: CD, SACD, Cassette 47 22 44 — 10 21 — — — 8 5 UK: Gold Coming Home Released: September 12, 2006 Label: Island Format: CD, digital download, Cassette 6 3 — 33 8 20 — — — 9 15 US: Gold UK: Gold Sounds of the Season Released: December 4, 2006 Label: Island Format: CD, digital download — — — — — — — — — — — Just Go Released: February 17, 2009 Label: Island Format: CD, digital download 24 9 — — 9 22 — — — 28 10 UK: Silver Tuskegee Released: March 5, 2012 Label: Mercury Nashville Format: CD 1 — 2 1 7 7 6 26 10 31 7 US: Platinum AUS: Gold CAN: Platinum UK: Gold "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released
Live albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsUSUS R&BAUSGERNLDSWESWIUK Encore Released: November 26, 2002 Label: Island Format: CD, Cassette — — 198 23 28 16 10 8 SWI: Gold UK: Platinum Live in Paris /Live – His Greatest Hits and More Released: September 24, 2007 Label: Mercury Format: CD — 54 — 39 — — — 91 Symphonica in Rosso Released: 2008 Label: Universal Music Format: CD — — — — 1 — — — NVPI: Platinum Hello from Las Vegas Released: August 16, 2019 Label: Universal Music Format: CD, LP, digital download 2 — — — — — — — "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released
Compilation albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsUSUS R&BAUSCANGERNLDNZNORSWESWIUK Back to Front Released: May 5, 1992 Label: Motown Format: CD, LP, Cassette, DCC 19 7 1 13 2 1 1 2 22 3 1 US: Platinum AUS: 2× Platinum FRA: 3× Platinum GER: Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum UK: 4× Platinum Truly: The Love Songs Released: November 25, 1997 Label: Motown Format: CD, Cassette, SACD — — 74 — 73 22 35 — 8 34 5 US: Gold FRA: Gold UK: Platinum The Definitive Collection Released: 2003 Label: Universal Music TV / Motown Format: CD, Cassette, LP 19 31 16 — 40 23 7 4 31 45 1 US: Platinum AUS: Platinum UK: 5× Platinum 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Lionel Richie Released: October 7, 2003 Label: Motown Format: CD 63 — — 30 — — — — — — — UK: Silver Gold Released: January 10, 2006 Label: Hip-O/Motown Format: CD — — — — — — — — — — 147 Soul Legends Released: July 25, 2006 Label: Motown Format: CD — — — — — — — — — — — The Best Collection Released: November 24, 2009 Label: Universal Music Format: CD — — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) Album US USR&B USAC US Dance US Country AUS GER JPN NL UK "Endless Love" (with Diana Ross) 1981 1 1 1 — — 1 — — 10 7 US: Platinum CAN: Platinum NZ: Platinum UK: Platinum Endless Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Truly" 1982 1 2 1 — — 7 — — — 6 US: Gold CAN: Platinum UK: Silver Lionel Richie "You Are" 1983 4 2 1 — — 17 — — 29 43 "My Love" 5 6 1 — — 88 — — — 70 "All Night Long (All Night)" 1 1 1 5 — 1 2 — 1 2 US: Gold CAN: Platinum NZ: 2× Platinum UK: 2× Platinum Can't Slow Down "Running with the Night" 7 6 6 — — 24 33 — 8 9 "Hello" 1984 1 1 1 — — 1 2 — 1 1 US: Gold NZ: Gold UK: Platinum "Stuck on You" 3 8 1 — 24 24 45 — 18 12 NZ: Platinum UK: Gold "Penny Lover" 8 8 1 — — 73 37 — 14 18 "Say You, Say Me" 1985 1 1 1 — — 3 12 25 1 8 US: Gold CAN: Platinum NZ: Gold UK: Silver Dancing On the Ceiling "Dancing on the Ceiling" 1986 2 6 3 — — 2 13 — 8 7 UK: Platinum CAN: Gold NZ: Platinum "Love Will Conquer All" 9 2 1 — — 71 — — 24 45 "Ballerina Girl" 7 5 1 — — 43 66 — 39 17 "Deep River Woman" (with Alabama) 1987 71 — 28 — 10 — — — — — "Se La" 20 12 5 — — — 41 — 12 43 "Do It to Me" 1992 21 1 3 — — 45 26 — 12 33 Back to Front "My Destiny" — 56 7 — — 125 23 — 1 7 UK: Silver "Love, Oh Love" — — — — — 165 71 — 15 52 "Don't Wanna Lose You" 1996 39 17 5 — — 53 66 — 28 17 Louder Than Words "Ordinary Girl" — 76 9 — — — — — — 147 "Still in Love" — — 10 — — — — — — 66 "Climbing" — — — — — — — — 45 — "Time" 1998 — — 7 — — — — — — — Time "I Hear Your Voice" — — 15 — — — — — — — "Closest Thing to Heaven" — — — — — — 99 — 98 26 "Angel" 2000 70 — 4 32 — 123 9 — 6 18 NVPI: Gold Renaissance "Don't Stop the Music" — — — — — — 68 — 73 34 "Tender Heart" 2001 — — — — — — — — — 29 "I Forgot" — — — — — — — — — 34 "Cinderella" — — — — — — 74 — 82 — "The One" (with Juliette) — — — — — — — — — — "To Love a Woman" (with Enrique Iglesias) 2003 — — — — — — 52 — — 19 Encore "Just for You" 2004 92 — 6 14 — — 24 — 47 20 Just for You "Long Long Way to Go" — — 20 — — — 54 — 93 — "I Call It Love" 2006 62 19 9 10 — — 29 — 93 45 Coming Home "What You Are" — 57 — — — — — — — — "Why" — — — — — — — — — 143 "Reason to Believe" 2007 — — — — — — 76 — — — "All Around the World" — — — 6 — — — — — — "Face in the Crowd" (with Trijntje Oosterhuis) 2008 — — — — — — — — 3 — Just Go "Good Morning" — 120 — — — — 67 — — — "Just Go" 2009 — 116 11 18 — — — 97 — 52 "I'm in Love" — 101 — — — — — — — — "All Night Long 2011" (featuring Guy Sebastian) 2011 — — — — — 26 — — — — Non-album single "Endless Love" (with Shania Twain) 2012 — — 12 — — — — — — — Tuskegee "Say You, Say Me" (with Rasmus Seebach) — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country
Other charted songs Title Year Peak positions Album US Country "Deep River Woman" (with Little Big Town) 2012 60 Tuskegee
Music videos Year Video 1982 "Truly" 1983 "You Are" "My Love" "All Night Long (All Night)" "Running with the Night" 1984 "Hello" "Penny Lover" 1985 "Say You, Say Me" 1986 "Dancing on the Ceiling" "Love Will Conquer All" "Ballerina Girl" 1987 "Se La" 1992 "Do It to Me" "My Destiny" "Love, Oh Love" 1996 "Don't Wanna Lose You" "Ordinary Girl" 1998 "Time" 2000 "Angel" "Don't Stop the Music" 2001"Cinderella" 2003 "To Love a Woman"2004"Just for You" 2006 "I Call It Love" 2009 "Just Go" 2012 "Endless Love"
Notes
References