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Stevie Wonder

Highest Rated: 99% Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

Lowest Rated: 32% Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)

Birthday: May 13, 1950

Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, USA

An American musical genius, Stevie Wonder emerged from the Motown hit factory to reach even higher artistic ground. Born Stevland Judkins (later Morris) in Saginaw, Michigan, he was blinded as a result of his premature birth. As a child he learned to play piano, harmonica and drums, and passed a 1961 Motown audition at age eleven; producer Clarence Paul dubbed him Little Stevie Wonder. His first hit "Fingertips, Part 2" came a year later; it was a mostly-instrumental, near-novelty track that featured his harmonica. This however was just the start to a run of hits through the '60s, ranging from the pure exuberance of "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" to the first of many popular love ballads, "My Cherie Amour." His tenth and eleventh Top Ten hits-- the proto-funk "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and the topical, gospel-ish "Heaven Help Us All" both came in 1970, the year he turned twenty. He began producing himself on later '60s releases, and as the '70s dawned he began to break away from the Motown hit formula. A pair of transitional albums, Where I'm Coming From (1971) and Music of My Mind (1972) both explored headier territory; both were praised by critics and musicians though only there was only one major hit (the former album's "If You Really Love Me") between them. His experiments bore fruit with late 1972's Talking Book. By now he was heavily into synthesizers and studio wizardry, playing most of the instruments himself, but his melodic gifts were also back in the forefront. The album spawned two very different classic singles in "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," an instant romantic standard, and "Superstition," a rocker originally written for Jeff Beck (Wonder's version replaced guitars with the novel sound of the Clavinet). He effectively ruled the pop world for the remainder of the '70s, and his social conscience (shown on the hits "You Haven't Done Nothing," about Richard Nixon, and "Living for the City") made him a much-admired figure. His standing in the industry was so lofty that when Paul Simon won the Album of the Year Grammy Award in early 1976, he thanked Wonder for not releasing an album that year. Yet the end of that year brought Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life, a double album (plus bonus EP) that was a career peak for its musical ambitions and popularity. Among its hits was "Sir Duke", easily the only '70s chart-topper to reference Ellington. Wonder never quite matched his '70s-'80s creative streak. He ended the '70s with another double album, Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants, that was far more experimental (and keyed to a never-released movie) and a relative flop. The hit singles continued, though they weren't always as innovative as before (1984's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" was technically his best-selling single). A harder funk track, "Skeletons," became his last hit in 1987. He appeared at many notable events including Michael Jackson's and Aretha Franklin's funerals; and continued to perform his classic-era material (a 2014 tour featured Songs in the Key of Life in its entirety). He maintained his iconic status despite a lack of new material.

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Highest rated movies

99% 98% Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Watchlist
82% 70% Fahrenheit 9/11
Watchlist
80% 67% Jungle Fever
Watchlist
60% 92% Hearing Is Believing Watchlist
58% 79% School Daze
Watchlist
57% 54% CS Blues (Cocksucker Blues)
Watchlist
50% 75% Stealing Beauty
Watchlist
40% 41% Bikini Beach
Watchlist
32% 57% Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
Watchlist
38% Muscle Beach Party
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Real George Michael Self - 2022
99% 98% Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Self,
Music Performer
$2.3M 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sesame Street: 50 Years of Sunny Days Unknown (Character) - 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Book of Clarence Original Music - 2017
60% 92% Hearing Is Believing Self - 2016
No Score Yet 83% Transcendent Man Unknown (Character) - 2009
82% 70% Fahrenheit 9/11 Self $119.1M 2004
50% 75% Stealing Beauty Original Music $4.6M 1996
32% 57% Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie Original Music $35.9M 1995
80% 67% Jungle Fever Original Songs $31.7M 1991
58% 79% School Daze Original Music $11.7M 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Secret Life of Plants Original Music - 1978
57% 54% CS Blues (Cocksucker Blues) Unknown (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet 38% Muscle Beach Party Unknown (Character) - 1964
40% 41% Bikini Beach Unknown (Character) - 1964

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Music Performer 2024
100% 85% Dear... Self 2020
No Score Yet 86% Dancing With the Stars: Juniors Music Performer 2018
No Score Yet 44% The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Music Performer 2017
No Score Yet 48% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Music Performer,
Guest
2016
No Score Yet 58% The Voice Music Performer 2016
100% 78% Late Show With David Letterman Music Performer 2015
No Score Yet 11% The View Music Performer 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Great Performances Music Performer 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Larry King Now Guest 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dancing With the Stars Music Performer 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Phil Music Performer 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Music Performer 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet America's Got Talent Music Performer 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Music Performer 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet New York Undercover Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 68% The Cosby Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1986
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Host 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fridays Music Performer 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet What's My Line? Guest 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Johnny Cash Show Music Performer 1970