Current Events > TIL Stevie Wonder was 20-26 years old during his 70s run of albums.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I didnt realize he was so young during that run until now. I cant think of many modern artist with 5+ classic albums by the time they were 26.

As a kid I used to watch the 'Beach Party' movies with my mom, and one or two of them featured a 14-year-old Stevie Wonder (billed in the movie as 'Little Stevie Wonder') as a musical act.

Taylor Swift, obviously.

Imagine releasing Songs in the Key of Life when youre 25. Todays young artists could never.

Most creatives do their best stuff in their 20s. And back then, they churned out more. Sometimes an album per year. They're still young and energetic and haven't gotten PAID yet.

And sometimes you need the necessary lived life experience to create something truly great or iconic.

Gaga
Taylor Swift
Rihanna
Beyonc (+Destiny's Child)
Lil Wayne (now a fascist shill)

radical_rhino posted...

Imagine releasing Songs in the Key of Life when youre 25. Todays young artists could never.

Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (25)
Taylor Swift - 1989 (25)
Lorde - Pure Heroine (17), Melodrama (21)
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep (17), Happier Than Ever (19)
Fiona Apple - Tidal (19), When The Prawn (22)
Tyler, the Creator - Goblin (20)

There have always been artists making great records in their teens/early 20s. As good as Stevie Wonder? Maybe not, but not many people of Stevie's era are as good as Stevie.

Yah, Stevie Wonder was already a child star and then just grew into a music legend.

Another one who people forget was a child star was Sammy Davis Jr. He was a tapper named Little Sammy back in the 30s. There's one movie where he tapped with Bo Jangles.

ai123 posted...

Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (25)
Taylor Swift - 1989 (25)
Lorde - Pure Heroine (17), Melodrama (21)
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep (17), Happier Than Ever (19)
Fiona Apple - Tidal (19), When The Prawn (22)
Tyler, the Creator - Goblin (20)

There have always been artists making great records in their teens/early 20s. As good as Stevie Wonder? Maybe not, but not many people of Stevie's era are as good as Stevie.

I get people like to derail threads by saying a person isnt special and giving examples of others. But how many of those artists averaged 1 album a year over the course of 5 years and all were classics. Just searching Kendrick Lamar he released Section.80 the year before but then took a 3 year break before releasing To Pimp a Butterfly.

Billie Ellish became famous at 16.

The_Wheelman1 posted...

Billie Ellish became famous at 16.

Were talking about talented musicians though.

It's crazy to think that George Harrison was 27 when the Beatles broke up, and Bruce Springsteen was 24 when he released the Born to Run album.

Otis Redding was only 26 when he died.