The Great Underrated: Lionel Richie’s ‘Outrageous’ ‘80s
For a time in the ‘80s, it seemed like the most popular songs in the U.S. were being made by perhaps five people: Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Lionel Richie. Richie’s success was of particular interest considering where he’d come from – he’d gone from playing tremendous funk music with the Commodores, to plying audiences with soft balladry and mid-tempo pop songs, both in his latter days with his former band, and as a solo artist.
