How Sade Have Crafted Timeless Albums for Over Three Decades
Sade has been making music since the 80s and it’s aged like fine wine, what’s their secret?
Sade Adu during the Love Deluxe album shoot circa 1992.
Sade was formed around 1982 in London, UK. Sade's original line-up was; Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman, Paul Anthony and Sade Adu whom the band was named after.
The group achieved chart success with their songs ‘Your Love is King’ and ‘Smooth Operator’ from their debut album ‘Diamond Life’ from 1984.
The album garnered immediate acclaim and was certified 4x Platinum. Sade went on to release one chart-topping album after the next.
Fans often consider the group’s fourth album ‘Love Deluxe’ from 1992 as their best work. The group also won the 1994 Grammy for Best R&B Performance for ‘No Ordinary Love’ from Love Deluxe.
Musically, Sade is very eclectic and is almost impossible to put into one genre. On album’s like ‘’Love Deluxe,’ the group incorporates elements of electronica, quiet storm, jazz, pop, trip-hop and R&B seamlessly.
Sade’s production often features live instrumentation, punchy drums and bass, creating a unique soundscape. Lots of musicians of all genres cite Sade as a source of inspiration.
After Love Deluxe, lead singer Sade Adu was battling media attention as well as giving birth to her first child. Because of this, all members of the band except Adu formed a group called ‘Sweetback’.
Sweetback released their self-titled debut album in 1996. The group followed up with 'Stage 2' in 2004.
Sade has been very influential in the world of hip hop being sampled and interpolated by many.
MF DOOM sampled Sade’s ‘Kiss of Life’ for his 1999 song ‘Doomsday’. Also, Drake, Joey Bada$$, LL Cool J, Mobb Deep, Nipsey Hussle and Freddie Gibbs have also sampled or interpolated Sade.
Sade returned in 2000 and ten years later in 2010 for their fifth and sixth albums ‘Lovers Rock’ and ‘Soldier of Love', the latter of which is their newest album to date.
It would be impossible to talk about Sade without mentioning Adu's beauty in pop culture. Adu is said to be one of the most beautiful women to ever live by Vogue. Even at age 61, many still ask for Adu’s beauty tips.
Even with massive gaps between albums, Sade manages to reinvent the wheel musically with every release. In turn, Sade’s quality music and marketability make them one of the greatest bands of all time.
Listen to Sade on Spotify and Apple Music here.
