Midnight Magic (album)

Last updated
Midnight Magic
Commodores - Midnight Magic.jpg
Studio album by
Released27 July 1979 [1]
Recorded1979
StudioMotown Recording Studios, Los Angeles; A&M Studios, Los Angeles
Genre Disco, R&B, funk
Length38:57
Label Motown
Producer James Anthony Carmichael, Commodores [2]
Commodores chronology
Greatest Hits
(1978)
Midnight Magic
(1979)
Heroes
(1980)
Singles from Midnight Magic
  1. "Sail On"
    Released: July 27, 1979
  2. "Still"
    Released: September 14, 1979
  3. "Wonderland"
    Released: 1979

Midnight Magic is the seventh studio album by the musical group the Commodores, released in 1979. [3] It was certified Gold in the UK by the BPI. [4] Midnight Magic was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus. [5]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Music Week Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [7]
Smash Hits 5/10 [8]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]

The New York Times stated that "the Commodores, too, have their disco‐dance numbers. But this group's principal appeal would seem to be its ability to come up with classy 'makeout' music. The new Midnight Magic, which is moving up the album charts quickly, will disappoint no one in search of just that. And as usual, the Commodores' ability to span a wide stylistic range and to avoid some of the more tired cliches of black vocal instrumental groups is extremely refreshing." [10] Smash Hits called it, "solid professional funk, but still faceless and only moderately entertaining - mainly because of a distinct threadbareness in the melody department." [11] The Bay State Banner noted that "the vocals, it is true, are rather toneless—grouped together in the mix, the textural interest of a single throat is erased—but the rhythm section plays with verve through unusual chordings that oddly parallel the vocal register." [12]

Singles

A song called "Still" became the band's second U.S. #1 single. Another single was the #4 hit "Sail On".

Record World said of the single "Wonderland" that "the vocals will mesmerize all tastes." [13] "Wonderland" reached #25.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gettin' It"David Cochrane, Walter Orange4:18
2."Midnight Magic"Lionel Richie, Jr., Thomas McClary5:42
3."You're Special"Harold Hudson, William King5:10
4."Still"Lionel Richie, Jr5:51
5."Wonderland"Milan Williams5:28
6."Sexy Lady"Thomas McClary3:30
7."Lovin' You"Ronald LaPread4:36
8."Sail On"Lionel Richie, Jr.5:43
9."12:01 A.M. (Reprise)"Lionel Richie, Jr., Thomas McClary0:59
Total length:41:17


Personnel

Commodores

Additional musicians

The Mean Machine

Production

Charts

Singles

SingleChartPosition
"Sail On"Belgium (VRT Top 30)14
Canada (RPM)
3
Ireland Singles Chart
8
Netherlands Singles Top 1008
Official New Zealand Music Chart6
UK Singles Chart8
U.S.Billboard Hot 1004
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary9
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles8
"Still"Canada (RPM)2
Ireland Singles Chart3
Netherlands Singles Top 10016
Official New Zealand Music Chart13
UK Singles Chart4
U.S.Billboard Hot 1001
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary6
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles1
"Wonderland"Canada (RPM)70
UK Singles Chart40
U.S.Billboard Hot 10025
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary43
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles21

Sales and certifications

Certifications for Midnight Magic
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI) [20] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [21] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. "BPI certifications for Commodores".
  2. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 159.
  3. The Commodores: Midnight Magic. Motown Records. 1979.
  4. "The Commodores: Midnight Magic". bpi.co.uk. BPI.
  5. "Commodores". grammy.com. The Recording Academy . Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  6. Henderson, Alex. "Commodores: Midnight Magic". allmusic.com. AllMusic.
  7. "Album Reviews: Commodores — Midnight Magic" (PDF). Music Week . Gwent: Pensord Press Ltd. August 4, 1979. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2025 via WorldRadioHistory.com.
  8. Starr, Red. "Albums". Smash Hits (August 23 – September 5, 1979): 25.
  9. Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 75.
  10. "The Pop Life". The New York Times . August 24, 1979.
  11. Red Starr (23 March 1979). "albums". Smash Hits. No. 19.
  12. Freedberg, Mike (23 Aug 1979). "Soul Dog". Bay State Banner. No. 46. p. 22.
  13. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 8, 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  14. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 72. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  15. "RPM 100 Albums". RPM. 17 July 2013.
  16. "Commodores: Heroes". charts.nz. The Official New Zealand Music Chart.
  17. "Commodores: Heroes". dutchcharts.nl. Dutch Charts.
  18. "Commodores: Heroes". swedishcharts.com. Sverigetopplistan.
  19. "Commodores: Heroes". norwegiancharts.com. VG-Lista.
  20. "Dutch album certifications – Commodores – Midnight Magic" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved July 16, 2022.Enter Midnight Magic in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1979 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  21. "British album certifications – Commodores – Midnight Magic". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 16, 2022.