Ranking the Best Luther Vandross Albums

Earlier this year, I finally bent to pressure and ranked all 10 billion Prince albums.

Then he had the nerve to release a NEW album a few weeks ago. Even Ghost Prince remains petty.

After Prince (and Stevie Wonder – and don’t get your hopes up waiting for THAT ranking…), the other major rankings request comes from a man who needs only one name:

LUTHA

And for younger readers who don’t know, or old heads who just have forgotten, I’ll happily remind you – Luther Vandross is one of the greatest artists in R&B history.

He has the hits – an endless array that are still sampled and covered 40 years later. He has the sales success – every studio album with one exception has gone at least platinum (and the one lone album still went gold). And of course he has the voice – the gold standard for vocalists in any genre, arguably THE best male voice in R&B.

So today, let’s look back at his historic career, ranking his albums from bottom to top. For clarity, this list will only include his 20-year solo studio albums, excluding his holiday sets, compilations and his early run as part of the group Luther. Yes, like Sade, Lutha was once part of a group that shared his name.

We toss around the word “legend” wayyyy too frequently for my taste. In fact, that word might not even be strong enough for him. Icon is more fitting.

Or, just LUTHA.

13. I Know (1998)

Soul In Stereo rating: 3 stars out of 5

Edd said: I’ve made it no secret that 1998 is one of my favorite years in music. It’s brimming with celebrated and underrated R&B albums. This album, though, doesn’t quite live up to that era’s sky-high bar, nor does it do much for Lutha’s legacy. The production is strong – much more diverse than the sometimes sleepy Your Secret Love that preceded it – but it doesn’t feel nearly as cohesive as most Lutha projects. The best songs play a little too closely to his wheelhouse, the rest are either ill fits or pretty forgettable.

Forgotten favorites: “Are You Mad at Me?,” “Nights in Harlem Remix,” “Religion”

12. Your Secret Love (1996)

Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Look playa, it’s been 20 years, can ANYONE explain why Lutha is cosplaying as Mr. Freeze on this album cover? Are the streets THAT cold for secret lovers? Anyway, this one is mainly known for its title track – one of my favorite Lutha song of all time, actually – but most of the rest of the set is merely serviceable. Of course, this is a Lutha album, so the vocal performances are outstanding but the similar production and overload of ballads makes this one feel pretty lethargic in spots.

Forgotten favorites: “Knocks Me Off My Feet,” “Nobody to Love,” “Goin Out of My Head”

11. Songs (1994)

Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Cosplay Lutha is back, flying on the scene in his best Clark Kent fit for Songs in 94, a collection of covers. As always, cover albums are much trickier than most realize: Finding the balance between putting your own stamp on a well-established hit while doing justice to the source material is no easy task. Of course, Lutha is no stranger to covers – they’ve been a part of his repertoire going all the way back to his debut. His unique spin on old favorites like “Hello” and “Killing Me Softly” are intriguing, and of course “Endless Love” with Mariah Carey still stands the test of time. Overall though, Songs does little else except remind us that Luther can sing REALLY, REALLY well. Which we already knew.

Forgotten favorites: “Going in Circles,” “All the Woman I Need,” “Hello”

10. Never Let Me Go (1993)

Soul In Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: The times were a changin’ in R&B by 1993 – while younger contemporaries were wearing leather in the desert and shades in the rain, Lutha stayed on course with another heartfelt, uplifting release. The singles, though overlooked today, still hold up pretty well. Everything else just feels like run-of-the-mill Lutha – well sung, unquestionably, but not necessarily memorable. That’s probably why it often gets lost in the vast shuffle of his discography today.

Forgotten favorites: “Can’t Be Doin That Now,” “Love Me Again,” “Hustle”

9. Dance with My Father (2003)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Lutha’s final album tried to replicate the incredible success of its 2011 predecessor, and give him props – he got really close. Once again, Dance with My Father continued to bridge the generation gap, this time by fostering collabos with the era’s headliners. Beyonce, Busta Rhymes and Foxy Brown meshed quite well with Lutha’s sound. Foxy promising to keep her verse clean out of respect for Lutha always makes me smile. There are a couple of trendy misfires here and there, and yes, that title track is still a VERY tough listen. I really wish we got more 2000-era Lutha, he truly found himself.

Forgotten favorites: “If I Didn’t Know Better,” “Think About You,” “Apologize”

8. Luther Vandross (2001)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Attention, legacy artists looking to adapt to the changing times, THIS album is your blueprint. After a decade of so-so albums that had pundits whispering that Lutha was behind the times, Lutha’s 2001 album was the comeback of comebacks. He perfectly adapting to the changing R&B landscape, sounding youthful and energized without losing his core sound – AND didn’t need a bunch of awkward rap features or embarrassing lyrics to remain hip. Much of that is due to the top-notch production, which gently eased Lutha into the new millennium while remaining faithful to his core sound. True, some of the uptempos don’t always hit but the ballads are *chef’s kiss.* This album would top most artists’ discographies, but it’s just No. 8 here – that just shows the level of artistry Lutha possessed.

Forgotten favorites: “Are You There (With Another Guy),” “Can Heaven Wait,” “Let’s Make Tonight the Night”

7. Any Love (1988)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: The album that closed out Lutha’s historic 80s run, Any Love is a classic blend of Vandross romance and melancholy. Though it has hits – three top 5 R&B hits, including one No. 1, to be exact – this set is often overlooked. The quality is there though, just as air-tight as anything he dropped in the 80s and filled with little gems, from his sax-fueled cover of “Love Won’t Let Me Wait” to the underrated “For You to Love” that just oozes classic Lutha. It’s a fine way to finish off a decade that Lutha dominated.

Forgotten favorites: “I Know You Want to,” “Love Won’t Let Me Wait,” “The Second Time Around”

6. Give Me the Reason (1986)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: Give Me the Reason gave us the debut of Skinny Lutha, but my man was still a heavyweight in the booth. “Stop to Love” became his first top 20 pop hit, but that was far from all this album had to offer – most of the tracks made their way to radio in some form. The uptempos aren’t quite as strong as they were on his earlier sets, but that’s a bit of a nitpick – Lutha’s game was pretty bulletproof at this point. Fun fact – “So Amazing,” one of Lutha’s best songs ever, only made it No. 94 on the R&B charts. CRIMINAL.

Forgotten favorites: Y’all already know all the songs on this one but shout out to “See Me” and “Because It’s Really Love”

5. The Night I Fell in Love (1985)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5

Edd said: In today’s era of bloated playlists, I often complain about the lack of sequencing and storytelling in current R&B. Look at the first six tracks of Luther’s fourth album and see a master at work – “Til My Baby Comes Home” –> “The Night I Fell in Love” –> “If Only for One Night” –> “Creepin” –> “It’s Over Now.” Even if you aren’t familiar with the songs, the titles alone paint a story of love gained and lost. That level of storytelling is truly becoming a lost art and proves that Lutha’s fourth album is yet another in a long line of masterworks.

Forgotten favorites: “The Night I Fell in Love,” “Creepin,” “Other Side of the World”

4. Forever, for Always, for Love (1982)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Sophomore jinx where?! Lutha’s second studio effort might be a step below his debut, but it quickly cemented him as the premier voice of the decade. And incredible mix of soaring ballads and danceable grooves combine for a truly timeless release.

Forgotten favorites: “You’re the Sweetest One,” “Better Love,” “Promise Me”

3. Power of Love (1991)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Lutha started off the 90s with an absolute bang. There’s just an intangible energy that resonates from this record. From the power of his ballads to the cadence of the uptempo cuts, Lutha sounds like he’s having the time of his life. The 90s would be an uncertain time for 80s hitmakers – Lutha included, as time would tell – but he started the decade as strong as ever, producing one of his best records.

Forgotten favorites: “She Doesn’t Mind,” “I’m Gonna Start Today,” “I Can Tell You That”

2. Busy Body (1983)

Soul In Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Edd said: Third time was the charm. Lutha’s third set continued his undefeated 80s run, capping off one of the greatest trilogies in R&B history. “Superstar/Until You Come Back to Me” is the stuff of legend, but don’t sleep on the addictive groove of the title track, the hyperactive energy of “I’ll Let it Slide,” the weepy duet with Dionne Warwick – he packs in so much quality in just seven tracks.

Forgotten favorites: “Busy Body,” “Make Me a Believer,” “For the Sweetness of Your Love”

1. Never Too Much (1981)

Soul In Stereo rating: 5 stars out of 5

Edd said: You have one chance to make a good impression. So what did Luther Vandross do on his debut solo album? Oh, just create one of the greatest R&B records in history. An instant classic, Never too Much established Lutha as the premier R&B crooner of the era – a crown he’d hold on to for the better part of the next decade. Meanwhile, the album itself would go on to immortality, living on forever thanks to endless samples and covers. Not too long ago, I riled up my Twitter followers (as usual) by proclaiming that there is no perfect album, even the best records have room for improvement. Never too Much is one of those albums that makes me reconsider that claim – the flaws are microscopic and its legacy is boundless.

Forgotten favorites: “Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl),” “She’s a Super Lady,” “You Stopped Loving Me”

What are your favorite Lutha albums? Let us know below.