 
Sade is actually the name of a person and a band.
Sade, the person, was born Helen Folasade Adu on
January 16, 1959 in Nigeria. While at Central Saint
Martins College of Art and Design in London, Sade
joined a Latin funk group called 'Arriva' and then a
Latin soul band called 'Pride' as a backup singer.
She performed with the band for 3 years and started
to get recognized for her performance of "Smooth Operator" during the set. This led
to a solo record deal with Epic Records in 1983 and
the creation of the band, Sade, along with 3 members
of 'Pride': guitarist and saxophonist Stuart
Matthewman, keyboardist Andrew Hale, and bassist Paul
Spencer Denman. Sade has described herself as
enjoying songwriting and singing soulful music, but
never as the focus of impending fame or success. So,
when asked to sign a record deal, it had to include 3
of her band mates. Sade is often referred to as the
most successful British solo female artist with LP
sales topping 50 million worldwide.
Sade's musical style has been described as
"smoky faux-jazz." As Stephen Holden
observed in the New York Times, "...in
a pop climate obsessed with changing sounds and the
language of the street, Sade has shown herself to be
a pop classicist more interested in creating a
durable body of work than in keeping up... (her) best
songs find fresh images for expressing time-honored
sentiments and placing them in settings that distill
particular moods with a special intensity."
Sade hit the Top 10 in the UK and Ireland with "Your Love Is King."
Sade released their debut LP Diamond
Life in
the UK which hit the Top 5 in the US and UK, and #1
in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
Hits from Diamond
Life
included "Your Love Is King," "When Am I Going
To Make A Living," "Smooth Operator," and "Hang On To
Your Love."
Sade released their first single in the US -
"Hang On To Your Love."
 # 45
Singles Artist of the Year
Sade released their debut LP Diamond
Life in
the US (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade hit the Top 40 with "Smooth Operator" (available for download
at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Diamond
Life was
certified gold.
Sade hit the Top 10 with "Smooth Operator"
Sade topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart
for 2 weeks with "Smooth Operator"
Sade performed at Live Aid in London.
Sade hit the Top 40 with "Your Love Is King" (available for download
at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
The video for "Smooth Operator" was nominated for 2 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video and Best New Artist.
Sade released Promise in the UK where it hit #1 for
2 weeks (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade won a Brit Award for Best British Album (Diamond
Life).
Sade released Promise in the US and included the
hits "Never As Good As The First Time," "The Sweetest Taboo," and fan favorite
"Is It A Crime."
Sade hit the Top 40 with "The Sweetest Taboo" (available for download
at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade performed "Is It A Crime" and "The Sweetest Taboo" on Saturday Night
Live.
 # 37
Singles Artist of the Year
Sade was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite
Soul/R&B Female Video Artist.
Promise was certified platinum.
Sade won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Sade hit the Top 10 with "The Sweetest Taboo"
Sade topped the Billboard 200 LP chart for 2 weeks
and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with Promise.
Sade topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart
with "The
Sweetest Taboo."
Promise was certified 2x platinum.
Sade hit the Top 40 with "Never As Good As The First Time" (available for download
at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade appeared in the film Absolute
Beginners.
Sade performed at the 'Artists Against Apartheid
Concert' in London.
Sade were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group (Promise).
Sade released Stronger
Than Pride
in the UK where it hit the Top 3 (available for
download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade released Stronger
Than Pride
in the US with the hits "Paradise," "Nothing Can Come Between
Us," "Turn My Back On You," and
"Love Is Stronger Than Pride."
Sade hit the Top 40 with "Paradise" (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
for 1 week with "Paradise."
Stronger
Than Pride
was certified platinum.
Sade was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite
Soul/R&B Female Artist.
 Diamond
Life and Stronger
Than Pride
were certified 2x platinum and Promise was certified 3x platinum.
Sade released Love
Deluxe in
the US (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3) with the hits "No Ordinary Love," "Cherish The
Day," "Kiss Of Life," and "Feel
No Pain."
Sade released Love
Deluxe in
the UK.
Sade performed "No Ordinary Love" and "Cherish The
Day" on Saturday Night Live.
Sade hit the Top 40 with "No Ordinary Love" (available for download
at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
 # 86
Singles Artist of the Year
Love
Deluxe
was certified platinum.
 Love
Deluxe
was certified 2x platinum.
Sade topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top R&B Album
Artist - Duos/Group.
 Love
Deluxe
was certified 3x platinum.
Sade contributed a song to the Philadelphia soundtrack: "Please Send
Me Someone To Love."
Sade won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group
("No Ordinary Love").
Diamond
Life was
certified 3x platinum.
Sade released the hits compilation The
Best Of Sade which hit the Top 10 in the US and UK
(available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Stronger
Than Pride
was certified 3x platinum and Love
Deluxe
was certified 4x platinum.
 The
Best Of Sade was certified platinum.
Diamond
Life was
certified 4x platinum.
Sade was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group
("Please Send Me Someone To Love").
 The
Best Of Sade was certified 2x platinum.
After the release of The
Best Of Sade, Sade took time off from recording to
focus on her marriage and child. Hale, Matthewman,
and Denman released the side project LP Sweetback (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade made the news when she failed to pull her car
over when asked by the police in Jamaica. She
reportedly cursed the officers as she was loaded in
to the squad car and taken to the station. Months
later, an arrest warrant for Sade was issued after
she failed to appear in court in Jamaica to face
charges of dangerous driving and disobeying a police
officer. Sade later stated that she was unable to
appear in court due to the hospitalization of her
child. Medical proof of her child's hospitalization
allowed the arrest warrant to be "stayed."
The
Best Of Sade was certified 3x platinum.
 Promise was certified 4x platinum.
Sade remained in trouble with authorities in Jamaica
from charges stemming from last year of reckless
driving - an arrest warrant was issued after she did
not appear in court. Her lawyer stated that the
singer had previous engagements outside of the
country.
 The
Best Of Sade was certified 4x platinum.
VH1: 100 Greatest Women of Rock
& Roll included Sade at # 66.
Sade released Lovers
Rock
(available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3) with the singles "By Your Side" and "King Of Sorrow."
The LP hit #1 in Poland and the Top 3 in the US.
Lovers
Rock was
certified 2x platinum.
Sade hit the Top 40 with "By Your Side" (available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Lovers
Rock was
certified 3x platinum.
Sade toured - her first tour in 8 years - beginning
in Vancouver and then heading to the U.S.
Sade won an American Music Award for Favorite
Adult Contemporary Artist.
Sade released the live LP Lovers
Live
(from the 2001 'Lovers Live Tour') (available for
download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3).
Sade won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album (Lovers
Rock) and
was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance
("By Your Side").
Lovers
Live was
certified gold.
VH1: 100 Sexiest Artists included Sade at # 34.
# 254 on the Top Pop Artists of the Past 25
Years
chart.
Sade released Soldier
Of Love
(available for download at iTunes and Amazon-mp3). Rolling Stone
described the LP as "...sumptuously melancholy,
exquisitely beautiful R&B, perfect for crying on
a very expensive sofa."
Sade topped the Billboard 200 LP chart, Top Digital
Albums chart, and Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart with Soldier
Of Love
which sold over 502,000 copies its first week of
release in the US.
Sade topped the LP charts in Belgium, Sweden,
Switzerland, Canada, Hungry, Italy, Poland, Portugal,
Spain, and France with Soldier
Of Love.
Sade topped the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart
with "Soldier Of Love."
Soldier
Of Love
was certified platinum.
Sade was nominated for 2 American Music Awards for Favorite
Soul/R&B Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Soldier
Of Love).
Sade's LP Soldier
Of Love
was the #7 top selling LP of the year.
Sade won a Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group
("Soldier Of Love") and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or
Group
("Babyfather").
The
Ultimate Collection was released.
The DVD Sade:
Bring Me Home - Live 2011 was released.
Sade were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Long Form (Sade:
Bring Me Home - Live 2011).
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Diamond
Life
Released: July, 1984 (UK) / February,
1985 (US)
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 5
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly:
***
Tracks: "Smooth
Operator" - "Your Love Is King" - "Hang On
To Your Love" - "Frankie's First
Affair" - "When Am I Going To Make
A Living" - "Cherry Pie" -
"Sally" - "I Will Be Your
Friend" - "Why Can't We Live
Together"
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Promise
Released: November, 1985 (UK) /
December, 1985 (US)
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 1 (for 2 weeks)
Billboard #1: R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums
Grammy Nominee: Best R&B Vocal
Performance by a Duo or Group
Entertainment Weekly: B-
Tracks: "Is It A
Crime" - "The
Sweetest Taboo" - "War Of The
Hearts" - "Jezebel" -
"Mr. Wrong" - "Punch
Drunk" - "Never As Good As The
First Time" - "Fear" -
"Tar Baby" - "Maureen"
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Stronger
Than Pride
Released: May, 1988 (UK) / June, 1988
(US)
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 7
Rolling Stone: 
Tracks: "Love Is
Stronger Than Pride" - "Paradise" - "Nothing
Can Come Between Us" - "Haunt
Me" - "Turn My Back On You" -
"Keep Looking" - "Clean
Heart" - "Give It Up" -
"I Never Thought I'd See The Day" -
"Siempre Hay Emperanza"
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Love
Deluxe
Released: October, 1992 (US) / November,
1992 (UK)
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 3
Entertainment Weekly: B
Tracks: "No Ordinary Love" - "Feel No
Pain" - "I Couldn't Love You
More" - "Like A Tattoo" -
"Kiss Of Life" - "Cherish The
Day" - "Pearls" - "Bullet
Proof Soul" - "Mermaid"
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The
Best Of Sade
Released: November, 1994
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 9
Entertainment Weekly: A
Tracks: "Your Love Is King" - "Hang On
To Your Love" - "Smooth
Operator" - "Jezebel" -
"The
Sweetest Taboo" - "Is It A
Crime" - "Never As Good As The
First Time' - "Love Is Stronger Than
Pride" - "Paradise" - "Nothing
Can Come Between Us" - "No Ordinary Love" - "Like A
Tattoo" - "Kiss Of Life" -
"Please Send Me Someone To Love" -
"Cherish The Day" -
"Pearls"
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iTunes / Amazon.mp3 |
Lovers
Rock
Released: November, 2000
US: 3x Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 3
Grammy Winner: Best Pop Vocal Album
Rolling Stone:  - Entertainment
Weekly:
B
Tracks: "By Your Side" -
"Flow" - "King Of Sorrow"
- "Somebody Already Broke My Heart"
- "All About Love" - "Slave
Song" - "The Sweetest Gift" -
"Every Word" -
"Immigrant" - "Lovers
Rock" - "It's Only Love That Gets
You Through"
Special Edition also includes live
versions of: "The
Sweetest Taboo" - "Smooth
Operator" - "Nothing Can Come
Between Us" - "No Ordinary Love"
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Lovers
Live
Released: February, 2002
US: Gold
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 10
Live Tracks: "Cherish The
Day" - "Somebody Already Broke My
Heart" - "Smooth
Operator" - "Jezebel" -
"Kiss Of Life" - "Slave
Song" - "The Sweetest Gift" -
"The
Sweetest Taboo" - "Paradise" - "No Ordinary Love" - "By Your Side" -
"Flow" - "Is It A Crime"
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Soldier
Of Love
Released: February, 2010
US: Platinum
Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 1
Billboard #1: Top Digital Albums,
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly:
A
Tracks: "The Moon And
The Sky" - "Solder Of Love" -
"Morning Bird" -
"Babyfather" - "Long Hard
Road" - "Be That Easy" -
"Bring Me Home" - "In Another
Time" - "Skin" - "The
Safest Place"
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The
Ultimate Collection
Released: May, 2011
Tracks: "Your Love Is King" - "Smooth
Operator" - "Hang On To Your
Love" - "The
Sweetest Taboo" - "Is It A
Crime" - "Never As Good As The
First Time" - "Jezebel" -
"Love Is Stronger Than Pride" -
"Paradise" - "Nothing
Can Come Between Us" - "No Ordinary Love" - "Kiss Of
Life" - "Feel No Pain" -
"Bullet Proof Soul" - "Cherish
The Day" - "Pearls" - "By
Your Side" - "Immigrant" -
"Flow" - "King Of Sorrow"
- "The Sweetest Gift" -
"Soldier Of Love" - "The Moon
And The Sky" - "Babyfather" -
"Still In Love WIth You" -
"Love Is Found" - "I Would
Never Have Guessed" - "The Moon And
The Sky" (Remix featuring Jay-Z) -
"By Your Side" (Neptunes Remix)
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| Note: Song title and position
links lead you to the song's Top 40 chart run
(from the ARC Weekly Top 40) and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound samples). |
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