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Sade (band)

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Sade
Sade onstage
Sade performing at the SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany, on 16 November 2011
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Years active1982–present
Labels
Members
Past members
  • Paul Anthony Cooke
  • Dave Early
Websitesade.com

Sade (/ˈʃɑːdeɪ/ or /ʃɑːˈdeɪ/; SHAH-day or shah-DAY[6][7][8]) are an English band, formed in London in 1982 and named after their lead singer, Sade Adu. The band consists of Adu alongside bassist Paul Denman, saxophonist and guitarist Stuart Matthewman, and keyboardist Andrew Hale. Founding drummer Paul Anthony Cooke left the band in 1984, while Dave Early, Cooke's replacement, left in 1985. Since Early's departure in 1985, the band has employed numerous session and touring drummers in absence of an official drummer. The band's music features elements of soul, quiet storm, smooth jazz and sophisti-pop. All of the band's albums, including compilations and a live album, have charted in the US Top Ten.[9]

The band's debut studio album, Diamond Life (1984), reached number two on the UK Album Chart, selling over 1.2 million copies and won the Brit Award for Best British Album in 1985.[10] The album was also a hit internationally, reaching number one in several countries and the top ten in the United States, where it has sold four million copies to date.

In late 1985, the band released its second studio effort Promise, which peaked at number one in both the United Kingdom and the US.[11][12] It was certified double platinum in the UK and quadruple platinum in the US. In 1986, Sade won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.[5] Their fifth studio album, Lovers Rock (2000), won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Their sixth studio album, Soldier of Love (2010), peaked at number four in the UK and number one in the US.[13] In 2011, the band won its fourth Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[5]

Sade's US certified sales in 2012 stood at 23.5 million units according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[14] and by 2014 sold more than 75 million records worldwide to date.[15] The band were ranked at No. 50 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[16][17]

History

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1980s

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The musical group Sade was formed in London in 1982, by members of the Latin soul band Pride. Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman (sax), Paul Denman (bass), and Paul Anthony Cooke (drums), formed the break-away group and began to write its material. They named the band after lead singer Sade Adu, and made its debut performance in December 1982 at Ronnie Scott's Club in London in support of Pride. In May 1983, the band performed its first US show at Danceteria in New York City. Andrew Hale joined on keyboards in mid-1983; Cooke was replaced on drums by Dave Early in early 1984.[18]

Sade received more attention from the media and record companies than Pride had, and eventually separated from that group altogether. On 18 October 1983, the singer signed with CBS Records (which was absorbed by its parent label, Epic Records, in 1986). When singer Sade and her band of the same name were establishing themselves, its record company, Epic, printed "Pronounced Shar-day" on the record labels of its releases[19] (which led to mispronunciation in rhotic North America).

In February 1984, Sade released its first single, "Your Love Is King", which became a Top Ten hit. A second single, "When Am I Going to Make a Living" barely made the Top 40, but the band's debut album, Diamond Life, was released in July 1984 and peaked at No. 2.[11] It spent over six months in the UK Top Ten and was later certified 4× platinum by the BPI. Diamond Life won the 1985 Brit Award for Best British Album,[10] and was later included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[20]

The band embarked on its first major UK tour, augmented by Dave Early (drums), Martin Ditcham (percussion), Terry Bailey (trumpet) and Gordon Matthewman (trombone). A third single, "Smooth Operator", was released from the album with a video directed by Julien Temple. The single became its first US hit in spring 1985, propelling the album in the US Top Ten. Also in 1985, the band were nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards—"Best Female Video" and "Best New Artist".

On 13 July 1985, Sade performed at the Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London. Sade Adu became the only African-born artist to appear in front of the live audience of 75,000 and an estimated worldwide television audience of 1.4 billion in 170 countries.

In late 1985, Sade released its second album, Promise, which peaked at No. 1 in both the UK and the US.[11][12] It was certified double platinum by the BPI in the UK, and quadruple platinum in the US. In 1986, Adu was nominated for an American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Video Artist, and the band won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.[5] On 28 June 1986, after touring for the album, the band performed at the Artists Against Apartheid Concert in the Freedom Festival on Clapham Common in London. In 1987 the band was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for Promise.

Sade's third album, Stronger Than Pride, was released in May 1988. The album peaked at No. 3 in the UK and has been certified platinum by the BPI. It was preceded by the single "Paradise", which made the UK Top 30 and US Top 20.[11][12] The band toured across the world again, augmented by Blair Cunningham (drums), Martin Ditcham (percussion), Leroy Osbourne (vocals), Gordon Hunte (guitar), James McMillan (trumpet) and Jake Jacas (trombone & vocals). In 1989, Sade Adu was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.

1990s

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Sade's fourth album, Love Deluxe, was released in November 1992. The album peaked at No. 3 on the US Album charts and was certified quadruple-Platinum,[21] and peaked at No. 10 in the UK and was certified Gold by the BPI.[22]

In 1993, the band recorded a cover of the Percy Mayfield song, "Please Send Me Someone to Love", for the Academy Award-winning film Philadelphia, before launching the Love Deluxe world tour. Joining the band were Leroy Osbourne (vocals), Gordon Hunte (guitar), Trevor Murrell (drums), Karl Vanden Bossche (percussion), and Rick Braun (trumpet).

The 1994 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded to Sade for "No Ordinary Love", featured in the 1993 film Indecent Proposal. In November the group released its first compilation album, The Best of Sade. The album was another Top Ten hit in both the UK and US[23] and was certified Platinum and Quadruple-Platinum respectively.[24] In 1996 Hale, Denman, and Matthewman formed its own band as a side project, Sweetback, and released a self-titled album.

2000s

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In October 2000, Sade Adu came out of retirement to perform at the prestigious MOBO Awards, her first live performance in several years. The following month, Sade released its fifth studio album, Lovers Rock, its first album in eight years. The album peaked at number 18 in the UK (its only studio album not to make the top 10) though was certified Gold by the BPI.[11] It fared better in the US, peaking at number 3.[12] It also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2002.[5] The band toured the US throughout 2001. The tour resulted in a live album, Lovers Live, which was released in the UK and US in February 2002. In 2005 the band contributed the track "Mum" to the Voices for Darfur DVD.

2010s

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In mid-2009, when social media was in its early stages, Sade fans from around the world were excited to hear the news of an up-coming Sade album with a predicted release date of 24 November 2009. This date was posted on an official-looking website (sade2009.com) before Sony Music released any news or marketing for an upcoming album.

Sony denied having any affiliation with the site.[25] Billboard Charts contacted the site's owner to confirm the release date and was told the date was official, but soon after, the date was removed.

Die-hard Sade fans got together on the official Sade website forums to investigate this new website and release date, what they uncovered was the registered owner of the site's name was Thomas Roman, a web developer, freelance digital marketing and SEO specialist. Roman, a seasoned web developer, utilized the buzz he generated with the release date and got traffic to his site where he cashed in on pay per click advertisements. To date it is not known how he predicted a release date so close to the release of their first single and studio album, Soldier of Love,[26] in a decade.

Sade's sixth studio album Soldier of Love was released worldwide on 8 February 2010, the band's first album of new material in ten years.[27] Following the release of the "Soldier of Love" single on 8 December 2009, the track debuted at number 11 on the Urban Hot AC chart, making it the highest debut of the decade and the third-highest all-time on the Urban Hot AC chart. "Soldier of Love" debuted at number 5 on the Smooth Jazz airplay chart and became the first-ever vocal to hit number 1 on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown.[26]

The album peaked at No. 4 in the UK.[11] In the US the album sold 502,000 copies in its first week and topped the Billboard 200 chart.[13] The album stayed at No. 1 in the US for three weeks.[28] The group released the second single from the album, "Babyfather", in April 2010, followed by a video in May. On 13 April 2010, the band performed "Babyfather" and "The Sweetest Taboo" on the US TV show Dancing With The Stars. In September 2010 the group announced the first dates of its global tour, Sade Live, to begin in April 2011.[29]

In 2011, Sade received its fourth Grammy Award (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals) for Soldier of Love, and released a second greatest hits album, The Ultimate Collection, which made the UK Top Ten.[5] A new video for the track "Love Is Found" premiered in July 2011.

The band returned in 2018 for the soundtrack to the Disney film A Wrinkle in Time with the song "Flower of the Universe" and for the song "The Big Unknown" for the motion picture Widows.[30][31]

On 13 July 2018, Sade bandmate Stuart Matthewman told Rated R&B in an interview that the band is in the studio working on its seventh studio album. He said, "We're working on a new album. When we're happy, then we'll let everyone else hear it."[32]

2020s

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The album title and artist written in black on a white background
Cover to This Far (2020)

In September 2020, Sade announced a remastered vinyl set of its six albums. The boxset, titled This Far, was released on 9 October 2020.[33][34][35] Their engineer and co-producer, Mike Pela, died in 2022.[36] Music to their hypothetical seventh album has been recorded in summer 2022 at the rebuilt Miraval Studios[37] (where they previously recorded Promise and Stronger Than Pride) but as of October 2024 no further details have been heard of.

Band members

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Former members

  • Paul Anthony Cooke – drums (1982–1984)
  • Dave Early – drums (1984–1985, died 1996[38])

Legacy

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The band is credited with influencing the musical genre of neo soul and achieving success in the 1980s with songs that featured a sophisti-pop style, incorporating elements of soul, pop, smooth jazz and quiet storm.[39] The band was part of a new wave of British R&B-oriented artists during the late-1980s and early-1990s that also included artists Soul II Soul, Caron Wheeler, The Brand New Heavies, Simply Red, Jamiroquai and Lisa Stansfield.[40] AllMusic's Alex Henderson writes that, "Many of the British artists who emerged during that period had a neo-soul outlook and were able to blend influences from different eras".[40] Following the coining of the term "quiet storm" by Smokey Robinson, Sade was credited for helping give the genre a worldwide audience.[41]

The band's work has influenced and been recognized by several musical artists. Rapper Rakim of Eric B. & Rakim stated he grew up listening to Sade's music and was influenced by the singer's voice and style. Rakim has also referenced its song "Smooth Operator" in his rap song "Paid in Full" (1987).[42] Hip hop group Souls of Mischief stated they grew up listening to Sade's music.[42] Hip hop group Tanya Morgan also described Sade as one of its favorite artists.[42]

Frontman Chino Moreno of the alternative metal band Deftones has cited Love Deluxe as one of his top 13 favorite albums.[43] In an interview with The Quietus, Moreno said, "I've always loved it, it was a big inspiration on me. It's sort of classy, another cocktail and cityscape record."[43] The band also covered the lead single "No Ordinary Love" in collaboration with singer Jonah Matranga for the band's 2005 compilation album, B-Sides & Rarities.[44]

Singer Keri Hilson said, "My Dad would whistle Sade melodies randomly all the time. As a kid, I used to try to whistle along to 'Cherish the Day' or 'The Sweetest Taboo.' He was a real Sade fan and made me one, too!"[42] In reaction to the newly released album Soldier of Love, rapper Kanye West wrote, "This is why i still have a blog. To be a part of moments like this ... new Sade ... How much better this ... than everything else?".[42] Rapper Rick Ross stated in an interview that "People may know my infatuation with Sade. There's never been a bad Sade track. I love all different sides."[45] Other individuals such as Formula One driver Carlos Sainz have quoted Sade's songs.

The group were nominated for induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.[46]

Awards

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Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Sade

Discography

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Main article: Sade discography

Tours

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References

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  1. ^ Lynch, Joseph Brannigan (11 January 2010). "Sade Strikes Back! The '80s soul star unleashes a surge of dancing desert soldiers". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Music's Top 40 Money Makers 2012". Billboard. 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Pop/Rock » Punk/New Wave » Sophisti-Pop". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  4. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (13 January 1988). "U.S. Soul, Reborn in Britain". The Washington Post. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f And The GRAMMY Went To ... Sade Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine Grammy.com. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  6. ^ Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
  7. ^ Olausson, Lena; Sangster, Catherine (2006). Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation. Oxford University Press. p. 338. ISBN 0-19-280710-2.
  8. ^ DSR (8 October 2011). "Meaning of the name Sade". YouTube. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  9. ^ Chart History Sade www.billboard.com, accessed 3 April 2021
  10. ^ a b Brit Awards: Sade Archived 25 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  11. ^ a b c d e f Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  12. ^ a b c d Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books
  13. ^ a b Sade's 'Soldier' Sizzles At No. 1 With 502,000 Archived 25 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Billboard.com, Retrieved 10 February 2012
  14. ^ Top Selling Artists Archived 19 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine according to Recording Industry Association of America web site
  15. ^ Blatt, Ben (20 February 2014). "Counting Couplets". Slate. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  16. ^ "The Greatest Artists of All Time". VH1/Stereogum. 3 September 2010. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  17. ^ "Sade Announces First Tour in Eight Years". VH1. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
  18. ^ Murray, Charles Shaar (23 May 1985). "Sade: Sophisticated Lady". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  19. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; et al., eds. (2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. p. 971. ISBN 087930653X. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  20. ^ Robert Dimery, ed. (2008). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Octopus Publishing Group. p. 518. ISBN 9781844036240.
  21. ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum". RIAA. 9 November 1994. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  22. ^ "BPI Certified Awards". BPI. 1 June 1993. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  23. ^ "The Best Of Sade: Charts". allmusic.com. Retrieved 31 March 2009.
  24. ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  25. ^ "Exclusive: New Sade On The Way, 2009 Release Possible". Billboard.com. 1 June 2009. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Sade's Highly Anticipated First Single, 'Soldier Of Love' Making Radio History". PRNewswire. 21 December 2009. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  27. ^ "Sade web site news". Sade.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2004.
  28. ^ Sade Clocks Third Week At No. 1 On Billboard 200 Archived 20 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2012
  29. ^ "Sade Embarks on First Global Tour in Ten Years Kicking Off North American Leg on June 16th, 2011 in Baltimore, MD" (Press release). PR Newswire. 30 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 October 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  30. ^ Olsen, Mark (31 August 2018). "Steve McQueen's 'Widows' to feature new song by Sade, 'The Big Unknown'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  31. ^ Kreps, Daniel (10 November 2018). "Hear Sade's New 'Widows' Song 'The Big Unknown'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  32. ^ "Exclusive: Sade Bandmate Says New Album Is in the Works". Rated R&B. 13 July 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  33. ^ Shaffer, Claire (2 September 2020). "Sade Announces Six-Album Vinyl Set 'This Far' for October Release". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  34. ^ "SADE ALBUM COLLECTION REMASTERED FOR VINYL BOX SET, 'THIS FAR'". DJMag. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  35. ^ Aniftos, Rania (3 September 2020). "Sade to Unveil 'This Far' Six-Album Vinyl Box Set Next Month". Billboard. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  36. ^ Buckle, Becky (27 July 2022). "Producer and long-time Sade collaborator Michael Pela has died". Mixmag.
  37. ^ "Brad Pitt and Damien Quintard Reveal the Rebirth of France's Legendary Miraval Studios". Billboard.
  38. ^ "Drummer dies after crash". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  39. ^ Kot, Greg (9 February 2010). "Sade Proves as Alluring as Ever on Unhurried 'Soldier of Love'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  40. ^ a b Henderson, Alex (1 August 2003). "British Soul". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  41. ^ Lester, Paul (2010). "BBC – Music – Review of Sade – Diamond Life". BBC. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  42. ^ a b c d e Barshad, Amos (11 February 2010). "Why Rappers Love Sade – Vulture". Vulture. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  43. ^ a b Turner, Luke (23 November 2010). "Bakers Dozen: Deftones' Chino Moreno Chooses His Top 13 Albums". The Quietus. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  44. ^ Young, Alex (28 February 2011). "Deftones Take on Sade, Duran Duran, The Smiths & More on Covers". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  45. ^ Anderson, Kyle (19 December 2014). "Rick Ross on Chanting 2 Live Crew on the Playground – And the First Time He Fell in Love With a Stripper". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  46. ^ Willman, Chris (10 February 2024). "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's First-Time Nominees for 2024 Include Cher, Mariah Carey, Sinead O'Connor, Oasis, Peter Frampton, Sade". Variety. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 810134503. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
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