Stevie Wonder has released four previously unheard recordings from the sessions for his 1976 landmark album Songs in the Key of Life, issuing them today as a short EP under the same name. The material comes as Wonder marks the album's 50th anniversary with an arena tour.
Songs in the Key of Life, widely regarded as one of Wonder's most ambitious studio projects, won the Grammy award for album of the year and contains several of his best known songs, including Sir Duke, As and Isn’t She Lovely. The newly issued tracks were recorded during the original sessions but had not been released until now.
The EP expands the documented output from what critics and fans have long described as a sprawling and influential period in Wonder's career. The release provides listeners with additional perspective on the creative breadth of the 1976 project, which combined soul, pop, jazz and social commentary.
The surprise release arrives as Wonder is celebrating the milestone with live dates in arenas, bringing renewed attention to the record and its place in popular music history. The new recordings are likely to be of interest both to long-standing fans and to new listeners exploring the album on the occasion of its semicentennial.