Lionel Richie

First as the leader of the Commodores and then as a worldwide solo superstar in the '80s, Lionel Richie pioneered a highly accessible mix of soul and soft pop that influenced everyone from Luther Vandross to Mariah Carey. An excellent singer and songwriter, Richie started as a hard core funk musician but later became a master of the romantic contemporary R&B ballad, a style with which his name has become synonymous.

• pop
• r&b/soul