Sade

Sade's plush voice and sultry music carry a belief in romance as a necessary pleasure, even a healer. Her promise to remain "By Your Side" is delivered like a sexy lullaby, and "Your Love Is King" remains an all-time lovers' classic. And is there any denying that the Nigerian-born songstress seems to know what she's talking about? Let Sade take you from fireside to bedroom, in Next Steps.

The long, lush tracks concocted by Sade and band work a mojo that puts her in her own category. This groove is hers, even when she steps out on a rare cover (Timmy Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together"). That self-assurance might be the finest thing about this incredible woman — she somehow produces an exquisite vocal while barely moving a muscle: remarkable. The queen of sophistication reveals her full range in Deep Cuts.

A genuine sense of caring lies at the heart of Sade's music. It's her effortlessly communicated "realness" (along with the promise of brilliant nights) that makes the music stand up for her fans, even when — as with her third album, 1988's Stronger Than Pride – her trademark introspection has a little more bite, edge, and irony than usual.

Almost always sultry, sometimes nearly heart-stoppingly quiet, Sade Adu has long been one of music's most seductive artists, her occasional absences from the scene adding credence to the line about the heart growing fonder. Make her part of your romance starter kit: red wine, candles, some high thread-count sheets, and these syrupy grooves, drawn from a small but mighty, mighty catalogue of albums. Whether you consider her jazz, R&B, or pop, Sade's style is all about the midnight hour and everything that goes down therein.