Stevie Wonder Releases Unheard Songs from Songs in the Key of Life Sessions

Stevie Wonder released an EP of four previously unreleased tracks from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life on September 28, 2026, marking the 50th anniversary of the landmark double album. The EP includes “It’s Easier,” My Life Story of Love, I Can See the Sun In Late December, and I’m Into Livin’, with Wonder personally curating the recordings. The release coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original album, which was first issued on September 28, 1976, and earned Wonder his third Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The EP, titled Songs in the Key of Life, was released at 4:54 AM, a time marked by the “Fo’FiftyFo’” inside joke coined by bassist Nathan Watts at the end of the original recording sessions. The phrase, which originated when Watts exclaimed it at 4:54 AM as the final studio session concluded, now symbolizes a new chapter in the album’s legacy.

Stevie Wonder releases four unheard songs from Songs in

The EP features tracks that were part of the original 1976 sessions but never included on the final album. Wonder described the release as a way to bring [the songs] back to that time in my life, and now they get to become part of yours, emphasizing their role in expanding the album’s legacy. The tracks, produced by Wonder and mixed by original engineers John Fischbach and Gary O Adante, reflect the spiritual and sonic style that defined the 1970s era of his work. Adante was credited as Gary Olazabal on the 1976 LP. The recordings also include contributions from future stars like Thelma Houston and Deniece Williams, who provided backing vocals on I’m Into Livin’, as well as Shirley Brewer, who appeared on the original album’s “Ordinary Pain.”

It’s Easier

Stevie Wonder celebrates 50 years of 'Songs in the

The four songs exemplify the album’s sunlit, spiritually attuned soul and R&B sound, celebrating love and existence while addressing emotional strife and social struggle. “It’s Easier” blends bossa nova rhythms with introspective lyrics questioning love’s endurance, while My Life Story of Love uses pastoral imagery to narrate a romantic journey. I Can See the Sun In Late December is a jazz-inflected ballad of hope, and I’m Into Livin’ is a funk track where Wonder renounces past excesses. The track My Life Story of Love features a co-writing credit for Susaye Greene, a former Supremes member who also co-wrote Michael Jackson’s I Can’t Help It with Wonder. The EP was released at 4:54 AM, a nod to the “Fo’FiftyFo’” inside joke, which has since become a symbolic link between the album’s creation and its next chapter.

Stevie Wonder Releases ‘Songs in the Key of Life

The release coincides with a tour celebrating the album’s 50th anniversary. Wonder will perform Songs in the Key of Life in full across Europe and the U.S., beginning October 13 in Birmingham, England, before dates across Europe and the United States through December 19 in Los Angeles. The tour, promoted by Live Nation and produced by Wonder Productions, Inc., follows the EP’s release at 4:54 AM, a time that has deep significance for the album’s history. The original album achieved diamond certification and was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. Songs such as Love’s in Need of Love Today, “Sir Duke,” Isn’t She Lovely, and “As” continue to inspire artists and audiences globally.

Stevie Wonder Releases Unheard Songs from Songs in the Key of Life Sessions — Photo: themusicuniverse.com

The EP’s release underscores the enduring influence of Songs in the Key of Life, which remains a cultural touchstone. Wonder’s statement about the album’s richness of existence and emotional strife resonates through the new tracks, which were part of what I was feeling and discovering as we made it. The inclusion of session musicians like Gregory Phillinganes, Michael Sembello, Ben Bridges, Jim Horn, and Raymond Pounds further illustrates the collaborative spirit of the 1970s sessions. The EP’s timing and content highlight the album’s lasting impact, ensuring its themes of love, resilience, and social consciousness remain relevant, 50 years after its initial impact.