Top 10 Sade Album Covers

Feature Photo: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list will look at a legendary band in jazz and pop music. Some people may think Sade is a solo artist, but she is not. She is the lead singer of the band named after her. Sade has been a staple on quiet storm radio for years. Their music may be responsible for a lot of people being here. Their music mixes soul, jazz and pop. All of their albums have peaked in the top 10 on the U.S. charts. The band has sold over 23 million albums worldwide. They have won eight awards and counting throughout their career. Their work has influenced several artists throughout the years. Sade has been inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame.

Sade Adu is one of the most successful British artists in history. She used to be a fashion model. Sade (the band) took advantage of her looks by having her featured on their album covers. She is a beautiful woman, so it wasn’t a hard decision for the band to have her pose for the album covers. Her beauty leaps off the covers. The photographers should have had an easy time capitalizing off her beauty. Her youthful appearance radiates off the covers. Her looks are the envy of every woman who wishes they could look like her. Sade Adu does a lot of headshots for the album covers so everyone can embrace her beauty. Our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list will bring attention to their fascinating album covers.

# 10 -The Remix Deluxe

The first pick on our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list is The Remix Deluxe. The Remix Deluxe is Sade’s second EP. This album is a remix of Sade’s previous songs. This will give you a chance to hear the songs like you have never heard them before. This album cover is black and white. This is a head shot of Sade. It is taken from the shoulders. The picture is taken from the right side of her face. Her head is tilted to the left. Her hair is out on her left shoulder. She is looking to her left. She looks classy and regal in the picture. She looks as if she is smiling with her eyes. The band’s name and the album title are on the left side of the cover. The band’s name is written in white letters while the album title is written in gray letters.

Sade Adu does a lot of headshots for the album covers but this one looks different from the others. She looks a little different in the picture. Photographer Albert Watson took a profile picture of her instead of a full-frontal picture. She is the only one in the picture. There is no background to take away the focus from her. She looks fresh faced. He took a close shot of her face which could have been a disaster. He could have captured all the flaws in her face. Instead, her face looks flawless. He gives the fans a chance to focus on her almond shaped eyes.

This picture could easily be one that would be sitting on a table or dresser in your house. Albert Watson has worked with Sade, Paul Williams, Ray Conniff, Eddie Rabbitt, Jimmy Osmond, Dionne Warwick, John Denver, Curtis Mayfield, Bobby Brown, P.M. Dawn, LL Cool J, Faith Evans, C+C Music Factory, Aaliyah, Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, The Black Eyed Peas, John Mayer, as well as others. The Remix Deluxe was released in June 1993.

# 9 – Lovers Live

The next pick on our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list is Lovers Live. Lovers Live is Sade’s first live album. The album consists of live versions of Sade’s songs. The album cover features a picture of Sade on a stage. She is standing past the middle of the stage on the right side. The left side of her body is shown. Her head is turned to the right. She has her arms up above her head and her legs have a slight bend to them. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She is wearing a multi-colored dress. She is holding a microphone in her left hand. There are drums in front and behind her. There is a shot of a disco ball behind her.

Sophie Muller took an interesting shot of Sade. Sophie Muller didn’t take a headshot of the iconic singer. She took a profile picture of the icon instead of a headshot. Most of the photographer’s Sade works with take pictures of her from the top so we can see her face. This time you see Sade from a distance. She looks like she is in a shadow. The only light that is on her is coming from the disco ball that is behind her. Sophie Muller also gave the fans a chance to see Sade’s body. She has a sexy body and she shows it off in her body-hugging dress. She is in excellent shape. You may not get a chance to see her face, but you do get a chance to look at her sexy body.

Sophie Muller used mostly dark colors for this picture. The only light is illuminated by the disco ball. Sophie Muller has worked with Sade, Eurythmics, Shakespear’s Sister, Bjork, Hole, Sparks, Sophie B. Hawkins, Weezer, No Doubt, Blur, Sparklehorse, Garbage, The Cardigans, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Nelly Furtado, Coldplay, Maroon 5, Gwen Stefani, Shakira, Beyonce, as well as others. Lovers Live was released in February 2002. The album peaked at number 10 on Billboard 200 and number five on the r&b charts. The album sold over 500,000 copies.

# 8 – The Ultimate Collection

The eighth pick on our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list is The Ultimate Collection. The Ultimate Collection is Sade’s second greatest hits album. They included their hit songs and four unreleased tracks. This album cover features a picture of Sade. This is a colorful picture of the singer. This is a headshot of her. The picture is taken from her shoulders up. The picture is taken from the left side of her face. She has her head tilted to the right side. Her right shoulder is lifted. Her hair is styled differently from the other covers on our list. This time she had her hair blown out. Her bangs are covering her left eye. Her right eye is half open. She is wearing red lipstick. Her lips are slightly parted. She is wearing big hoop earrings. She is standing in front of a black background. The name of the band and the album title are written underneath her. This is a sexy side of Sade.

Sophie Muller took a seductive shot of Sade. She looks like she is ready for an intimate evening with her significant other. This is a side of Sade fans don’t get to see of her often. Sade has bedroom eyes going on in the picture. This is a close shot of Sade. Sophie Muller made sure Sade was the focus of the album cover. Sade looks amazing in the picture. She is over 50 and looks at least 20 years younger. Many people would love to find out her secret to looking youthful. Her skin looks flawless and smooth. Sophie Muller took an excellent picture of the singer. Sophie Muller gave her excellent lighting in the shot. This picture will make men want to be with her and women envious of her. The Ultimate Collection was released in April 2011. The album peaked at number seven on Billboard 200 and number two on the r&b charts. The Ultimate Collection features the single “Still in Love with You.” The album sold over 127,000 copies.

# 7 – The Best of Sade

The Best of Sade is Sade’s first greatest hits album. The album features songs from their first four studio albums as well as non-singles. This is a black and white picture. It is a headshot of Sade. The picture is taken from the neck up. She is faced forward. Her eyes and mouth are slightly open. She appears to be wearing little to no makeup in the picture. Her hair is flowing behind her. She is standing in front of a gray background. She has a stoic facial expression because it is not clear if she is angry or not. There is a light shining in her face. She looks like a supermodel in the picture.

Albert Watson took a great photo of the singer. He captured a different side of her. It is hard to determine what mood she is in because she doesn’t show her emotions in her face. She could be happy, upset or indifferent. Regardless of the mood she is in, the picture is mesmerizing. You won’t be able to take your eyes off her. It looks as if he had her pose in front of a diva fan because of the way her hair is flowing in the picture. The black and white is beautiful against her skin tone. The Best of Sade was released in October 1994. The album peaked at number nine on Billboard 200 and number seven on the r&b charts. The Best of Sade sold over four million copies.

# 6 – Lovers Rock

Lovers Rock is Sade’s fifth studio album. The band switched things up for this album. The band strayed away from their jazz sound to incorporate an r&b, soul, funk and reggae sound. The songs on the album are about the good and bad sides of love as well as political themes. The album cover is a colorful picture. This is not a full body shot. The picture is taken from the right side of her face. Her head is turned to the left. She has her head down with her eyes closed. Her mouth is slightly open. She is wearing an earring in her right ear. She is wearing multiple necklaces around her neck. Sade is wearing a headband in her hair. She also has a hair clip on the back of her head. Her hair is in a ponytail. At this point in time Sade was wearing ball gowns so she is most likely wearing a ball gown in the picture. The band’s name and album title are written at the bottom of the cover in white letters.

Albert Watson took a gorgeous picture of Sade. She looks breathtaking in the photo. She looks as if she is thinking about something. He didn’t take a full frontal shot of Sade’s face but you can tell from the profile that she is an attractive woman. He used the perfect colors for the picture. The hue of the background matches her skin tone effortlessly. This picture didn’t have to be an album cover. It could easily be a picture in a magazine. She posed the way a model would pose in a magazine. Her past as a model helped her out greatly. Lovers Rock was released in November 2000. The album peaked at number three on Billboard 200 and number two on the r&b charts. Lovers Rock features the singles “By Your Side,” “King of Sorrow,” “Somebody Already Broke My Heart” and “The Sweetest Gift.” The album sold over three million copies.

# 5 – Stronger Than Pride

The next pick on our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list is Stronger Than Pride. Stronger Than Pride is Sade’s third studio album. Sade displayed more intensity and fire on this album. They recorded soul and funk music for this project. The album cover features a head shot of Sade taken from the shoulders up. The picture is taken from the right side of her face. She is wearing something red in the picture that is slightly off the shoulder. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and draped on the right side of her arm.

She is wearing gold hoop earrings. She is wearing red lipstick. She looks as if she is staring out into the distance. Sade is standing on the beach. You can see the sand and ocean behind her. There is a black strip on the cover that features the band’s name and album title. The band’s name is written in red letters while the album title is written in yellow letters.

Photographer Levon Parian took a candid picture of Sade. She is not looking into the camera. She has a fiery look in her eyes which goes with the theme of the album. He took a close picture of her which allows fans to see that she has freckles on her face. In most of her pictures, her freckles are covered up. Levon Parian wasn’t afraid to show off her freckles in this photo.

She didn’t want to hold back in the picture. He makes you feel as if you are on the beach with Sade. This picture is calm and relaxing. It will make you question what is going on in the picture. Levon Parian has worked with Sade, Dan Fogelberg, The Gypsy Kings and Cande Kane. Stronger Than Pride was released in May 1988. The album peaked at number seven on Billboard 200 and number three on the r&b charts. Stronger Than Pride features the singles “Love Is Stronger Than Pride,” “Paradise,” “Nothing Can Come Between Us,” “Turn My Back on You” and “Haunt Me.” The album sold over three million copies.

# 4 – Love Deluxe

Love Deluxe is Sade’s fourth studio album. The band returned to their jazz sound for this album. They wanted to do emotional songs for the album. This album cover is black and white. The shot is taken from her left side. Her hair is wavy and flowing down her back. Her head is tilted back with her eyes closed. Her mouth is slightly open. Her hands are across her chest. She isn’t wearing a shirt in the picture. Her hands strategically cover her body so you don’t see anything you shouldn’t see. She is wearing metallic paint on her body. She is standing in front of a white background. The band’s name and album title are on the left of the cover.

Albert Watson showed a side of Sade that we haven’t seen before. She doesn’t show this much skin. She is usually shown from the shoulders up in her pictures. This album cover shows more skin than we have ever seen of Sade. He took a sultry picture without it being smutty. Sade leaves enough to the imagination while giving a peek at what her body looks like.

Albert Watson has Sade’s arms strategically place so you don’t see her female parts. He suggested that she pose this way for the picture. He wanted her to wear metallic paint. He wanted her hands to cover her body. She agreed to do it, but she didn’t want it to be the album cover. She thought the picture was too sexy. Once Albert Watson talked to the band about the picture, they changed their minds and used it for the cover. It was the right decision because it is one of her most memorable photos. Love Deluxe was released in October 1992. The album peaked at number three on Billboard 200 and number two on the r&b charts. Love Deluxe features the singles “No Ordinary Love,” “Feel No Pain,” “Kiss of Life” and “Cherish the Day.” The album sold over three million copies.

# 3 – Soldier of Love

Coming in at number three on our list is Soldier of Love. Soldier of Love is the band’s sixth studio album. The band returned from a 10 year hiatus when they released this album. The band wondered if they could still record together because of the break they took. The album cover features a picture of Sade with her back facing the camera. She is wearing a black and gray backless dress. She has her hair tied in a bun. There are roses in her hair. Her arms are on a pole that is above her. She is wearing jewelry. She is looking out at the ancient ruins. There are trees to the left of the picture. There is a bird flying in the sky. The sky is hazy. The album title and band’s name are written above her in white letters.

Sophie Muller took a different shot of Sade. Sade’s face isn’t shown on the album cover. You can only see her from behind. Sade wanted the fans to hear the album from her point of view. She turned her back to the camera so the fans could become part of the music. She wanted the fans to become her. The “Smooth Operator” singer wanted the cover to have some significance in the listeners’ lives. She wanted it to feel like it was their idea.

Sophie Muller created a picture that allows you to see the world through her eyes. Sophie Muller took a sexy shot of Sade’s back. Her body is defying her age. She was over 50 when this picture was taken. She has an incredible body. You can’t help staring at the gorgeous singer. Sophie Muller took a risk by taking this picture of Sade. Fans may not have realized who she was if the name weren’t on the album cover. The risk paid off because the shot was excellent. Soldier of Love was released in February 2010. The album peaked at number one on Billboard 200 and the r&b charts. Soldier of Love features the singles “Soldier of Love,” “Babyfather” and “The Moon and the Sky.” The album sold over one million copies.

# 2 – Promise

Promise is Sade’s second studio album. The title of the album came from a letter Sade Adu received from her father. He told her he promised to recover from cancer. The album cover features a headshot of Sade. She is sitting down. The picture is taken from the right side of her face. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She is looking to the right. She is wearing red lipstick. She has a gold hoop earring in her right ear. She is wearing a light blue shirt. She has a slight smile on her face. You can see a shot of the mountains behind her.

Photographer Toshi Yajima took a mesmerizing photo of Sade. He stuck to the formula of taking a headshot of the star. He took the picture in dim light but there is no mistaking her beautiful face. Since she didn’t like publicity, she was most likely okay with this shot. She got a chance to show off her modeling skills without being flashy. He took a lovely picture of her smiling with her eyes as well as her mouth. Toshi Yajima is best known for working with Sade. Promise was released in November 1985. The album peaked at number one on Billboard 200 and the r&b charts. Promise features the singles “Is It a Crime?,” “The Sweetest Taboo” and “Never as Good as the First Time.” The album sold over four million copies.

# 1 – Diamond Life

The number one pick on our Top 10 Sade Album Covers list is Diamond Life. Diamond Life is Sade’s first studio album. The album consisted of soul, jazz and pop music. The songs were mostly about the ups and downs of love. The album cover is black and white. The cover features a picture of Sade. This is a head shot of the singer. She is standing up and leaning to the side. You can see Sade’s full-frontal face in the picture. Her hair appears to be shorter in the picture. Some of her hair is on her face. Her mouth is slightly open. She has her left hand up with her hand faced upward. She is wearing red nail polish and lipstick. She is standing in front of a gray background. There are black strips on top and bottom of the cover. The band’s name is written on the top black strip while the album title is written in the bottom black strip.

As we mentioned earlier, she has sexy bedroom eyes. Her full lips would drive men crazy. Photographer Chris Roberts did an excellent job focusing the picture on her eyes and lips. She shines bright like a diamond on the cover. She posed for a shot that looked like it would be in a fashion magazine. You can forget that she is a singer by looking at this picture. Chris Roberts made sure not to include her freckles in the picture.

The black and white photo makes her skin look smooth. She appears to be staring right at you on the cover. It will be impossible to take your eyes off her. Her hypnotic eyes could put you in a trance while you are listening to the album. Chris Roberts is best known for working with Sade. Diamond Life was released in July 1984. The album peaked at number three on the r&b charts and number five on Billboard 200. Diamond Life features the singles “Your Love Is King,” “When Am I Going to Make a Living,” “Smooth Operator” and “Hang On to Your Love.” The album sold over four million copies.