"Characters" is the twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, released in late 1987. The album features six singles, including the Grammy-nominated "Skeletons" (which peaked at No. 19) and "You Will Know" (No. 77), both of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart. "Skeletons" became Wonder's most recent top-40 hit in the United States. The album also includes a duet with Michael Jackson, "Get It" (No. 80), which became a minor hit.
Although highly anticipated, following the success of his 1985 album In Square Circle, Characters received mixed reviews from critics upon its release. It peaked at No. 17 on the US Billboard 200, marking Wonder's first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top ten. In the UK, the album performed even worse, only reaching No. 33, making it the first album since Music of My Mind (which did not chart in 1972) to miss the top 20.
The album debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart and stayed there for seven weeks. It spawned six singles, three of which hit the Billboard Hot 100: "Get It" (No. 80), "Skeletons" (No. 19), and the ballad "You Will Know" (No. 77). Two other singles performed well on the R&B chart: "My Eyes Don't Cry" (No. 6) and "With Each Beat of My Heart" (No. 28). The final single, "Free," peaked at No. 49 on the UK chart.
In terms of recognition, Characters earned Stevie Wonder three Grammy Award nominations in 1988-1989. The first single, "Skeletons," was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 30th Grammy Awards, though it lost to Bill Withers' "Lean On Me" and Smokey Robinson's "Just to See Her," respectively. At the 31st Grammy Awards, Characters received a nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, but lost to Terence Trent D'Arby's Introducing the Hardline.
To promote the album, Wonder performed a one-hour Characters special on MTV, where he also showcased unreleased material and performed a duet with guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan.
