Earth, Wind & Fire - I Am (1986)

Almost a decade after Maurice White formed the spiritually minded Earth, Wind & Fire, the band hit upon one of their sweatiest, most sensual anthems, "Boogie Wonderland". Featuring alluring lead vocals by female R&B trio The Emotions, this disco stunner remains a surefire dance-floor filler. In a mellower mood, the aching "After the Love Has Gone" is one of Philip Bailey's most enduring ballads, and the slinky "You and I" is an uplifting, joyous love song.

Disco was at the height of its popularity in 1979, when Earth, Wind & Fire responded with its most disco-influenced single ever, the glossy and infectious "Boogie Wonderland." Up to that point, EWF had pretty much ignored disco, and when the band finally acknowledged the style, the soulsters weren't about to inundate listeners with it. "Boogie Wonderland" (which features the Emotions, a female group for whom Maurice White had been producing major hits) isn't representative of I Am on the whole. From the hit ballad "After the Love Has Gone" to the exuberant "Let My Feelings Flow," I Am isn't a radical departure from its predecessor, All 'n All. Though not in a class with That's the Way of the World, Spirit, or All 'n All, I Am is a rewarding album that has a lot going for it.