Back to Front
Compilation album by
Lionel Richie
ReleasedMay 5, 1992
Length68:18
LabelMotown
ProducerLionel Richie, Stewart Levine, James Anthony Carmichael, Commodores
Lionel Richie chronology
Dancing on the Ceiling
(1986) 		Back to Front
(1992) 		Louder Than Words
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]

Back to Front is the first compilation album by American singer Lionel Richie, which was released on May 5, 1992, by Motown Records. It contains songs from both his successful solo career and as part of the band the Commodores, along with three new tracks (1–3). The international version of the album also includes the tracks "Dancing on the Ceiling" and "Stuck on You". It debuted atop both the UK Albums Chart and the ARIA Albums Chart, and spent 12 weeks at number one on the Dutch Album Top 100. The single "Do It to Me" reached #21 at US Hot 100.

Track listing

All songs performed by Lionel Richie, unless stated otherwise.

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Do It to Me"Lionel RichiePreviously unreleased6:04
2."My Destiny"Lionel RichiePreviously unreleased4:50
3."Love, Oh Love"
  • Lionel Richie
Previously unreleased5:48
4."All Night Long (All Night)"Lionel RichieCan't Slow Down4:20
5."Easy" (The Commodores)Lionel RichieCommodores4:18
6."Still" (The Commodores)Lionel RichieMidnight Magic3:47
7."Endless Love" (Lionel Richie & Diana Ross)Lionel RichieEndless Love4:28
8."Running with the Night"
Can't Slow Down4:10
9."Sail On" (The Commodores)Lionel RichieMidnight Magic4:00
10."Hello"Lionel RichieCan't Slow Down4:10
11."Truly"Lionel RichieLionel Richie3:22
12."Penny Lover"
  • Lionel Richie
  • Brenda Harvey Richie
Can't Slow Down3:47
13."Say You, Say Me"Lionel RichieDancing on the Ceiling4:03
14."Three Times a Lady" (The Commodores)Lionel RichieNatural High3:37
Total length:61:04
International edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
9."Dancing on the Ceiling"
  • Lionel Richie
  • Carlos Rios
  • Michael Frenchik
Dancing on the Ceiling4:21
10."Sail On" (The Commodores)  4:00
11."Hello"  4:10
12."Truly"  3:22
13."Penny Lover"  3:47
14."Stuck on You"Lionel RichieCan't Slow Down3:10
15."Say You, Say Me"  4:03
16."Three Times a Lady" (The Commodores)  3:37
Total length:68:28

Personnel

Tracks 1, 2 & 3

Track 7

Production

Studios

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Back to Front
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[30] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[31] Platinum 50,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[32] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[34] 3× Platinum 1,006,800[33]
Germany (BVMI)[35] Platinum 500,000^
Italy (FIMI)[36]
sales since 2009 		Gold 25,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[37] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[38] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[39] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[40] 2× Platinum 100,000 
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] 4× Platinum 1,793,978[41]
United States (RIAA)[43] Platinum 1,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 8,000,000[44]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Buss, Bryan. "Lionel Richie: Back to Front". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  2. ^ Deknock, Jan (June 11, 1992). "Lionel Richie Back to Front (Motown)". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune.
  3. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  4. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "Ultratop.be – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2023". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  7. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  9. ^ "Charts.nz – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  10. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  11. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  12. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  13. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  14. ^ "Lionel Richie Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  15. ^ "Lionel Richie Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  16. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums of [1992]". ARIA Charts. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  17. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1992". austriancharts.at. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  18. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Albums of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. December 19, 1992. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  19. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1992". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  20. ^ "1992 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. December 19, 1992. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  21. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  22. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1992". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  23. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1992". hitparade.ch. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  24. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  25. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  26. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1993". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  27. ^ "1993 Year-End Sales Charts - Eurochart Hot 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music & Media. December 18, 1993. p. 15. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  28. ^ "Top 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music Week. January 15, 1994. p. 25. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  29. ^ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  30. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1992 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  31. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  32. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Music Canada.
  33. ^ "Les Albums Triple Platine" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  34. ^ "French album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  35. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lionel Richie; 'Back to Front')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  36. ^ "Italian album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 25, 2020. Select "2015" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Back to Front" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  37. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Lional Richie – Back to Front" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved October 19, 2020. Enter Back to Front in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1992 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  38. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  39. ^ Sólo Éxitos 1959–2002 Año A Año: Certificados 1979–1990 (in Spanish). Iberautor Promociones Culturales. 2005. ISBN 8480486392.
  40. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Back to Front')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  41. ^ Harris, Bill (November 17, 2006). "Queen rules – in album sales". Jam!. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2020.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  42. ^ "British album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". British Phonographic Industry.
  43. ^ "American album certifications – Lionel Richie – Back to Front". Recording Industry Association of America.
  44. ^ Alina Dragan & Thessa Mooij (March 9, 1996). "Lionel Richie Returns After Eight Year Break" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 10. p. 11. Retrieved August 25, 2021.


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