Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune	(favorable)
Robert Christgau	A−
Los Angeles Times
MusicHound
Q
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Rolling Stone	(mixed)

Characters is the twenty-first studio album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder released in late 1987. The album features three singles including "Get It", the Grammy-nominated "Skeletons" and "You Will Know", which both reached number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart (the latter being his final American top 40 hit of his career).

Although highly anticipated like his last album, 1985's In Square Circle upon its release, the album received mixed reviews from critics, and debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard 200. It became his first album since Music of My Mind not to reach the top ten of the charts.

It also debuted at number one on the Top R&B Albums chart for seven weeks, and spawned six singles including "Get It", "Skeletons" and the ballad "You Will Know" that had attained Billboard R&B chart success.

The album earned Wonder three Grammy Award nominations in 1988–89. The album's first single, "Skeletons" received two nominations for Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 30th Grammy Awards. He lost Best R&B Song to "Lean On Me" (Bill Withers) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance to Smokey Robinson's "Just to See Her" at the ceremony. Characters received a nomination at the 31st Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, losing to Terrence Trent D'Arby's debut Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby.

...
Wikipedia