Time is the fifth
studio album by
Lionel Richie, released on June 23, 1998. It was a commercial disappointment, selling far fewer copies than any of his previous material.[citation needed]
Allmusic editor
Stephen Thomas Erlewine found that Time "doesn't quite match the heights of Lionel Richie or Can't Slow Down, but it successfully updates his familiar concoction of sweet, seductive ballads and light funk for the late '90s. Whenever he incorporates light hip-hop rhythms here, it sounds less forced, and the dance numbers are often infectious. Similarly, the ballads have strong (albeit sappy) hooks that make them memorable [...] Time is the most satisfying effort he has released in quite some time."[1]Los Angeles Times critic Connie Johnson found that "what Richie does best is create lush aural valentines – this album’s “Everytime” and “The Closest Thing to Heaven” are beautifully worded, personal-sounding testimonies. He stumbles, however, on his attempts at social commentary. A hybrid of
Wyclef Jean and
Bob Dylan he’s not, so tracks such as “To the Rhythm” are well-intended but lightweight and riddled with cliches."[2]