5 Facts About the Commodores’ “Nightshift”
- The song was written as a tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, both of whom died in the early 1980s.
- It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the Commodores’ biggest hits.
- The title refers to the late-night radio shifts that often played soul and R&B music.
- Lionel Richie had left the band before this song, so it features a different lead vocalist.
- “Nightshift” won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 1986.