On this day March 14 1987 The Isley Brothers released their twenty-fourth studio album Smooth Sailin’. The album continued their signature mix of soulful ballads and funk-driven grooves while embracing a more contemporary 80s R&B sound.
Smooth Sailin’ peaked at number 64 on the Billboard charts but performed much better on the R&B charts where it reached number five. The title track Smooth Sailin’ Tonight became a standout hit helping the album maintain the group’s status as one of R&B’s most enduring acts.
80s insight: Smooth Sailin’ was the first Isley Brothers album released as a duo featuring only Ronald and Rudolph Isley following the departure of the other original members.