A.V. Club: Best of the Decade

Artist John Legend

  • John Legend

Is it presumptuous as a musician to change your last name from “Stephens” to “Legend” before striking out? No matter, as soul crooner John Legend has managed to comfortably sit atop the charts after all his releases: 2004’s Get Lifted, 2006’s Once Again, and 2008’s Evolver. His piano-heavy, love-soaked R&B ballads would’ve likely done well even without a background of songwriting for Lauryn Hill and Kanye West, who counted Legend as a protégé and has made many a cameo. If nothing else, the man proved he has a sense of humor about himself, appearing on Stephen Colbert’s Christmas special in 2008 with a passionate ode to nutmeg.

Updated 07/09/2009

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