Which is the best (or your favorite) classic R&B album of the 90's?
Poison is the debut studio album from American R&B/hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe, released March 20, 1990 on MCA Records.
The album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart. By April 1995, it was certified quadruple-platinum in sales by the RIAA, after sales exceeding 4,000,000 copies in the United States.
Forever My Lady is the debut studio album by American R&B quartet Jodeci, released May 28, 1991, by Uptown Records and MCA Records.
Three of the album's singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top-15 hit "Come and Talk to Me". Forever My Lady was soon certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and, as of August 1995, has sold over three million copies in the US and over eight million copies worldwide.[1]
Funky Divas is the second studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released by Atlantic Records division East West on March 24, 1992 in the United States. Funky Divas debuted at number one on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, and at number eight on the Billboard 200, while peaking at number four on the UK Albums Chart. It reached triple platinum status in the US, where it sold 3.5 million copies, becoming the seventh highest-selling R&B albums of the year as well as En Vogue's biggest-selling album to date.
12 Play is the debut studio album by American R&B and soul singer-songwriter R. Kelly; it was released on November 9, 1993, by Jive Records.
It went on to top the R&B albums chart for nine weeks straight, while reaching the second position on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Toni Braxton is the debut studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on July 13, 1993, by LaFace Records and Arista Records.
Toni Braxton debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200 and later spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the chart as well as three non-consecutive weeks atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It has sold 5,135,000 copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide.
II is the third studio album and second non-Christmas album (hence the title) by American R&B quartet Boyz II Men, released on August 30, 1994, on Motown Records. The album debuted at No. 1 in the Billboard 200 with 350,000 copies sold. It spent a total of five weeks at No. 1 and was the third best-selling album in 1995 in the United States and sold 12 million copies in the United States.
My Life is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige, released on November 29, 1994, by Uptown Records.
Considered to be her breakthrough album, My Life became Mary J. Blige's second album to reach the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number seven, and debuting at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it stayed for eight weeks. In 1996, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 38th Grammy Awards, while in December of the same year, the album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of three million copies in the United States.
CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American girl group TLC. It was released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. CrazySexyCool was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, where it spent over two years. It has been certified 12-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making TLC the first girl group in history to be awarded diamond status. CrazySexyCool has since sold over 14 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by an American girl group. The album has since been featured on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and was listed as a "New Classic" by Entertainment Weekly in 2008.[1] The album was also ranked as the seventh best diamond-certified album of all time by Billboard.
Age Ain't Nothing but a Number is the debut studio album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on May 24, 1994 by Blackground Records and Jive Records. The album peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 and has sold over three million copies in the United States.[6] It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). To date, the album has sold over six million copies worldwide.
Brown Sugar is the debut studio album by American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, released on July 3, 1995, through EMI.
The album debuted at number six on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart in the week of July 22, 1995.[38] It ultimately peaked at number four in the week of February 24, 1996,[39] and spent a total of 54 weeks on the chart.[40] Brown Sugar also spent 65 weeks on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number 22 on the chart.[41] It sold 300,000 copies within its two months of release.[42] The album had been selling 35,000 to 40,000 copies a week through to November 1995,[43] and by January 1996, it had sold 400,000 copies.[44] With the help of its four singles, including the gold-certified, half-million-selling Billboard Hot 100 hit "Lady" and R&B top-ten singles "Brown Sugar" and "Cruisin'", the album reached sales of 500,000 copies in the United States by October 1995.
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is the debut album by American R&B singer-songwriter Maxwell. It was recorded in 1994 and 1995, then released on April 2, 1996, by Columbia Records.
Baduizm is the debut album by American singer and songwriter Erykah Badu, released on February 11, 1997 by Kedar Records. After Baduizm was released, it peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[30][31] The album's success helped establish Badu as one of the leading artists in the flourishing neo-soul genre.[2] Baduizm was certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American singer and rapper Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. Since its release, the album has been ranked in numerous best-album lists, with a number of critics regarding it as one of the greatest albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. Among its honors are inclusion in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, Harvard University's Loeb Music Library, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American history, and the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. In 2021, the album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America, for estimated sales of 10 million copies in the US, making Hill the first female rapper to accomplish this feat.[2] Worldwide, the album has sold over 20 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, the best-selling album by a female rapper,[3] and the best-selling neo-soul album of all time.[4] It remains Hill's only studio album.
Poison is the debut studio album from American R&B/hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe, released March 20, 1990 on MCA Records.
The album peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart. By April 1995, it was certified quadruple-platinum in sales by the RIAA, after sales exceeding 4,000,000 copies in the United States.
Forever My Lady is the debut studio album by American R&B quartet Jodeci, released May 28, 1991, by Uptown Records and MCA Records.
Three of the album's singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top-15 hit "Come and Talk to Me". Forever My Lady was soon certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and, as of August 1995, has sold over three million copies in the US and over eight million copies worldwide.[1]
Funky Divas is the second studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released by Atlantic Records division East West on March 24, 1992 in the United States. Funky Divas debuted at number one on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, and at number eight on the Billboard 200, while peaking at number four on the UK Albums Chart. It reached triple platinum status in the US, where it sold 3.5 million copies, becoming the seventh highest-selling R&B albums of the year as well as En Vogue's biggest-selling album to date.
12 Play is the debut studio album by American R&B and soul singer-songwriter R. Kelly; it was released on November 9, 1993, by Jive Records.
It went on to top the R&B albums chart for nine weeks straight, while reaching the second position on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Toni Braxton is the debut studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on July 13, 1993, by LaFace Records and Arista Records.
Toni Braxton debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200 and later spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the chart as well as three non-consecutive weeks atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It has sold 5,135,000 copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide.
II is the third studio album and second non-Christmas album (hence the title) by American R&B quartet Boyz II Men, released on August 30, 1994, on Motown Records. The album debuted at No. 1 in the Billboard 200 with 350,000 copies sold. It spent a total of five weeks at No. 1 and was the third best-selling album in 1995 in the United States and sold 12 million copies in the United States.
My Life is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige, released on November 29, 1994, by Uptown Records.
Considered to be her breakthrough album, My Life became Mary J. Blige's second album to reach the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number seven, and debuting at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it stayed for eight weeks. In 1996, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 38th Grammy Awards, while in December of the same year, the album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of three million copies in the United States.
CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American girl group TLC. It was released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. CrazySexyCool was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, where it spent over two years. It has been certified 12-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making TLC the first girl group in history to be awarded diamond status. CrazySexyCool has since sold over 14 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by an American girl group. The album has since been featured on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and was listed as a "New Classic" by Entertainment Weekly in 2008.[1] The album was also ranked as the seventh best diamond-certified album of all time by Billboard.
Age Ain't Nothing but a Number is the debut studio album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on May 24, 1994 by Blackground Records and Jive Records. The album peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200 and has sold over three million copies in the United States.[6] It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). To date, the album has sold over six million copies worldwide.
Brown Sugar is the debut studio album by American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, released on July 3, 1995, through EMI.
The album debuted at number six on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart in the week of July 22, 1995.[38] It ultimately peaked at number four in the week of February 24, 1996,[39] and spent a total of 54 weeks on the chart.[40] Brown Sugar also spent 65 weeks on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number 22 on the chart.[41] It sold 300,000 copies within its two months of release.[42] The album had been selling 35,000 to 40,000 copies a week through to November 1995,[43] and by January 1996, it had sold 400,000 copies.[44] With the help of its four singles, including the gold-certified, half-million-selling Billboard Hot 100 hit "Lady" and R&B top-ten singles "Brown Sugar" and "Cruisin'", the album reached sales of 500,000 copies in the United States by October 1995.
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite is the debut album by American R&B singer-songwriter Maxwell. It was recorded in 1994 and 1995, then released on April 2, 1996, by Columbia Records.
Baduizm is the debut album by American singer and songwriter Erykah Badu, released on February 11, 1997 by Kedar Records. After Baduizm was released, it peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[30][31] The album's success helped establish Badu as one of the leading artists in the flourishing neo-soul genre.[2] Baduizm was certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American singer and rapper Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. Since its release, the album has been ranked in numerous best-album lists, with a number of critics regarding it as one of the greatest albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. Among its honors are inclusion in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, Harvard University's Loeb Music Library, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American history, and the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. In 2021, the album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America, for estimated sales of 10 million copies in the US, making Hill the first female rapper to accomplish this feat.[2] Worldwide, the album has sold over 20 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, the best-selling album by a female rapper,[3] and the best-selling neo-soul album of all time.[4] It remains Hill's only studio album.
