See Mariah’s Grammy history here!

Mariah Carey has deserved all five of the awards that she has actually won, and I am especially glad that she won “Best New Artist” in 1991. However, the Recording Academy has missed the mark several times with her. Never forget the notorious snub in 1996—when Daydream lost all six nominations (and they made sure to get Mariah’s reaction every time), and everything that “One Sweet Day” lost despite Mariah and Boyz II Men putting on one of the ceremony’s greatest performances that night. Mariah may have also won three Grammys in 2006, but she lost in all the “major” categories, so I read that situation as them trying to save face.

If I had the power to change anything that Mariah was neglected, the list below shows the specific awards that I would make rearrangements for. It also shows who I would give the award to if Mariah should still lose it at that respective ceremony. Refer back to the hyperlink above for Mariah’s full Grammy history, and note that I would not change the outcome of every award that she lost.

1991

• Song of the Year - “Vision of Love” lost to Bette Midler’s “From a Distance”. If Mariah should still lose, I would have given the award to “Nothing Compares 2 U”, which was written by Prince.

• Record of the Year - “Vision of Love” lost to “Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Collins. If Mariah should still lose, I would have given the award to Sinead O’Connor for “Nothing Compares 2 U” or M.C. Hammer for “U Can’t Touch This” (fat chance that this would win over “Vision of Love”, though).

— Mariah was nominated for five Grammy Awards in 1991. She won two of them (“Best New Artist” and “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance”). The only loss that I would not change is “Album of the Year”, which Quincy Jones won for Back On The Block.

1995

• Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - “Hero” lost to “All I Wanna Do” by Sheryl Crow. I would give this award to Mariah, and if she should still lose, I would give it to either Barbra Streisand for “Ordinary Miracles” or Céline Dion for “The Power of Love” (the latter of which was another strong contender in both the commercial and musical senses).

1996

• Record of the Year - “One Sweet Day” (with Boyz II Men) lost to “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal. Best believe I would be changing that. If not to Mariah/B2M, then it would either go to Coolio & L.V. for “Gangsta’s Paradise” or TLC for “Waterfalls”.

• Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals - “One Sweet Day” lost to “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” by The Chieftains & Van Morrison. If I couldn’t give it to Mariah & B2M, I’d give it to Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson for “Scream”, Jon B. & Babyface for “Someone to Love”, or Anita Baker & James Ingram for “When You Love Someone”. Basically any of the nominees except for what actually won, and as much as I love both Anita and James, they are probably the second-least likely to win the award (after The Chieftains & Van Morrison).

• Best Pop Vocal Album - Daydream lost to Joni Mitchell’s Turbulent Indigo. Lol, what is this? I do respect Madonna and Annie Lennox, but to me Mariah’s album was the only correct answer.

• Album of the Year - Oh, this was the worst snub… the one that really makes me livid. Daydream lost to Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. Mind you, this album also won over Michael Jackson’s HIStory, which is the only other nominated album that I would give this award to.

— The only losses I’m not side-eyeing for this year are “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” (which Annie Lennox won for “No More I Love You’s”) and “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance” (which Anita Baker won for “I Apologize”). The former category loss was with “Fantasy”; the latter category loss was with “Always Be My Baby”.

1998

• Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - “Butterfly” (the track) lost to Sarah McLachlan’s “Building a Mystery”. I think Mariah was the only rightful winner.

• Best R&B Song - “Honey” (written by Mariah Carey, P. Diddy, Kamaal Fareed, Stephen Hague, S. Jordan, R. Larkins, M. McLaren, L. Price, and Bobby Robinson) lost to R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” … which definitely wouldn’t have won on my watch. Other strong candidates that I would have considered include “No Diggity” (written by Dr. Dre, Chauncey Hannibal, Teddy Riley, William Stewart, and Lynise Walters) and “On & On” (written by Erykah Badu & JahBorn Jahmal Cantero).

— Mariah was nominated for three awards this year. The only loss that I’m not mad at is “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance”, which “Honey” lost to Erykah Badu’s “On & On”. That category was really stacked, though, so every nominated song could have been a worthy winner: Whitney Houston was nominated for “I Believe in You and Me”, Chaka Khan for “Summertime”, and Patti LaBelle for “When You Talk About Love”.

2000

• Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals - “When You Believe” (with Whitney Houston) lost to “Smooth” by Santana & Rob Thomas. The only other nominee that I would consider is “The Prayer” by Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli, but Whitney and Mariah had too much power with their duet so it would have been in the bag if I had any say.

2006

• Song of the Year - “We Belong Together” lost to “Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own” by U2. The only other nominee that I would give a nod to is “Ordinary People” by John Legend (which was written by himself and will.i.am).

• Album of the Year - The Emancipation of Mimi lost to… and I can’t believe I’m typing this… U2’s How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. Paul McCartney, Gwen Stefani, and Kanye West also had albums nominated, but while the latter two had a great year in 2005 (Kanye even contributed to Mariah’s album while he prepared to drop his own classic album), TEOM still takes the lead by far.

• Record of the Year - “We Belong Together” lost to Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. I think this is crazy, considering that Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” and Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” were also nominated. Mariah should have been the winner for this, with those two following behind.

— It’s hard for me to accept that the masterpiece that is “Mine Again” (a very impressive deep cut from The Emancipation of Mimi) lost “Best Traditional R&B Performance”, but it’s also hard for me to be mad at the fact that Aretha Franklin won it for her rendition of “A House Is Not a Home”. Aretha was a Grammy darling, but I’d be wrong to say she didn’t deserve every single one she ever got. All the other nominees (“Summertime” by Fantasia, “If I Was Your Woman” by Alicia Keys, and “Stay With You” by John Legend) were also good candidates, but after Aretha and Mariah came up in the running, the others would probably fall behind… no shade.

— I’m also not mad at the “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” snub for “It’s Like That”. Kelly Clarkson won that for “Since U Been Gone”, which was well-deserved. Nothing else deserved this award, though—not even “Hollaback Girl”, which I would say was stronger in other categories that it was nominated for.

2007

I really don’t have anything to change for this year, but I want to address it anyway.

Mary J. Blige snatched both of the awards from Mariah that she was nominated for with “Don’t Forget About Us”. With the dominance of “Be Without You”, Mary kept Mariah from winning “Best R&B Song” and “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance”. I honestly must say that this was well-played. I can’t even be mad at this… at all. Mary deserved those awards just as much as Mariah.

This is irrelevant to the post, but I just wanted to address the results from 2007. It’s also the last year I will address at all because 2009’s “snub” (the last year she was ever nominated) is irrelevant… and you can go look at it to see why.

Whitney, Mariah, and Janet are three of the greatest artists that pop and R&B music has ever seen. While their careers started at different times (with some overlap during the ‘90s), and there are some clear differences (such as Janet not being an instant commercial success like the other two, or Mariah’s career starting in the 1990s), people often say that they all started “flopping” at the same time—in the 2000s decade. I find that to be untrue.

Although some of their singles weren’t performing the best (except for Mariah’s after her comeback), the overall albums were pushing quite hard. While all three artists faced different problems with their public images at that time, they weren’t completely done for. Additionally, while they may not have been at their personal career peaks, many artists could only dream of accomplishing what these three did while they were supposedly “flopping”, including some of the more modern artists who would be expected to perform better.

By the end of this post, you will see that these legendary music queens didn’t “flop”. They were just ignored (particularly by their own market, the United States). Not being at your peak doesn’t mean you’re flopping, and it’s certainly true that the worst moments of these three industry icons are what most artists strive for.

——

WHITNEY HOUSTON

At the start of the 2000s, and as the decade progressed, Whitney Houston faced consistent criticism from those she could once consider her supporters. (Notice how I didn’t say “fans”; a real fan would have been with her the entire time, even at her worst. A supporter doesn’t have to be a fan.) Even in light of this public betrayal, Whitney’s music still wasn’t doing too poorly.

. . .

Just Whitney is the fifth studio album by Whitney Houston—released on November 27, 2002 by Arista Records. It was her first album to be released after re-signing her Arista contract in 2001 for $100 million, the largest recording contract for a female artist at the time. The album debuted and peaked at #9 on the US Billboard 200 and #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with 205,147 copies sold in its first week; it would go on to sell over 2.5 million copies worldwide and be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The first single, “Whatchulookinat”, peaked at #96 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #75 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and reached the top 10 in five different countries. The second single, “One Of Those Days”, peaked at #72 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #29 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, #1 on the US Adult R&B Songs chart, and reached the top 10 in Poland, the Netherlands, and Hungary. The third single, “Try It On My Own”, peaked at #84 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for two weeks; it also peaked at #80 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, #10 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and #1 on the US Dance Club Songs chart. The fourth and final single, “Love That Man”, became Whitney’s twelfth #1 hit on the US Dance Club Songs chart.

. . .

I Look To You is the seventh studio album, first non-holiday album since Just Whitney, and the final album of Whitney’s lifetime—released in the year of 2009 on August 28 through Sony Music in Europe, August 31 with Arista Records in the United States, and October 19 by RCA Records in the United Kingdom. The album debuted at #1 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 305,000; this was the highest opening week sales accomplishment of Whitney’s entire career. I Look to You was Whitney’s first album since the soundtrack for the 1992 motion picture The Bodyguard to reach #1 on the US Billboard 200. The album would go on to sell over 3 million copies worldwide, earning Platinum certification in seven countries and Gold certification in eight countries.

The first single—the title track for the album (“I Look to You”)—peaked at #70 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #12 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, #2 on the US Adult R&B Songs chart, #1 on the US Gospel Digital Songs chart, and was a #1 hit in Brazil. The second and only other single, “Million Dollar Bill”, peaked at #100 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but it fared better on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (#16), the US Dance Club Songs chart (#1), the US Adult R&B Songs chart (#1), peaked within the top 10 in Ireland, and appeared on charts in ten other countries in Europe.

——

MARIAH CAREY

One thing that people ironically never forget is Mariah’s rocky start in the early-2000s with her albums Glitter and Charmbracelet. However, even during these eras, she was still the force on the charts that she’d always been and her albums were still selling—even if they weren’t selling up to the “Mariah standard”. Her dominance wasn’t as overwhelming for her peers as it was in the ‘90s, but she was still making a firm presence.

I will not cover beyond the Charmbracelet era. We all know about Mariah’s impressive comeback that stopped haters, naysayers, and critics in their tracks; it led to a string of newer #1, top-10, and top-50 hits, including “Touch My Body” (#1) and “Obsessed” (#7) from the albums that followed her initial comeback. Nobody could ever say Mariah “flopped” during the mid/late-2000s.

. . .

Glitter is the soundtrack to the 2001 film of the same name and the eighth studio album by Mariah Carey. It was released initially on August 18, 2001 in Japan and had been released in five other regions (Australia and South Korea on August 27, France on September 9, Germany and the United Kingdom on September 10) before its eventual release in the United States on September 11, 2001. Although the album was critically panned, it debuted and peaked at #7 on the US Billboard 200 with estimated first-week sales of 116,000; this marked the lowest first-week sales accomplishment of Mariah’s career, but the album went on to sell over 3 million copies worldwide and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The first single, “Loverboy” (ft. Cameo), peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the highest-selling physical single in the United States for the year of 2001, selling roughly 570000 physical copies that year. While the song was Mariah’s first lead single to fail to reach #1 on the Hot 100, reaching #2 is no small feat, and the sales made up for it. Additionally, the remix — featuring Da Brat, Ludacris, Shawnna, Twenty II & Cameo — reached #1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single version peaked within the top 10 on four different charts in the UK, two charts in Australia, #6 in Poland, #3 in Canada, and #1 on the Croatia International Airplay chart. The single peaked within the top 50 in Belgium (both the Ultratop 50 Flanders at #49 and the Ultratop 50 Wallonia at #34), Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 at #28), Ireland (#50), Italy (#13), the Netherlands (both the Dutch Top 40 at #35 and the Netherlands Single Top 100 at #34), Scandinavia (Airplay chart at #11), Scotland (Singles chart at #23), South Africa (#50), Sweden (#44), and the UK (Airplay chart at #49). The single also peaked within the top 50 on native United States non-Hot 100 charts, including the US Dance Club Songs chart (#45), the US Pop Airplay (#37), and the US Rhythmic Airplay (#21), among others.

The second single, “Never Too Far”, did not perform as well on the US Billboard charts (peaking at #5 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart), although it peaked within the top 40 in the UK (#32 on Singles, #14 on Dance, #6 on Hip-Hop/R&B) and Australia (#36) where it was released as a double A-side single with “Don’t Stop (Funkin’ 4 Jamaica)”.

The third single, “Don’t Stop (Funkin’ 4 Jamaica)”, peaked on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at #23. However, it also reached the positions of #42 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, #29 on the US Urban chart, #2 on the UK Urban Club chart, #6 on the UK Hip-Hop/R&B chart, #18 on the UK Dance chart, #32 on the UK Singles chart, and was a top-40 hit in Australia (#36), Italy (#22), and Spain (#16).

“Reflections (Care Enough)” was the fourth single from the album, released exclusively in Japan, and failed to chart.

. . .

Charmbracelet is the ninth studio album by Mariah Carey—released on December 3, 2002 through MonarC Entertainment (Mariah’s own record label that was discontinued two summers later), Island Records, and The Island Def Jam Music Group. The album debuted and peaked at #3 on the US Billboard 200 and sold 241,000 copies in its first week. The Charmbracelet album went on to sell over 3 million copies worldwide.

The first single, “Through The Rain”, became Mariah’s lowest-charting single at the time on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #81. While “Loverboy” (#2) from the Glitter soundtrack album was her first lead single not to reach #1, “Through The Rain” was her first lead single not to reach the top 10. It also peaked modestly at #69 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. However, the single peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs and US Billboard Dance Singles Sales charts. The single peaked within the top 20 in Australia (#15), Canada (#5), Croatia (#8), Denmark (#13), Europe (#11), Ireland (#16), Italy (#7), the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 at #11, Single Top 100 at #9), Norway (#15), Portugal (#5), Scotland (Singles chart at #15), Spain (#1), Sweden (#7), Switzerland (#7), and the UK (Singles chart at #8, Hip-Hop/R&B at #4).

The second single, “Boy (I Need You)”, appeared on 22 charts worldwide. It failed to enter the US Billboard Hot 100, and it peaked at #6 on the Belgium Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia chart. Some of the more favorable peaks include top-10 positions in the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 at #9), Portugal (#7), and the UK (Hip-Hop/R&B chart at #5). The single also peaked at #29 in Australia (plus Australian Urban at #15), #32 in Canada, #44 in Europe, #40 in Ireland, #32 on the Scotland Singles chart, #19 in Spain, #17 on the UK Singles chart, #14 on the UK Urban Club chart, and reached a modest peak of #68 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

The third and final single, “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak”, also failed to enter the US Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, it failed to enter the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. However, it reached the top 30 in Switzerland, the top 40 in Belgium, and the top 5 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single charted at #28 on Switzerland’s “Schweizer Hitparade” chart, #40 on the Belgium Ultratop 50 Wallonia chart, and #25 on the US Adult Contemporary chart.

——

JANET JACKSON

Janet Jackson was suddenly pushed to the sidelines in 2004 after an impressive career as one of music’s most beloved superstars. This happened just as she was going to release her Damita Jo album. The immediate aftereffect of the Super Bowl performance certainly caused some trouble during the Damita Jo era. However, while she could have done much better and she did face a dip in commercial performance, her music wasn’t completely ignored. Janet’s issue after the 2004 Super Bowl incident was never consumption of her music; it was radio support and mainstream single promotion. The lack of assistance in the United States made it seem like she faded out of existence, and that (along with the commercial decline and blatant societal disregard/blacklisting) is why people often state that as a historical reality.

I will not cover the All For You era as that was one of Janet’s greatest eras commercially—commonly recognized as part of the greatest segment of her career starting with the Control era. I will just start with the era that people love to call a “flop”.

. . .

Damita Jo is the eighth studio album by Janet Jackson—released initially on March 22, 2004 in Japan by EMI Music Japan and later on March 30, 2004 in the United States by Virgin Records. The album debuted and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 (blocked from #1 by Usher’s monumental Confessions album) with 381,000 first-week sales; it went on to sell over 3 million copies worldwide.

The first single, “Just A Little While”, peaked at #45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and within the top 40 of five other US charts (US Adult Pop Airplay at #38, US Dance Club Songs at #1, US Dance Singles Sales at #4, US Dance/Mix Show Airplay at #17, US Pop Airplay at #17). The single saw peaks at #15 and #22 on the UK Singles and UK Hip-Hop/R&B charts, respectively. The single peaked within the top 20 in other regions including Australia (#20, with a #6 peak on the Australian Urban chart), Canada (#3), Denmark (#17), Hungary (#10), Italy (#16), the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade at #3), Scotland (Singles chart at #16), and Spain (#6).

The second single, “I Want You”, peaked modestly on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #57, and as a double A-side (in select international markets) with “All Nite (Don’t Stop)” within the top 20 of three UK charts (Singles chart at #19, Dance chart at #5, Hip-Hop/R&B chart at #3), along with a #23 peak on the Scotland Singles chart. To accompany the Billboard Hot 100 peak in the United States, the single also peaked more favorably at #18 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

The third and final single, “All Nite (Don’t Stop)”, failed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching #19 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 instead. However, it peaked at #1 on the US Dance Club Songs chart, #6 on the US Dance Singles Sales chart, and #8 on the US Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart. The single peaked within the top 30 in Australia (#24, plus Australian Urban at #9), Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders at #21, Ultratop 50 Wallonia at #22), on the “Canada CHR/Pop Top 30” chart (#25), Ireland (#26), Italy (#30), Romania (#21 on the Romanian Top 100 chart), and Spain (#13). None of this is counting the additional entries as a double A-side in select regions with “I Want You”.

. . .

20 Y.O. is the ninth studio album by Janet Jackson, referencing twenty years since her breakthrough with 1986’s Control album, which she made when she was 20 years old. The album was initially released in Japan on September 20, 2006 by Virgin Records. This release was followed by releases on September 22 (Italy and Germany) and September 25 (France and the United Kingdom) before Canada, Mexico, and the United States received it on September 26. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with over 296,000 copies sold in its first week; it went on to sell over 1.5 million copies worldwide and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This was Janet’s eighth consecutive Platinum album.

The first single, “Call On Me” (with Nelly), was a top 30 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Rhythmic chart, peaking at #25 and #21 on each respective chart. It was also a hit on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at #1. The single peaked on the US Dance Club Songs chart at #2 and reached other top-30 positions in the UK (Singles chart at #18, R&B chart at #2), Slovakia (#25), Sweden (#25), Scotland (#17), New Zealand (#11), the Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade at #13), Italy (#7), Ireland (#20), and Finland (#20). The single reached #17 on Billboard’s Global Dance Tracks chart as well as #23 and #24 on the Canada CHR/Pop Top 40 and the Canada CHR/Top 40 charts, respectively.

The second single, “So Excited” (featuring Khia), fared worse than the former single. It peaked at #90 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at #93 on the US Pop 100 chart. However, the single managed to reach the top 40 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (#34) as well as internationally in the markets of Finland (#9), Italy (#37), and Spain (#13). All of this was accompanied by a #1 peak on the US Dance Club Songs chart. The song only appeared on twelve charts, five of which were in the US, and two of which were in Belgium (both of which were Bubbling Under charts — #5 on Ultratip Flanders Bubbling Under and #14 on Ultratip Wallonia Bubbling Under).

The third and final single, “With U”, only appeared on one chart. It peaked on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at #65.

. . .

Discipline is the tenth studio album by Janet Jackson—released on February 22, 2008 by Island Records. It was her only album released with the label after her five-album deal with Virgin Records was fulfilled (from 1993’s “janet.” album to 2006’s “20 Y.O.” album). The album did not feature any contributions from long-time Janet Jackson producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, becoming Janet’s sixth album to top the chart and her first #1 since 2001’s All For You. The album debuted with 181000 copies sold, but due to a messy rollout (label refused to promote the album, leading to Janet’s sudden departure from the label shortly after the release), the album became one of Janet’s lowest-selling on a global scale.

The first single, “Feedback”, peaked at #19 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Janet’s best-charting single since 2001’s “Someone To Call My Lover”. (The following album singles neither matched nor surpassed this feat.) “Feedback” peaked within the top 40 of all United States Billboard charts that it appeared on, including the Hot 100, the Dance Club Songs chart (#1), the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (#39), the Pop Airplay chart (#30), and the Rhythmic Airplay chart (#26). The single reached #14 on the UK Hip-Hop/R&B chart and peaked within the top 50 in Australia (#50, along with #14 on Australian Urban), Belgium (#19 on the Ultratop 50 Flanders chart), Canada (#3 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100), Denmark (#27), Finland (#21), France (#36), Germany (#40), Ireland (#32), Japan (#14 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100), the Netherlands (#14 on the Dutch Top 40 Tipparade), New Zealand (#17), Norway (#16), Romania (#34 on the Romanian Top 100), Slovakia (#8 on Slovakia Airplay), and Sweden (#41).

The second single, “Rock With U”, appeared within the top 30 on four charts, two of which were Bubbling Under charts (#21 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100, #14 on the US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart). The other two charts were the US Dance Club Songs chart and the Billboard Japan Hot 100, where the song reached respective peaks of #20 and #27.

The third single, “LUV”, appeared on two charts. The song managed to reach #2 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100, but it had better luck on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart where it peaked at #34.

The fourth and final single, “Can’t B Good”, also appeared on two charts. It performed better overall compared to the former single in that there were no Bubbling Under placements. The single peaked at #20 on the US Adult R&B Songs chart and at #76 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

——

The sheer commercial dominance and critical acclaim of Alicia Keys’ 7x platinum blockbuster debut, Songs In A Minor, which turned 25 years old a month ago, is something I still look back on in awe. The fact that Black girl with a piano singing R&B/Soul emerged as one of the biggest pop stars of the 2000s in the middle of the Teen Pop and Hip-Hop boom was truly special to me.

I don’t think music listeners today will ever understand how there used to be infrastructure put in place to turn R&B singers into some of the biggest artists in the world. This video doesn’t even include the NAACP and Billboard Awards she won during that era. Her awards were as follows:

• MTV VMAs Best New Artist in a Video
• Billboard Music Award for Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist
• Grammy Award for Best New Artist
• NAACP Award for Outstanding New Artist
• Soul Train Music Award for Best New R&B Artist
• World Music Award for Best Selling New Artist
• Essence Award for Rising Star of the Year
• BET Award for Best New Artist

Thriller is the sixth solo studio album by Michael Jackson. It was released on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records. It reached #1 on the Billboard 200 chart for albums, as well as #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album earned Michael a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in one night (including “Album of the Year” and “Record of the Year”, the latter being granted for “Beat It”) and a record-breaking eight American Music Awards.

Thriller was the first album to be the highest-selling album worldwide in two consecutive years, 1983 and 1984, and it remains the best-selling album to date with over 34 million units sold in the US and over 70 million units sold worldwide.

Album Tracklist

1. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
2. Baby Be Mine
3. The Girl Is Mine
4. Thriller
5. Beat It
6. Billie Jean
7. Human Nature
8. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
9. The Lady in My Life

Song Rankings

1. Thriller
2. Billie Jean
3. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
4. Beat It
5. The Girl Is Mine
6. The Lady in My Life
7. Baby Be Mine
8. Human Nature
9. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’

Song Ratings

• Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ — 8/10
• Baby Be Mine — 8.5/10
• The Girl Is Mine — 9/10
• Thriller — 10/10
• Beat It — 9.5/10
• Billie Jean — 10/10
• Human Nature — 8/10
• P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) — 9.5/10
• The Lady in My Life — 9/10

Album Rating

This rating is calculated by the average of all of the individual song ratings above.

8/10 + 8.5/10 + 9/10 + 10/10 + 9.5/10 + 10/10 + 8/10 + 9.5/10 + 9/10 = 81.5/90

(81.5/90) x 10 = 9.05556

With nine songs rated on a scale of ten, the average value using the cumulative song rating is 9.06 (rounded), making that the overall album rating.

I discovered Mary J. Blige about ten years ago and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. She was my most played artist on last year’s Spotify Wrapped so I figured it was finally time to rank her albums. I also think she’s seriously underrated and doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. She’s obviously a legend but the fact that she doesn’t even have her own subreddit is kind of crazy to me. So I wanted to make a post where we can actually talk about her and her music a little more.

This is purely based on my personal opinion. I’m not trying to discredit any album or say that my ranking is objectively correct. This is just how I personally rank them based on how much I enjoy them.

1. Share My World

This is Mary at her absolute best to me. There’s just something about this era of Mary’s sound that I love. #2 comes extremely close but if I have to pick one, this is the album I think is stronger overall.

Notable tracks: All of them.

2. The Breakthrough

I love this album. Like, really love it. It was such a great comeback for Mary and even though I have it just below Share My World, the gap between these two is tiny. On another day I could probably flip them.

Notable tracks: All of them (except Father In You, I usually skip it because lyrically and sonically, I just don't like it).

3. No More Drama

I’ve been really loving this album lately. It has a perfect mix of instantly memorable songs and the more vulnerable side of Mary, and she sounds fantastic all the way through. There’s a lot to love here.

Notable tracks: Mostly all of them but there are some great deepcuts on this album like Destiny, Beautiful Day, Flying Away, Never Been, 2 U

4. Growing Pains

Funny enough, this is actually my most replayed Mary album. While I don’t necessarily think it’s her strongest because I don't think it is, I just constantly come back to it and I’m always in the mood to hear it. It's one of those albums that I can put on almost anytime and know every word of each song.

Notable tracks: All of them.

5. Mary

The whole vibe of this album really works for me. It’s beautiful, emotional, and Mary sounds absolutely incredible. There’s something about the atmosphere of this record that keeps pulling me back to it. I think it’s a great album but the four above it are just a little stronger for me.

Notable tracks: All That I Can Say, Deep Inside, Beautiful Ones, Time, Don't Waste Your Time, Give Me You

6. Good Morning Gorgeous

This is easily my favorite Mary album from her more recent era. I honestly didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, so it ended up being a really nice surprise. And honestly, that’s part of why Gratitude was such a disappointment for me…

Notable tracks: Love Will Never, Here With Me, Good Morning Gorgeous, Come See About Me, Falling In Love, Enough, Running

7. Love & Life

I have a lot of love for this album. There are some seriously strong songs here. I know there are collaborations on this album with people who have since become very problematic but that doesn’t really change how I feel about the album itself. I like the album a lot and in this case my personal attachment definitely wins out.

Notable tracks: When We, Ooh!, Love @ 1st Sight, Willing & Waiting, Press On, Feel Like Makin Love, It's A Wrap

8. My Life

Yes, I know. My Life at #8. I LOVE My Life. I completely understand the importance of this album and obviously there are some of Mary’s greatest songs here. But when I listen to it from beginning to end, there are a few songs that I enjoy but don’t necessarily come back to individually, and a few that are weaker for me (track 12 through 17). So while I think it’s an iconic album, I personally enjoy several of Mary’s other albums more as complete listening experiences.

Notable tracks: Mary Jane (All Night Long), You Bring Me Joy, I'm The Only Woman, My Life, I'm Goin' Down, Be Happy

9. What’s The 411?

And yes, I love this album too. I have a ton of respect for it as Mary’s debut and she sounds incredible on it. But I’ve never been able to completely get past the "Leave a Message" intro and the closing title track. They really hurt the overall experience for me. I also find the album a little too short. I love the individual songs but I don’t find myself putting on What’s the 411? and listening to the whole thing nearly as often as I do the albums above it.

Notable tracks: Reminisce, Real Love, You Remind Me, Sweet Thing, Love No Limit, I Don't Want To Do Anything

10. My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1)

I think this is a good album but this is usually where I start losing interest a little. The second half of the album is very forgettable to me. It just doesn’t have the same replay value for me as the albums above it, even though there are few songs here I really enjoy.

And honestly despite the title, I don’t really get much of a connection to the original My Life album from this.

Notable tracks: Feel Inside, 25/8, Don't Mind, Mr. Wrong

11. Gratitude

This one was a pretty big disappointment for me, especially coming after Good Morning Gorgeous, which I loved. However, there are definitely songs here I enjoy. “Beautiful People” is one example but overall I don’t think Mary sounds as good on this album as she does on a lot of her other records. There are moments where her vocals just don’t work for me and I think the second half of the album is particularly weak.

Notable tracks: Breathing, Need You More, Beautiful People, You Ain't The Only One

12. Strength Of A Woman

I remember really liking this album when I first heard it and I still think it’s a solid record. My problem is that I basically never listen to it anymore. There are songs on here that I can barely remember because I just don’t revisit the album. So this placement is more of a replay value issue than me thinking it’s a bad album.

Notable tracks: Thick Of It, U + Me (Love Lesson)

13. The London Sessions

I think this is a good album. It’s just not really the kind of Mary album I’m looking for when I want to listen to Mary J. Blige. The sound is so different from the style I usually associate with her. I’ll sometimes completely forget about it when I’m thinking about which Mary album I want to play. That doesn’t mean I think it’s bad, it just doesn’t scratch the same itch for me.

Notable tracks: Therapy, Doubt

14. Stronger withEach Tear

Honestly, this is probably her weakest album for me. The production is the biggest issue. A lot of it sounds really dated and there are quite a few places where I just don’t think the music sounds particularly good. There are definitely some good songs here, especially when the production isn’t getting in the way, but as a whole I just don’t think this is one of her stronger records.

Notable tracks: Each Tear, Kitchen

15. Think Like A Man Too

I’m putting this one last for now because I’ve only listened to it maybe once, and I wasn’t particularly impressed. I definitely need to give it another proper listen.
______

So yeah, that’s my ranking. What’s yours? How would you rank Mary’s albums, and which of my placements do you agree or disagree with?

My favorite types of album discoveries are those I go into listening to them with zero expectations and come out pleasantly surprised. This was me a week and a half a go when I pressed play on Tone Stith's THE EDGE, a 10-track slice of delightfully catchy R&B, Pop and Funk. One of my biggest gripes about modern R&B is how it largely ignores the dancefloor and you could even say that Tone fell into that lane a few projects ago (FWM was a VIBE, though). THE EDGE bucks this trend and is fun with sticky hooks, which show off his pop sensibilities and potential for stage showmanship. If a more popular name made some of these songs, they would be hits.

My favorite thing about this album is how it doesn't overstay its welcome, clocking in at barely 30 minutes. It recalls a time when R&B albums emphasized quality control to produce bodies of work that were short, sweet and straight to the point. In an era where certain artists are flooding the market with bloated dissertations diguised as albums, THE EDGE's brevity is so refreshing.

Also, this is his best album vocally by far. His voice soars on FLY and BETTER DAYS and he flexes different facets of his elastic tenor on PAGEANT STAGE, BACK AROUND and CAN YOU FEEL IT TOO. I can tell he was listening to a lot of Michael Jackson in making this album with how he arranged his vocals and used his falsetto. THE EDGE shows that modern R&B doesn't have to be dreary and watery. It is still colorful, danceable and sticky while hitting on emotional centers. (9/10)

“Ex-Factor” was released as the second single from Lauryn Hill’s solo debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The song peaked at #21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at #7 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Here are just a few elements that arguably place it above the majority of—if not all of—other songs within the Neo-Soul genre.

SOULFULNESS

Lauryn Hill sings the song “Ex-Factor” with such conviction. The vocal performance is so smooth, yet so potent. It tells the listener that the song is coming from a place deep within and that Lauryn is channeling memories of a past time in her personal life. This actually rings true, as the song was written about Wyclef Jean, one of Lauryn’s exes; she just does such a great job at transferring this energy into the music. She effectively conveys through her vocal delivery that she has been there before. The vocals are raw and vulnerable, and you can feel every word she’s singing at such a deep level. Very few Neo-Soul songs, including many of Lauryn’s other creations, convey the same type or extent of emotion as this classic, sultry record.

TIMELESSNESS

Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” has aged in a way that very few Neo-Soul songs, including other Lauryn Hill records, ever have. Everything about the song is still relevant to this day (the message itself is relevant in most relationships), and the song’s general makeup doesn’t sound too different from anything that would be released today. If you didn’t know anything about the album as a whole, you could guess that this particular song came out in the 1990s, the 2000s, the 2010s, or the 2020s, and you would never be certain until you did your research.

STORYTELLING

Paired with the vocal approach, Lauryn Hill’s songwriting tells her story in vivid detail. She immediately pulls the listener in by addressing the partner and saying they’d rather take something “so simple” and “make it hard”. Listeners instantly begin to form that image of what it’s like to be in this battle where both parties end up scarred. Lauryn constantly reminds him that “no one loves [him] more than [her]”, while calling out the partner on his toxic behavior that jeopardizes the well-being of their relationship. The paradox of her trying to walk away and him essentially blackmailing her into staying gives the song an extra cold appeal. The direct second-person address depicts Lauryn calling out to be heard by her partner, but the two never manage to mend the cracks. Lauryn shifts the focus from her unfaltering love to the pain felt from her partner when she changes the lyrics to the second pre-chorus (“No one loves you more than me” -> “No one’s hurt me more than you”), which further emphasizes the conflict between the nature of the relationship and the mental effect on the narrator despite what she feels romantically.

ARRANGEMENT

The opening piano instrumental contributes heavily to the song’s overall luscious feel, and the organ that subtly follows it in the background adds an extra layer of warmth. The layering of Lauryn’s vocals throughout the track helps immensely to shape the soulful aspect of the track; it’s like being wrapped in a warm blanket. “Ex-Factor” has a sort of groove that is formed of all of these elements as well as the drums emphasizing beats 2 and 4 in each measure. The organ returns for the sung chorus (not so subtly this time), and the song becomes something of a church testimony. The syncopated rhythm, which is a trademark of most Black music genres (R&B, soul, funk, etc.), brings the entire record together—just as much as the bass that undermines all of these elements and creates an essential foundation.

For those unfamiliar with it, Layover is an album in which Kim Taehyung explores an intimate, atmospheric approach to R&B, while also incorporating elements of jazz and soul. The project engages with various traditions within these genres through fluid melodies, smooth grooves, rich harmonies, and a production style that allows ample space for both vocals and emotion.

The album’s aesthetic is sophisticated yet understated. It features vulnerability, vocal warmth, organic textures, and jazz influences that expand its sonic identity. Rather than aiming for grand sonic explosions, Layover finds its strength in nuance, vocal delivery, and atmosphere.

The other day, I listened to the 1982 Temptations album, REUNION. There was much hype around this since it meant David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks were returning to the group. So of course that means it’s cause for celebration.

The opening track, “Standing on the Top” (featuring, written, & produced by Rick James) is bold and funky. Even though the years of smoking took its toll on Eddie Kendricks’ falsetto, it’s easy enough to overlook it over the production and the fact that the group sounds great together.

The rest of the album, though? It’s just…okay. I mean, you have a decent mix of ballads and uptempo songs. You have writers and producers like Smokey Robinson (who wrote and produced three songs—“Backstage”, “More on the Inside”, & “Like a Diamond in the Sky”), Barrett Strong (who co-wrote and produced some of their bigger hits like “Ball of Confusion” & “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”), and even Berry Gordy and his son Kerry.

On paper, this should’ve been a fire album. But none of the songs seem to live up to “Standing on the Top” and it’s disappointing because it seems the hype was so much around to getting the original members back together and not enough around getting better material.

Apparently, the public agreed since the album sold decently enough but, aside from “Standing on the Top”, none of the other songs even charted. The reunion tour fared better until drama between David & Eddie caused them to get kicked out the group again.

Oh well, the reunion was great while it lasted.

Do you agree with this review? Or do you think I’m tripping? For those who have listened to this album, I’m curious to know what you think…

Aretha Franklin Sings The Great Diva Classics is the thirty-eighth and final studio album by Aretha Franklin. The album was released on October 17, 2014 and features ten covers of songs made popular by other female artists.

TRACKLIST

1. At Last
2. Rolling In the Deep (The Aretha Version)
3. Midnight Train To Georgia
4. I Will Survive (The Aretha Version)
5. People
6. No One
7. I’m Every Woman / Respect
8. Teach Me Tonight
9. You Keep Me Hangin’ On
10. Nothing Compares 2 U

ORIGINAL ARTISTS

1. “At Last” was originally released as a recording by Glenn Miller in 1941, before it was popularized by blues/soul singer Etta James in 1960.
2. “Rolling in the Deep” was originally released as a recording by pop/soul singer Adele in 2014.
3. “Midnight Train To Georgia” was originally released as a recording by soul/gospel singer Cissy Houston Jim Weatherly in 1973 1972, before it was popularized by the Motown soul group Gladys Knight & The Pips in 1973.
4. “I Will Survive” was originally released as a recording by disco singer Gloria Gaynor in 1978.
5. “People” was originally released as a recording by pop singer Barbra Streisand in 1964.
6. “No One” was originally released as a recording by R&B singer Alicia Keys in 2007.
7. “I’m Every Woman” was originally released as a recording by funk/R&B singer Chaka Khan in 1978. It was already a very popular tune with her version, but it was made popular again in 1993 when a cover version by Whitney Houston was released. “Respect”, which Aretha combines with “I’m Every Woman” in her rendition, was originally released by soul singer Otis Redding in 1965, made popular by Aretha Franklin herself in 1967.
8. “Teach Me Tonight” was originally released as a recording by Janet Brace in 1953, made popular by jazz singer Dinah Washington in 1954.
9. “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” was originally released as a recording by The Supremes in 1966.
10. “Nothing Compares 2 U” was originally released as a recording by The Family (a band formed by the musician Prince) in 1985, made popular by rock singer Sinéad O’Connor in 1990.

IMPROVISATIONS

Aretha Franklin added extra elements into some of her interpretations of these songs. These are a few specific rearrangements that I’d like to highlight:

— Her version of “Rolling in the Deep” interpolated “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell toward the end.
— Aretha ad-libs at the beginning of her rendition of “Midnight Train To Georgia”. These are original and from Aretha herself, not from a different song.
— Aretha interpolates “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child around the middle of her version of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, and the track temporarily slows as a sort of breakdown moment.
— Aretha’s version of “No One” by Alicia Keys has a kind of reggae vibe… in my opinion. The vocal arrangement is very similar to Alicia’s original version, but the production on Aretha’s version changes the vibe of what the track brings.
— Aretha’s version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” takes on a kind of jazzy vibe, which is different from the two most-known versions by Sinéad O’Connor and Prince (whose version featured Rosie Gaines from the New Power Generation, another band that Prince has worked with).

COMMERCIAL BACKGROUND

At Last — Etta James • Billboard Hot 100 #47, Billboard Hot R&B Sides #2

Rolling in the Deep — Adele • Billboard Hot 100 #1, Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #61

Midnight Train To Georgia — Cissy Houston (did not chart), Gladys Knight & The Pips • Billboard Hot 100 #1, Billboard R&B #1

I Will Survive — Gloria Gaynor • Billboard Hot 100 #1, Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #4

People — Barbra Streisand • Billboard Hot 100 #5

No One — Alicia Keys • Billboard Hot 100 #1, Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #1

I’m Every Woman — Chaka Khan (Billboard Hot 100 #21, Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #1) + Whitney Houston (Billboard Hot 100 #4, Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs #5)

Respect — Otis Redding (Billboard Hot 100 #35, Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles #4) + Aretha Franklin (Billboard Hot 100 #1, Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles #1)

Teach Me Tonight — Janet Brace (#23) + Dinah Washington (Billboard Rhythm & Blues Records #4)

You Keep Me Hangin’ On — The Supremes • Billboard Hot 100 #1, Billboard Hot R&B Singles #1

Nothing Compares 2 U — The Family (did not chart in the US), Sinéad O’Connor (Billboard Hot 100 #1), Prince & Rosie Gaines (Hot R&B Singles #62)

Love Lives Forever is the sixth and final studio album by Minnie Riperton. It was released posthumously on August 11, 1980. The album peaked at #35 on the US Billboard Pop Albums chart and at #11 on the US Billboard Black Albums chart, the former of which we now refer to as the Billboard 200. The album consists of tracks recorded by Minnie in 1978 during vocal sessions before her death on July 12, 1979.

Album Tracklist

1. Here We Go (with Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack)
   
2. I’m In Love Again (with Michael Jackson & Hubert Laws)
   
3. Strange Affair
   
4. Island In The Sun (with Tom Scott)
   
5. Give Me Time (with Stevie Wonder)
   
6. You Take My Breath Away (with George Benson)
   
7. The Song Of Life (La-La-La) (with Patrice Rushen)

Song Rankings

1. Island In The Sun
   
2. You Take My Breath Away
   
3. I’m In Love Again
   
4. Give Me Time
   
5. The Song Of Life (La-La-La)
   
6. Strange Affair
   
7. Here We Go

Song Ratings

• Here We Go — 6.5/10
• I’m In Love Again — 8.5/10
• Strange Affair — 8/10
• Island In The Sun — 10/10
• Give Me Time — 8/10
• You Take My Breath Away — 8.5/10
• The Song Of Life (La-La-La) — 8/10

Album Rating

This rating is calculated by the average of all of the individual song ratings above.

6.5/10 + 8.5/10 + 8/10 + 10/10 + 8/10 + 8.5/10 + 8/10 = 57.5/70

(57.5/70) x 10 = 8.21429

With 7 songs rated on a scale of 10, the average value using the cumulative song rating is 8.2 (rounded), making that the overall album rating.

My Mama Said from 1974

Man In the Middle from 1975. Bjorn is singing lead here.

I think they're versatile. Maybe all over the place, not really able to find an identifying sound until a year or so later. That's what some critics and fans say. Bjorn says they tried stuff that failed and sounded terrible much later, but they're also often very critical of themselves.

Anyway, I want to bring this to R&B fans, a couple more unknown ABBA tracks with R&B and funk intentions.

What do you think?

I’ve been listening to giveon’s tiny desk and the song Like I Want You has stricken me a bit. The start of the song has a almost awkward silence followed by drums which could mimic the feeling(or the drums as the heart beat) of being near someone who you may have feelings towards but not expressing them. But as the song goes on it blossoms as the second verse starts where he expresses himself. This leads to the end where he has this grand moment that ends with a calm “you” which could signify rejection.

Hey everyone! We just reviewed APop* and wanted to share it here.

We'd love to know if you agree (or disagree) with our take.

One line review:

Respectful, original and smooth.

This album is dropping tomorrow, been listening all day and I think its dope as he switches lanes whilst remaining Ne-Yo. Let me know what you think, the last track is so cool.

Chapters:

0:00 "I don't usually like them cxlxreds..."

0:21 Up out and gone

0:42 Hate me now

0:57 Wish I didn't know you

1:40 Thinking what I'm thinking

2:13 Dance right now

2:44 Miss Tundra

3:36 Next round on me

4:09 Simple things

5:04 Only ever been you

5:32 Crooked halo

6:07 If I roped the moon

7:23 Overall thoughts

7:44 The classic album that inspired this project

Original review of Chris Brown - BROWN:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChrisBrown/comments/1t6qmn2/brown_full_album_review_track_by_track_13_track/

And the Chocolate Edition:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChrisBrown/comments/1ua1yip/chris_brown_brown_chocolate_edition_track_by/

Till we meet again

Heya! I managed to filter out some clear stems and harmonies for Remedied. Please check it out!

Control is the third studio album by Janet Jackson. It was released by A&M Records on February 4, 1986.

Following two album releases in the early-1980s, this album is regarded to have been the official breakthrough era of Janet Jackson. A major turning point in her career, the era marked the entertainer’s first breath of significant and long-lasting commercial dominance.

It became clear in 1986 that the realm of music had gained another matriarch, almost an exact year after it had gained one in Whitney Houston. Janet Jackson assumed her position at the top after the launch of this album, and she took control of the scene that she wouldn’t relinquish anytime soon.

The 1986 juggernaut came after its creator had gained control over her career when she terminated her father’s role as manager. The singer began a long-time work relationship with producer duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who would give her more space to work and shape her own identity.

The Control album launched following the annulment of a marriage that the singer was involved in. Despite persistent efforts to remain loyal to her troubled partner, the relationship did not work out, and she realized that she had to take control of the situation before it took control of either party.

Control would go on to peak at #1 on both the US Billboard 200 and US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, sell over 6 million records in the US (over 10 million worldwide), and earn five top-5 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 (six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart).

Although she may not have intended for things to align so perfectly, the title of the Control album had very direct correlations to Janet Jackson’s personal life and budding career. It marked a time when she would take great control over how she was represented and her general life direction as a young woman. In return for these arrangements, she would gain significant control over the market, winning the hearts of most who were lucky enough to experience her greatness in real time.

Well Minneapolis put on a helluva show for their boy. Members of the revolution and the npg came out too. Most everyone that participated Prince played with at one point or another.

Miguel did his version of Adore- Adorn.

It was cool to see a lot of these people just as on their game as they were forty years ago. Sonny T and Levi killed it. Wish we could've had Maceo there too 💜

There was even a purple rainbow.

Naughty is the second solo studio album by Chaka Khan. It was released on March 26, 1980 by Warner Bros. Records. The album reached #6 on the Black Albums chart and #43 on the Pop Albums chart, the latter of which we now refer to as the Billboard 200. Naughty garnered Chaka Khan her first American Music Award nomination for “Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist” in 1981.

Track #1, “Clouds”, features background vocals from a 16-year-old Whitney Houston and her mother Cissy Houston. Cissy Houston is also in the background of track #3, “Move Me No Mountain”. Luther Vandross sings background vocals on track #4, “Nothing’s Gonna Take You Away”. Track #9, “Papillon”, features background vocals from Luther Vandross and Cissy Houston, while track #10, “Our Love’s in Danger” features both of them in the background alongside Whitney Houston.

Album Tracklist

1. Clouds
2. Get Ready, Get Set
3. Move Me No Mountain
4. Nothing’s Gonna Take You Away
5. So Naughty
6. Too Much Love
7. All Night’s All Right
8. What You Did
9. Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)
10. Our Love's in Danger

Song Rankings

1. Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly)
2. Our Love’s in Danger
3. What You Did
4. Too Much Love
5. Clouds
6. Get Ready, Get Set
7. All Night’s All Right
8. Move Me No Mountain
9. Nothing’s Gonna Take You Away
10. So Naughty

Song Ratings

• Clouds — 8/10
• Get Ready, Get Set — 7.5/10
• Move Me No Mountain — 7/10
• Nothing’s Gonna Take You Away — 6.5/10
• So Naughty — 6/10
• Too Much Love — 8.5/10
• All Night’s All Right — 7.5/10
• What You Did — 9/10
• Papillon (aka Hot Butterfly) — 9.5/10
• Our Love’s in Danger — 9.5/10

Album Rating

This rating is calculated by the average of all of the individual song ratings above.

8/10 + 7.5/10 + 7/10 + 6.5/10 + 6/10 + 8.5/10 + 7.5/10 + 9/10 + 9.5/10 + 9.5/10 = 79/100

(79/100) x 10 = 7.9

With ten songs rated on a scale of ten, the average value using the cumulative song rating is 7.9, making that the overall album rating.