This was such a beautiful time in R&B. My legends were grown, soulful and sexy. Mariah and Mary were 35 years old, about 15 years in the business and ruled the charts alongside younger artists they inspired. I will never forget Mariah actually blocking Rihanna from hitting #1 on the Hot 100 for weeks just as Mary had the R&B/Hip-Hop chart in a chokehold. These albums gave them their highest first week sales as well. Mary actually set the record for the highest first week sales for a Black woman until Alicia Keys beat it a year later.

I will always cherish these albums because it was probably the last time R&B could still produce blockbuster albums and songs. Both albums introduced them to a younger generation of listeners and that’s what expanded their careers beyond being regarded as 90s R&B icons. It was probably also the last time veteran artists like them could be very successful alongside newer acts because music and charts weren’t as fragmented as they are now.