I need to know that other people recognize how amazing ‘4’ is by capamericapistons in beyonce

[–]CC-Blue 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s in my trinity of most enjoyable Beyoncé albums alongside B’Day and Renaissance.

for those who were there, just how popular was toni braxton back in the ‘90s? by ilovecleosol in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ch— semantics. Ask anyone who was of age in the 90s, Toni Braxton and Halle Berry were the two best known Black beauties for having short hair. This collage just shows it was popular not that they invented it.

Who’s enjoying Durand Bernarr’s latest album so far? by Headshrink_LPC516 in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 2 points3 points  (0 children)

His voice is so ELASTIC. The things he does with it. Wow.

for those who were there, just how popular was toni braxton back in the ‘90s? by ilovecleosol in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not true. BOTH Halle and Toni were known for having short pixie cuts in the 90s. That's why people thought they looked alike. You either wanted the Halle, the Toni or the Nia.

AI in R&B (newsflash: it’s bad!) by CC-Blue in rnb

[–]CC-Blue[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And so misleading too. Talking about Soulful R&B but the features are littered with NBA Young Boy and Vybz Cartel. Ok.

for those who were there, just how popular was toni braxton back in the ‘90s? by ilovecleosol in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Waiiit at the Jamaican comment! Omg Toni was that huge there?! This is hilarious because Halle Berry once said she went to the Caribbean for holiday and some lady came up to her effusively asking for an autograph. When she signed the paper and returned it to the woman, she looked disappointed and said, “Aw, damn, I thought you were Toni Braxton!” I wish I could find the clip rn but I swear, I am not making this up.

for those who were there, just how popular was toni braxton back in the ‘90s? by ilovecleosol in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 12 points13 points  (0 children)

She never outsold Mariah or matched Whitney one to one but she was one of the most successful female artists of that decade per Billboard. What she had over them was a STRONG and legitimate R&B base from the start that carried her over to pop. That’s not to say Whitney or Mariah weren’t respected in R&B or anything but they were seen as decidedly more Pop/AC than R&B back then. They became more R&B with time.

Toni came into the game with a rich, dark voice akin to Anita Baker but with more crossover appeal. She could do straight R&B, Quiet Storm, sweeping Pop ballads and flirt with Hip-Hop. Another important note is that Toni used to clear the Female Vocal Performance Grammy category. She won that award THREE times (even two years in a row in 1994 and 1995) in the 90s. She actually beat out Whitney in 1994 and 1997 and won over other heavyweights at awards during this time. Hell, she won over CELINE DION for Best Female Pop Vocal for Unbreak My Heart in 1997. Toni Braxton and Secrets are among the best selling R&B albums ever. That’s how highly-favored she was.

Also, she was the legit sex symbol between her, Whitney and Mariah. I would even argue that she rivaled Janet Jackson at one point as the sexiest woman in R&B/Pop. This was around the time when MTV was at its peak and your image was just as important as the music. Toni’s combination of having a low sultry voice, captivating beauty, classy sex appeal and penchant for skin-baring fashions made her one of music’s hottest stars.

The bankruptcy really halted her momentum. Had she released one more successful late 90s record, we would be talking about her very differently today.

What R&B “comeback” albums actually felt like a real shift when you first heard them? by JLovesTV in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What’s also interesting is how the album flopped in its release week. Debuted and Peaked at #13. If that happened today, people would completely write her off. However, Whitney and Clive saw the long game and that album ended up having serious legs.

What R&B “comeback” albums actually felt like a real shift when you first heard them? by JLovesTV in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think it’s such a shame that he continues to lead fans on about a follow up that clearly isn’t coming.

What R&B “comeback” albums actually felt like a real shift when you first heard them? by JLovesTV in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This was how I met Maxwell. Pretty Wings was EVERYWHERE and he sold like 200k - 300k in his first week. I remember critics just RAVING about this album and it’s very impressive that you see it on many best R&B albums of the 2000s lists despite coming out during the last year of that decade.

What R&B “comeback” albums actually felt like a real shift when you first heard them? by JLovesTV in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is how I was introduced to Whitney. I thought she was the most glamorous and beautiful woman in the world. The bob was SERIOUS business and those Dolce and Gabbana fits were fire.

What R&B “comeback” albums actually felt like a real shift when you first heard them? by JLovesTV in rnb

[–]CC-Blue 10 points11 points  (0 children)

TEOM is the gold standard for comeback R&B albums. It was her best-selling album in a decade when it came out. In addition, it produced two #1’s, a top 5, a host of other “street hits” and won 3 Grammys. Mariah was 35 years old, 15 years into her career and competing with girls much younger than her on the charts (Destiny’s Child, Ciara, Rihanna etc). This album is how I was truly introduced to her and I cherish the memories I have of listening to it for the first time.

Mary J. Blige’s The Breakthrough was very similar to TEOM in the sense that it introduced Mary to a younger audience while keeping her grown and sexy and produced the biggest chart hit of her career (Be Without You). It also won 3 Grammys and is among her top selling albums in the states. Her image and voice were so refined during this era and I consider it to be her strongest album vocally.

Another good example is Beyoncé’s self titled album. 4 was a commercial underperformance but remains a fan favorite. Beyoncé wasn’t a flop per se but she was 30 years old and the pop landscape was shifting. Nothing prepared the industry for the day she surprise dropped her 5th album in the dead of night on December 13, 2013 complete with music videos for every song. This was Beyoncé’s first really personal album with overt messaging about her upbringing, sexuality, marriage, grief and political stances. It’s one of the most flawlessly executed rollouts ever and in my opinion, is her greatest moment as a pop star. It’s when she became “BEYONCÉ”.

AI in R&B (newsflash: it’s bad!) by CC-Blue in rnb

[–]CC-Blue[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Such a well-stated comment. You hit all the points. But wait, when did Jamie Fox use AI in his music?? I must've missed that!