1. Mary J. Blige, “My Life”
I started listening to the album “My Life” by Mary J. Blige day and night in the year 2009, thumbing through my cousin’s CD collection of old school hip-hop and R&B projects. Blige has influenced the newer generation of artists like Beyonce and Alicia Keys, who pay homage to her art in their performances by dressing like her and emulating her dance moves. In a time when hip-hop was most prominent and widely acclaimed, “My Life” shifted the landscape of how R&B grew as a genre and how we listened to and consumed music. One of my favorite lyrics from “Mary’s Joint” are “And you promised that you’d trust and believe in me.” This album made her peers give her the name “The Queen of Soul.” The main theme and message of “My Life” are being yourself and using vulnerability and heartbreak as a pillar of the sound. Today, Mary J. Blige is making new music, performing in arenas, and promoting her men’s suit clothing line.
2. Monica, “After the Storm”
The album “After The Storm” by Monica resonated with R&B fans because of the blended mixture of hip-hop acts like DMX on the song ‘Don’t Gotta Go Home’, Get It Off which paid tribute to Atlanta. But everyone will tell you the standout track of the whole album is “So Gone.” This song is a staple in the city of College Park, Georgia, her hometown. The impact of this record alone paved the way for the new generation of artists like Mariah the Scientist, who plays the instrumental of the song “So Gone” and does a rendition of her own original songs.
3. Aaliyah, “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number”
Released when Aaliyah was just 15 years old, “Age Ain’t Nothing but A Number” remains one of the most appreciated and loved albums of the ‘90s. The most important song of the album is “At Your Best You Are Love”, which is about being young and in love in a way that had the authenticity that other performers were unable to recreate like Aaliyah did. The style of hip-hop boom bap drums and moody R&B synths displays a level of sharp production skills that not many had at her young age. Her ability to make such mature and polished soul music is what sets her apart from all of the older and newer acts of today. Some of my favorite lyrics are at the beginning of “Down With the Clique,” where she emphatically sings,“Yeah, it’s the ‘90s and uh, got a little something for ya so check it.” These lyrics show how quick-witted she was at freestyling a memorable verse like that off the top of her head. This album will forever be a part of the foundation that soul and R&B music in the ‘90s was built on.
4. SWV, “New Beginning”
The album “New Beginning” from SWV is one of the most iconic and overlooked albums of the late ‘90s. Four years after their debut album “It’s About Time” released, “New Beginning” played into the same formula SWVused for their first album—showcasing their harmonizing ability and the chemistry they had, especially with their hit song “Always On Your Mind.” What made this album unique among contemporary releases was that they sang about their faith, which is something that was not prominent at that time. Some lyrics that show this are, “Jesus is our inspiration, a new beginning for us.” The biggest song off of the album, single “Whatcha Need,” was number one on the Billboard charts for three weeks. Another unique characteristic about this project is that it can be played anywhere—at family gatherings, at church, or with friends.
5. Brandy, “Never Say Never”
The album “Never Say Never” by Brandy goes under the radar when people talk about the greatest R&B soul albums of all time. The prominent sound of this album is soul, never displayed more than on the song “Have You Ever,” which is the definition of a true soul ballad. “Have you ever tried to find the words, but they don’t come out right?,” speaks to the honesty she expresses throughout the record. This is an album that I would listen to regularly in 2011 when I first discovered it in my cousin’s CD collection in her basement, helping me garner a true appreciation for the genre and shaping the way I consume music.
These five albums made an impact on the culture and society of the ‘90s and their influence today is hard not to acknowledge. In a newer generation of oversaturated and repetitive themes in songs, these albums show only how great music gets with time.
