Coolin' at the Playground Ya Know
Artist: Another Bad Creation
Community Score: 7.83

The formula is all too painfully simple, and equally successful: take young boys and have them singing pop songs with catchy hooks targeted at a pre-teen audience. It's worked since the early evolution of the teen idol. But in the 1980s, Maurice Starr re-ignited the formula and remains unparalleled by anyone in history, brining to the forefront... Read More

Always in the Mood
Artist: Gerald Alston

Former Manhattans lead vocalist Gerald Alston has emerged as one of the 1990s' best soul and love singers. His passionate, intense leads never lose their steam or conviction, he wisely avoids doing songs with rappers, and he doesn't let production gimmicks and studio trappings overwhelm his vocals. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide Read More

Lose Control
Artist: Silk
Community Score: 7.50

New Jack vocalist/producer Keith Sweat helped mold the ensemble Silk in his own image on their debut. He wrote or co-wrote eight of the 10 tracks, produced or co-produced every cut, sang the lead on "Happy Days," and either did background vocals or played on all the numbers (doing both on several). The quintet demonstrated nice harmonizing and... Read More

Womanchild
Artist: Bemshi
Community Score: 10.00

Is she urban contemporary, pop/rock, or world music? Very hard to categorize, Bemshi's debut album, Womanchild, didn't make the playlists of either pop or R&B stations in the U.S. -- and that's a shame because this neglected CD has a lot to offer. To be sure, Womanchild doesn't fit neatly into any one category. The music of Bemshi, an expressive... Read More

It's About Time
Artist: SWV
Community Score: 8.56

SWV (Sisters With Voices) electrified the urban contemporary world with It's About Time. Their deep, sensual harmonies, sometimes naughty lyrics and aggressive style immediately struck a responsive chord, particularly among male fans. Their CD shows their versatility, as they handled New Jack tunes, romantic ballads like "It's About Time," and... Read More

Funky Divas
Artist: En Vogue
Community Score: 6.58

The 1990s was a time when hip-hop infused with R&B became pop music, and at the forefront of this movement was En Vogue. Their most commercially and critically successful album, Funky Divas, stands as one of the best pop/R&B albums to emerge from that time, incorporating soul, hip-hop, pop, dance, and rock to create one of the era's most... Read More

Take It to the Floor
Artist: Special Generation

The debut album from the MC Hammer protégés Special Generation produced three single releases. The initial release "Love Me Just for Me" is an easy-flowing single with crossover appeal; however, it rode the Billboard R&B charts for 21 weeks, peaking at number eight. The second release "Spark of Love" is probably the best track from the project.... Read More

C.M.B.
Artist: Color Me Badd
Community Score: 7.67

Their debut album includes the hit "I Wanna Sex You Up," which is innovative from an instrumental perspective. ~ Bil Carpenter, All Music Guide Read More

T.E.V.I.N.
Artist: Tevin Campbell
Community Score: 7.00

If T.E.V.I.N. had been recorded by an adult instead of a teenager, the album would still be impressive, but the fact that Tevin Campbell was only 14 years old when this was made makes it all the more amazing. Campbell's voice is remarkably expressive, able to handle both ballads and up-tempo dance tracks without losing confidence. When he has... Read More

Poison
Artist: Bell Biv DeVoe
Community Score: 8.00

With so many faceless, sound-alike albums having come out of the "new jack swing" hybrid in the late '80s and early to mid-'90s, it's important to give credit to the form's more creative and imaginative figures. Along with Guy and Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe (a New Edition spin-off trio comprised of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe)... Read More

Born to Sing
Artist: En Vogue
Community Score: 6.33

The '80s produced countless "three girl and a drum machine"-type acts, but 1990 produced the trendsetting quartet En Vogue (courtesy of producers Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster), who, with their individual vocal skills, sophisticated sense of fashion, sultry videos, and smart singles, went on to become one of the decade's most successful and... Read More