Toni Braxton (album) explained

Toni Braxton
Type:studio
Artist:Toni Braxton
Cover:Toni Braxton (album).png
Recorded:May 1992; November 1992–1993[1]
Genre:
Length:53:18
Label:
Producer:
Next Title:Secrets
Next Year:1996

Toni Braxton is the debut studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on July 13, 1993, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was primarily produced by L.A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons.

The album has sold 5,135,000 copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide.[2] [3] It earned Braxton several awards, including three Grammy Awards (for Best New Artist and two consecutive awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1994 and 1995). She also won two American Music Awards (for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist and Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist) in 1994 and another one in 1995 (for Favorite Soul/R&B Album).

Background

Braxton and her four sisters—Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar—signed with Arista Records as the Braxtons in 1989. The following year, the group released their debut single, "Good Life".[4] Though the song was commercially unsuccessful, it attracted the attention of record executive Antonio "L.A." Reid and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who were shopping around for talent for their new label LaFace Records.[1] Instead of signing the quintet, they opted to offer Braxton a contract as a solo artist. With only one year to finish at Bowie State University, where she was studying to become a music teacher, she relocated to Atlanta to pursue a singing career.[1]

Release

The first single, "Another Sad Love Song", peaked at numbers seven and two on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, respectively. The album's second single, "Breathe Again", reached the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B charts and at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Other singles were released from Toni Braxton in 1994, including "You Mean the World to Me", "Seven Whole Days", and the double A-side "I Belong to You"/"How Many Ways".

In Japan, the album was released as Love Affair, also a song on the album. The Japanese edition contains the same track listing as the standard version; the only difference is the Obi strip and the bonus lyrics booklet written in Japanese.

Critical reception

Toni Braxton received mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Ron Wynn from AllMusic said that the album showcased Braxton as "an elegant and earthy songstress, nicely balancing those seemingly divergent sentiments [...] Braxton's husky, enticing voice sounds hypnotic, dismayed, and disillusioned [...] but she's never out of control, indignant, or so anguished and hurt that she fails to retain her dignity." Los Angeles Times critic Connie Johnson wrote: "Sounding like an unlikely hybrid of Phyllis Hyman, Anita Baker and Tracy Chapman, Braxton's sultry, earthy delivery makes her a standout in today's R&B arena." Similarly, People found that "when Braxton slides into her lower register she echoes Anita Baker, and when she skips around the higher notes there's also a hint of Whitney Houston. The influences are there, but Toni Braxton is most definitely her own woman. On this sophisticated, stylish and soulful album, she slates her case."[5]

Mitchell May, writing for the Chicago Tribune, noted that "Braxton wisely lets the mood of a tune dictate her approach, allowing her to supply an emotional depth that perhaps even the songwriters didn't know was there." He also found, however, that "the disc loses steam around midpoint." In a mixed review, Rolling Stone journalist John McAlley felt that "Braxton has got chops and spunk... And, yes, there are a handful of songs in which she gets to do the do. But there's not a poet in the house among LaFace's family of writer-producers – no Smokey Robinson, no Linda Creed. And for all its polish, too much of the music on Toni Braxton mistakes melodrama for passion and set pieces for soul." Marisa Fox of Entertainment Weekly found much of the album "generic" and concluded that Braxton "can sing, but there's nothing in her songs or delivery to set her apart from any number of wine-cooler R&B divas." Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the album a "neither" rating in his Consumer Guide book.[6]

Accolades

The album earned Braxton several awards, including three Grammy Awards (for Best New Artist and two consecutive awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1994 and 1995). She also won two American Music Awards (for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist and Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist) in 1994 and another one in 1995 (for Favorite Soul/R&B Album).

Commercial performance

Toni Braxton debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200 for the week ending July 31, 1993.[7] Following Braxton's appearance at the American Music Awards of 1994, the album rose from number seven to number one in its 31st week on the chart, on the issue dated February 26, 1994, becoming the first number-one album for LaFace Records.[8] It spent a second non-consecutive week atop the Billboard 200 for the week ending March 19, 1994, following the 36th Annual Grammy Awards.[9] The album has sold 5,135,000 copies in the United States and 10 million copies worldwide.[10] [11]

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Toni Braxton.[14]

Musicians

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1993–1997)! scope="col"
Peak
position
European Albums (Music & Media)[15] 21
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[16] 79
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[17] 17

Year-end charts

Chart (1993)! scope="col"
Position
US Billboard 200[18] 69
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[19] 10
Chart (1994)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 56
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[21] 17
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 34
European Albums (Music & Media)[23] 58
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24] 83
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[25] 19
UK Albums (OCC)[26] 49
US Billboard 200[27] 7
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[28] 3
Chart (1995)! scope="col"
Position
US Billboard 200[29] 172
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[30] 82
Chart (1997)! scope="col"
Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[31] 52

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999)! scope="col"
Position
US Billboard 200[32] 68

All-time charts

Chart! scope="col"
Position
US Billboard 200 (Women)[33] 94

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateLabel
United StatesJuly 13, 1993[34]
JapanSeptember 22, 1993BMG[35]
United KingdomSeptember 27, 1993Arista[36]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Whetstone . Muriel L. . Toni Braxton . . 49 . 7 . May 1994 . 143 . 0012-9011 . Google Books.
  2. Web site: Maza . Erik . Toni Braxton's decade-long record sales slump . . April 11, 2011 . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015616/https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2011-04-toni_braxtons_declining_record-story.html . June 17, 2018.
  3. Toni Braxton: Back on Top After Bankruptcy . . 98 . 6 . July 17, 2000 . 58 . 0021-5996 . Google Books.
  4. Web site: Toni Braxton . December 18, 2006 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20071112190035/http://www.vibe.com/music/search/artist.html?id=UCAgICAzNzU3Ng . November 12, 2007.
  5. Picks and Pans Review: Toni Braxton . . August 23, 1993 . May 30, 2020.
  6. Book: Christgau, Robert . Toni Braxton: Toni Braxton . http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=8787 . June 30, 2020 . Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s . Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s . Robert Christgau . . 2000 . 0-312-24560-2.
  7. Mayfield . Geoff . Between the Bullets: Top Priority . . 105 . 31 . July 31, 1993 . 81 . 0006-2510 . World Radio History.
  8. Bronson . Fred . Fred Bronson . The Wait Is Worth for Toni Braxton . Billboard . 106 . 9 . February 26, 1994 . 94 . 0006-2510 . World Radio History.
  9. Mayfield . Geoff . Between the Bullets: Grand Grammy Slam . Billboard . 106 . 13 . March 19, 1994 . 89 . 0006-2510 . World Radio History.
  10. Web site: Maza . Erik . Toni Braxton's decade-long record sales slump . . April 11, 2011 . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180617015616/https://www.baltimoresun.com/bs-mtblog-2011-04-toni_braxtons_declining_record-story.html . June 17, 2018.
  11. Toni Braxton: Back on Top After Bankruptcy . . 98 . 6 . July 17, 2000 . 58 . 0021-5996 . Google Books.
  12. Web site: How Many Ways (Work ID: 380350156) . . September 25, 2019.
  13. Web site: How Many Ways (BMI Work #1857645) . . March 31, 2021.
  14. Toni Braxton . liner notes . Toni Braxton . LaFace Records . 1993 . 73008-26007-2.
  15. European Top 100 Albums . . 11 . 15 . April 9, 1994 . 28 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  16. Web site: ラヴ・アフェア/トニー・ブラクストン . Love Affair / Toni Braxton . ja . . July 24, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121016232420/http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/51555/1/ . October 16, 2012.
  17. Book: Salaverrie, Fernando . September 2005 . Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 . es . 1st . Madrid . . 84-8048-639-2.
  18. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993 . Billboard . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506055730/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/top-billboard-200-albums . May 6, 2018.
  19. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1993 . Billboard . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506055948/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums . May 6, 2018.
  20. Australian Top 100 Albums 1994 . . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20151102014251/http://i.imgur.com/3GuDxzg.jpg . November 2, 2015.
  21. RPM Top 100 Albums of 1994 . RPM . 60 . 21 . December 12, 1994 . 19 . 0033-7064 . Library and Archives Canada.
  22. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 1997 . nl . . October 4, 2015.
  23. 1994 in Review Sales Charts – European Top 100 Albums . Music & Media . 11 . 52 . December 24, 1994 . 12 . 29800226 . World Radio History.
  24. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1994 . de . GfK Entertainment . October 4, 2015.
  25. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 1994 . . October 4, 2015.
  26. Top 100 Albums 1994 . . January 14, 1995 . 11 . 0265-1548 . World Radio History.
  27. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994 . Billboard . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506060446/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1994/top-billboard-200-albums . May 6, 2018.
  28. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994 . Billboard . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506060639/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1994/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums . May 6, 2018.
  29. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995 . Billboard . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506060832/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1995/top-billboard-200-albums . May 6, 2018.
  30. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995 . Billboard . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506060954/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1995/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums . May 6, 2018.
  31. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1997 . de . GfK Entertainment . October 4, 2015.
  32. Mayfield . Geoff . Top Pop Albums of the '90s . Billboard . 111 . 52 . December 25, 1999 . YE-20 . 0006-2510 . Google Books.
  33. Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums by Women . Billboard . March 31, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200919010801/https://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-billboard-200-albums-by-women . September 19, 2020.
  34. Web site: Toni Braxton: Toni Braxton . . 1993 . United States . May 6, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160505080412/http://www.amazon.com/Toni-Braxton/dp/B0000013G5 . May 5, 2016.
  35. Web site: ラヴ・アフェア . Love Affair . Amazon . ja . Japan . October 4, 2015.
  36. Album Releases . . September 25, 1993 . 24 . 0265-1548 . World Radio History.

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