Best of En Vogue | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | June 1, 1999 | |||
Recorded | September 1989–1999 | |||
Genre | ||||
Label | East West | |||
Producer | Foster & McElroy | |||
En Vogue chronology | ||||
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Singles from Best of En Vogue | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B+ link |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Best of En Vogue is the first greatest hits compilation album by the American R&B/pop group En Vogue. It was released in 1999 on East West Records. The album comprises nearly all of their hit singles released between the years of 1990 and 1998.
The compilation features hit songs from their albums; Born to Sing (1990), Funky Divas (1992), and EV3 (1997). It also included "No Fool, No More" recorded for the film soundtrack Why Do Fools Fall in Love .
Other tracks included on album include their biggest hits "Don't Let Go (Love)", "Whatta Man", "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It), "Free Your Mind", "Runaway Love", and remixes of "Let It Flow" and first hit single, "Hold On".
All tracks written by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, except noted otherwise.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Album | Length |
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1. | "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" | from the album Funky Divas | 4:42 | |
2. | "Hold On" | from the album Born to Sing | 5:04 | |
3. | "Whatta Man" (featuring Salt-N-Pepa) | Cheryl James, David Crawford, Hurby Azor | from the album Runaway Love | 4:55 |
4. | "Free Your Mind" | from the album Funky Divas | 4:52 | |
5. | "Don't Let Go (Love)" | Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, Marqueze Ethridge, Organized Noize | from the album EV3 | 4:51 |
6. | "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" | Curtis Mayfield | from the album Funky Divas | 3:57 |
7. | "No Fool, No More (Mick Guzauski Mix)" | Diane Warren | from the album Why Do Fools Fall in Love | 4:18 |
8. | "Whatever" | Giuliano Franco, Keith Andes | from the album EV3 | 4:20 |
9. | "Lies" | Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, Khayree Shaheed | from the album Born to Sing | 4:16 |
10. | "Give It Up, Turn It Loose" | from the album Funky Divas | 5:12 | |
11. | "Runaway Love" (featuring FMob) | from the album Runaway Love | 4:59 | |
12. | "Too Gone, Too Long" | Diane Warren | from the album EV3 | 4:42 |
13. | "Let It Flow" | from the album EV3 | 5:38 | |
14. | "Love Don't Love You" | from the album Funky Divas | 3:55 | |
15. | "Let It Flow (Funky Food Radio Mix)" | bonus track | 3:58 | |
16. | "Hold On (Tuff Jam's Classic Garage Remix)" | bonus track | 6:17 |
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
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Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [1] | 37 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [2] | 43 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [3] | 61 |
UK Albums (OCC) [4] | 39 |
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [5] | 4 |
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hold On", taken from their 1990 debut album Born to Sing. The group's 1992 follow-up album Funky Divas reached the top 10 in both the US and UK, and included their second US number two hit "My Lovin' " as well as the US top 10 hits "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" and "Free Your Mind".
Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy are an American R&B record production and songwriting duo, releasing recordings under the names Foster & McElroy and Fmob. They have written and produced songs for musicians such as Club Nouveau, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Alexander O'Neal, Regina Belle, and Swing Out Sister. Their music has been sampled in hit songs by the Luniz, Puff Daddy, Ashanti, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Jessica Simpson, and others. Foster & McElroy are best known as the founders of the group En Vogue, listed by Billboard as one of the Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time. In addition to producing music for various television shows, they are also credited for songs in numerous movie soundtracks including The Great White Hype, Lean on Me, and Who's That Girl.
Funky Divas is the second studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released by Atlantic Records division East West on March 24, 1992, in the United States. Conceived after the success of their Grammy Award–nominated debut album Born to Sing (1990), En Vogue reteamed with their founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy to work on the entire album. As with Born to Sing, the pair borrowed from contemporary R&B, new jack swing, and hip hop, while also incorporating classic soul, blues and doo-wop elements, particularly on its on two Sparkle cover versions, as well as, in the case of "Free Your Mind," heavy metal sounds. The album became the quartet's second album to earn a Grammy Award nomination in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category, while winning the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and the Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year at the 1993 Soul Train Music Awards.
Maxine Jones, is an American singer, songwriter, actress and businesswoman, best known as a founding member of the R&B/pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. She sang lead vocals on the group's signature singles "My Lovin' " and "Don't Let Go (Love)", both of which garnered international success and sold over a million copies. Throughout her career, Jones has sold over 20 million records with En Vogue. Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including two American Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award, four MTV Video Music Awards, and four Soul Train Music Awards.
Born to Sing is the debut studio album by American vocal group En Vogue. It was released by Atlantic Records on April 3, 1990, in the United States. Conceived after their contribution to band founders Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy's 1988 compilation project FM2 for Atlantic, it was chiefly produced by Foster and McElroy, with additional contribution from Hughie Prince, Don Raye, and former The Independents members Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson, through song covers. Musically, Born to Sing contains a range of contemporary genres, blending a mix of soft hip hop soul, pop, contemporary early-1990s R&B, rap, and new jack swing.
Soul Flower is the sixth studio album by the American recording group En Vogue. Released through 33rd Street and Funkigirl Records and distributed by Bayside Entertainment on February 24, 2004 in the United States, the album marked the band's debut with the label as well as their first full-length release to feature vocals by new band member Rhona Bennett who had joined remaining founding members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron the year before following the departure of Amanda Cole, resulting into the partial re-recording of several songs on Soul Flower that Cole had originally lent her voice to.
Electric Café is the seventh studio album by American female vocal group En Vogue. It was released worldwide on April 6, 2018. Their first studio album in fourteen years, it marked their first full-length release through eOne Music and their own label, En Vogue Records. Material for Electric Café was originally conceived between 2014 and 2018. The trio reteamed with their founders Foster & McElroy to work on the majority of the album, with additional contribution coming from musicians Raphael Saadiq, Dem Jointz, Taura Stinson, Kid Monroe, Ne-Yo, and Curtis "Sauce" Wilson. Rapper Snoop Dogg appears as a guest vocalist. Musically, Electric Café contains a range of genres, blending a mix of neo soul, pop, and contemporary R&B with electronic dance music.
"Hold On" is a song by American girl group En Vogue, released in early 1990 as the first single from their debut album, Born to Sing (1990). It was produced by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, and written by the former two and all members of the group. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. In the latter country, the song reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Play, 12-inch Singles Sales, and Hot Black Singles charts. En Vogue performed "Hold On" at the 2008 BET Awards with Alicia Keys. In 2017, it was ranked number four on Spin magazine's ranking of "The 30 Best '90s R&B Songs".
"Lies" is a song from American R&B/pop group En Vogue. It is the second single from their debut hit album, Born to Sing. Written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, it became the group's second single to top the Billboard R&B singles chart. It peaked at number thirty-eight and was also their second US Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit.
"Love Don't Love You" is a song by American R&B/pop vocal group En Vogue, released in February 1993 by Eastwest Records as the final single from their second album, Funky Divas (1992). The song was both written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, and became the group's fifth consecutive top-40 single from the album in the United States. It peaked at numbers 36 and 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100. The song is led by group members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron.
"Riddle" is a song recorded by American R&B group En Vogue. It was written by Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, along with band members Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Terry Ellis, for their fourth studio album Masterpiece Theater (2000), while production was helmed by Foster & McElroy. An angry mid-tempo song about a sneaking, cheating lover, "Riddle" is built around a clapping game motif, and interpolates the band's 1992 song "My Lovin' ." Lyrically, it has the protagonist revealing her feelings about discovering that her love interest is having an affair with someone else over the course of the week.
Remix to Sing is a 1991 EP by American female vocal group En Vogue. It is their first remix album which was released on November 26, 1991, by East West Records. The EP features remixes of songs from their platinum debut album Born to Sing. Also included are the three hit singles; "Hold On", "You Don't Have to Worry" and "Lies" which all peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart.
EV3 is the third studio album by American female vocal group En Vogue. It was released by East West Records on June 17, 1997, in the United States. Recorded after a lengthy break during which the group members became mothers or put out solo records, the album was En Vogue's first project to include a diverse roster of collaborators including credits from Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, and Organized Noize along with regular contributors Foster & McElroy. It marked their first album without Dawn Robinson, who decided to leave the group late into the recording of EV3 to focus on her solo career. Her absence meant much of the album had to be rerecorded to account for En Vogue's altered sound.
"Runaway Love" is a song by American R&B/pop group En Vogue, released in September 1993 by Eastwest Records as the first single from the group's extended play (EP) Runaway Love. After the huge success of their second album, Funky Divas (1992), the single was released. It was written and produced by Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster. Group members Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis share lead vocals, Dawn Robinson leads on the bridge, and spoken intro is by Maxine Jones. Elroy and Foster contributed vocals and spoken rap, their known as the alias FMob group. In the US, the song reached numbers 51 and 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100.
Masterpiece Theatre is the fourth studio album by American recording group En Vogue, released worldwide by Elektra Records on May 23, 2000. It marked the band's debut with Elektra, as well as their only release following their departure from longtime label Eastwest Records. Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones worked exclusively with regular collaborators Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy on the album who made heavy use of samples from classical music and traditional pop music to construct songs for Masterpiece Theatre, with its title alluding to the same-titled American drama anthology television series, best known for presenting adaptations of a mix of contemporary and classic novels and biographies.
Runaway Love is an EP by American recording group En Vogue. It was released by East West Records on September 21, 1993, in the United States. The EP followed their multi-platinum hit album Funky Divas in 1992. The EP contains the title track, "Runaway Love" featuring FMob, known as Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster.
The Very Best of En Vogue is a 2001 greatest hits album by En Vogue, containing hits from their three studio albums, Born to Sing, Funky Divas, and EV3.
The Gift of Christmas is the fifth studio album and the Christmas album by American female recording group En Vogue, released on October 8, 2002 by Discretion Enterprises following their departure from Elektra Records. Produced and arranged by long time collaborators Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, featuring additional production by Timothy Eaton, it is the group's first Christmas album and their only record to feature vocals from Amanda Cole who remained two years with the group. The Gift of Christmas features original Christmas tunes as well as cover versions of classic holiday songs.
Life, Love & Pain is the debut album by R&B group Club Nouveau. It was released in late 1986 with production by Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy and Jay King. The album reached number one on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and number six on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. Led by the hit single, a cover of the Bill Withers classic "Lean on Me", which went to number one on both Hot 100 and Dance charts and number two on the R&B chart, this was the only album that Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy would contribute to, as the duo left the group to form its own production team and focus on working with other acts, notably En Vogue and Tony! Toni! Toné!. Twelve-inch singles from the album were handled by then-WB subsidiary Tommy Boy Records.
"Ooh Boy" is a song recorded by American recording group En Vogue. It was written by Jamie Brewer, Kisha Griffin, Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy for their sixth studio album Soul Flower (2004), while production was helmed by Foster and McElroy. An uptempo R&B song with a funky disco groove, it features lead vocals from Rhona Bennett and Terry Ellis. "Ooh Boy" was released as the second and final single from the album, serving as its lead single. The song reached the top thirty of the US Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. In support of the song, En Vogue performed it on several US television shows such as Soul Train and On Air with Ryan Seacrest.