Butterfly is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on September 10, 1997, by Columbia Records. The album contains both hip-hop and urban adult contemporary sounds, as well as some softer and more contemporary melodies. Throughout the project, Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she had written and produced most of the material from her previous albums. She also worked with many famed hip-hop producers and rappers, such as Sean "Puffy" Combs, Q-Tip, Missy Elliott and the Trackmasters. With the latter acts producing most of the album, Butterfly deviated from the adult contemporary sound of Carey's previous albums.
Daydream is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on September 26, 1995, by Columbia Records. The follow-up to her internationally successful studio album Music Box (1993), and the holiday album Merry Christmas (1994), Daydream differed from her previous releases by leaning increasingly toward hip hop and urban music. Throughout the project, Carey collaborated with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote and produced most of her previous albums. With Daydream, Carey took more control over the musical direction as well as the album's composition. Carey considered the album to be the beginning of her musical and vocal transition, a change that would become more evident in her sixth studio album Butterfly (1997). During the album's production, Carey endured many creative differences with her label and then-husband Tommy Mottola. On Daydream, Carey collaborated with Jermaine Dupri, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and R&B group Boyz II Men. With Afanasieff's assistance and the addition of a few contemporary producers, she was able to make a subtle transition into the contemporary R&B market, after previously only pursuing pop, adult contemporary and traditional R&B music.
Snowflakes is the fourth studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on October 23, 2001, by Arista Records. Her first Christmas album, it is a follow-up to her 2000 studio album The Heat. Snowflakes consists of 11 tracks, featuring five R&B-led original songs co-penned with her former husband Keri Lewis and longtime collaborator Babyface, as well as several remixes and cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, one of which is a collaboration with Jamaican musician Shaggy. Throughout the creation process, Braxton also collaborated with L.A. Reid, Poke & Tone, Daryl Simmons and her younger sister Tamar Braxton.
Music Box is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released by Columbia Records on August 31, 1993. The album comprises ballads primarily written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff, with whom she had previously worked on Emotions (1991), and a few urban dance tracks. During the course of the album's development, Carey wanted to broaden her audience, choosing a more pop/R&B oriented sound. During this time frame, she experimented with different musical instruments, leading the album's sound away from her more contemporary previous two efforts.
Merry Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, and her first Christmas album. Released by Columbia Records on October 28, 1994, at the peak of the initial stretch of Carey's career, between Music Box (1993) and Daydream (1995), the album features cover versions of popular Christmas songs in addition to original material. Carey worked with Walter Afanasieff, with whom she wrote all of the original tracks, as well as producing Carey's interpretations of the covered material. Three singles were released from the album, of which "All I Want for Christmas Is You" went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time and the best-selling Christmas ringtone in the United States.
Faith: A Holiday Album is the second holiday album and tenth studio album by saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records on November 16, 1999, and peaked at number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, number 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, number 5 on the Internet Albums chart, and number 6 on the Billboard 200. The album also received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album.
Miracles: The Holiday Album is the first holiday album and seventh studio album by saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records on November 22, 1994, and peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200, Contemporary Jazz Albums and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It was the overall best-selling Christmas/holiday album in the United States for both 1994 and 1996. It sold 2,987,000 copies in 1994 and 888,000 copies in 1996.
Robert S. Nevil is an American pop singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist who had five Billboard top 40 hits including his songs "C'est la Vie", "Dominoes", and "Wot's It to Ya".
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 established solo careers, 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 in favor of a solo recording contract, prompting the remaining trio to re-record much of the material for the album.
Traces of My Lipstick is the third studio album by American R&B group Xscape. The album was released on May 12, 1998, through So So Def Recordings and Sony Music Entertainment. The album was preceded by the release of three singles: "The Arms of the One Who Loves You", "My Little Secret" and "Softest Place on Earth".
The Moment is the eighth studio album by American saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records in 1996, and reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, number 2 on the Billboard 200, number 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 16 on the Canadian Albums Chart.
The Greatest Holiday Classics is the fourth greatest hits album by saxophonist Kenny G. It was released by Arista Records in October 18, 2005, and peaked at number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz chart, number 26 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 39 on the Billboard 200.
The Day is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Babyface. It was released by Epic Records on October 22, 1996, in the United States. The album peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, also reaching the top ten on the Dutch Albums Chart. The Day was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received Grammy Award nominations for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album respectively.
Face2Face is the fifth studio album from R&B singer Babyface. It was released by Nu America and Arista Records on September 11, 2001, in the United States. His first album in five years after 1996's The Day, it also marked Babyface's first album with Arista, which reunited him with his former songwriting and production partner L.A. Reid who was the president of the label at the time of the album's release.
Pleasures U Like is the third studio album by American singer Jon B. Released on March 20, 2001 in the United States, it marked his first album under Tracey Edmonds' label Edmonds Record Group which was formed after Jon's previous label home Yab Yum Records had folded. On Pleasures U Like, Jon reunites with past producers Babyface and Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson, who each produced one song. Also present on the album is the team of musician Joshua P. Thompson.
Rated Next is the debut studio album by American musical group Next. After forming, the trio recorded several songs with record producers Prof. T. and Lance Alexander before catching recording artist and producer Keir "KayGee" Gist of American hip hop trio Naughty by Nature's attention. He signed Next to his record label Divine Mill, with most of Next's debut album being recorded in Gee's in-home recording studio and the remaining was recorded at Ken Johnston's Perfect Pair studio located in East Orange, New Jersey. Rated Next was eventually released on September 30, 1997 in the United States, under Divine Mill and Arista Records.
A Mary Christmas is the eleventh studio album and first Christmas album by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was released on October 15, 2013, by Matriarch, Interscope and Verve Records. The album was primarily produced by David Foster, and features guest appearances from Barbra Streisand, Chris Botti, Jessie J, The Clark Sisters, and Marc Anthony.
Love, Marriage & Divorce is a collaborative studio album by American recording artists Toni Braxton and Babyface, released on February 4, 2014, by Motown Records. The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and as of July 2, 2014 the album had sold 211,000 copies in the U.S. The album won Best R&B Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
Holiday Wishes, also titled Christmas Wishes in the UK and Snow Wishes in Japan, is a Christmas holiday album by American singer-songwriter and actress Idina Menzel. Produced by Walter Afanasieff, it was released by Warner Bros. Records on October 14, 2014, in the United States, and on November 3 in the United Kingdom. It is Menzel's fourth studio album to date, as well as her first in six years, and features a duet with Michael Bublé.
This Christmas Day is the fifth studio album and first official Christmas album by English singer Jessie J, released by Republic Records on 26 October 2018. The album, a follow-up to her four-part fourth studio album R.O.S.E. which had been released earlier that year, marked the singer's first Christmas album. Recording took place, at short notice, in both Europe and Los Angeles in August 2018. This Christmas Day consists of eleven tracks, featuring ten cover versions of Christmas standards and carols, two of which are duets featuring recording artists Babyface, and Boyz II Men, and one original song.
