Brandy

Listening back over Brandy Norwood's R&B career, it's tempting to say she developed as a singer. And perhaps her pipes did strengthen over the years -- she definitely grew into her persona. But it's more to the point to say that stardom entitled her to better songs and more inventive producers. There's a greater contrast between the lackluster "I Wanna Be Down" and the wonderful "Almost Doesn't Count" than there is between her vocal delivery on either song. And while Full Moon was her "adult" album as advertised, her vocals hadn't matured so much as her tracks had grown up -- the crushing off-kilter beat of "What About Us" is certainly not kiddie stuff.

Which isn't to deny Brandy's vocal presence. On paper, "Sittin' up in My Room" (from the epochal Waiting To Exhale soundtrack) is just another ode to unrequited puppy love. But Brandy's voice, forlorn yet with a ghost of a chirp lingering, retains a sense of perspective -- you can hear that she knows she won't be lonely forever. And on paper, her duet with Monica, "The Boy Is Mine," couldn't have been more of a vocal mismatch. Brandy's girly breathiness up against Monica's baby-diva suavity -- it was like Ronnie Spector versus Aretha (albeit on a much, much smaller scale). But Brandy more than held her own, and the result was a definitive clash between distinct female pop archetypes.

Only a greatest hits will properly highlight Brandy's contributions to the past decade's R&B. But her work with top-line producers like Rodney Jerkins and Dallas Austin ensures that there are few lulls in between the hits on her albums. And she accomplished no small feat, starring in a half-decent sitcom while putting her name on some classic pop singles. Can Alyssa Milano claim the same? Patty Duke? John Stamos? (KEITH HARRIS)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide