There are few musicians quite as forward-facing as Erykah Badu. Forever choosing quality over quantity, her discography contains only five official studio albums (over a career spanning two decades), the first of which celebrates its 19th anniversary this week. Titled Baduizm, her stellar debut fused an R&B sonic landscape with elements of jazz and soul, establishing Badu’s reputation as the pioneering queen of neo-soul. Crucially, the singer has moved with (and beyond) the times, having released a brilliantly wry cover of Drake’s mega-hit “Hotline Bling” (which is arguably better than the original) alongside an 11-track mixtape featuring Andre 3000 and Pharrell Williams.

As a whole, 90s R&B has been experiencing a major resurgence for quite some time. From Astrid Andersen selecting deep cuts from Janet Jackson’s 1997 opus The Velvet Rope to soundtrack her AW16 collection, to Timbaland making headlines for pulling a previously-unheard Aaliyah track from his archive, it seems that our fascination with golden-age slow jams will never, ever slow down. With that in mind, and in celebration of Baduizm’s anniversary, we’ve dug deep into our favourite decade to revive ten classic R&B albums to soundtrack your month.

ERYKAH BADU – BADUIZM (1997)

With its laid-back tempo and effortless melodies, Erykah Badu’s 1997 debut Baduizm sounds just as fresh today as it did upon its release. The lyrics and tone are conversational and easy, dealing with subjects ranging from love and friendship to Afros and the afterlife, resulting in an album that’s both wide-ranging and assured, with a comfortable, headstrong protagonist at its heart. Smooth jazz stylings (the sax in “The Other Side of the Game” is a particular highlight) set Badu apart from her contemporaries and garnered critical acclaim, laying the foundations for one of the most consistent yet underrated back catalogues in R&B/neo-soul history.

JANET JACKSON – THE VELVET ROPE (1997)

The Velvet Rope, Janet Jackson’s sixth studio album, is the definition of a musical magnum opus. Her raw, unflinching lyrics deal with everything from same-sex relationships to sadomasochism, the AIDs epidemic and depression – hardly surprising considering that Jackson wrote the album in the wake of an emotional breakdown. Musically, the 16-track collection spills over R&B’s borders to create a mix of trip hop, hip hop, jazz and electronica. Jackson’s trademark saccharine vocals glide effortlessly amongst the production, but swell violently when needed – “What About” is just one example, an uncensored lyrical exploration of domestic violence. While Jackon’s Janet can be looked upon as her coming-of-age project, it was The Velvet Rope that saw her dive head first into adult themes, lifting the curtain (or rope) to reveal a woman glittering with emotional and artistic complexities.

TLC – FANMAIL (1999)

TLC’s second album Crazysexycool (1994) might have earned the band commercial success, but it was its career-crowning follow-up FanMail (1999) that truly cemented their star status and far-reaching influence. After an extended hiatus from recording, the trio returned with a shiny new futuristic style and an album full of odes to female solidarity. Named in tribute to the fans that had continued to send them letters during their absence, the album spent five consecutive weeks at number one and sold over 300,000 copies in its first week. The band tapped into its sensitive side with the hit single “Unpretty”, based on a poem by T-Boz which dealt with insecurity fuelled by unrealistic beauty standards. However, the true highlight of FanMail is arguably the sassiest single girl anthem ever “No Scrubs” – a song which you have definitely screamed at an ex in the past. I know I have.

GINUWINE – GINUWINE… THE BACHELOR (1996)

Ginuwine…the Bachelor deserves its place on this list purely for featuring one of the best sex jams of all time, “Pony”. With its not-so subtle penis metaphors and definitively 90s video aesthetic (think white leather jacket left unzipped with nothing underneath), the song experienced a mainstream resurgence in 2012 when Channing Tatum revived it for that strip scene in “Magic Mike”. Upon its release, the album was a commercial slow burn, debuting at number 26 before finally being declared double platinum three years later in 1999. However, the Timbaland-produced album isn’t a one-trick pony (sorry) – other highlights include a rework of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and “G-Thang”, which features a classic verse from Missy Elliott.

LAURYN HILL – THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL (1998)

Pioneering the sound of R&B, hip hop and neo-soul The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a one-of-a-kind album in every sense. Its astronomical first week sales broke the record for every female artist before her and, almost 20 years later, it remains Lauryn Hill’s only solo release, and very easily one of the most incredible albums of the decade. Few stones are left lyrically unturned; there’s “Lost Ones”, which calls out Wyclef Jean for sacrificing creative control of the Fugees to sell records; there’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, a lyrical exploration of an overtly promiscuous society; there’s “Final Hour”, which tackles the insignificance of material possessions on a larger scale. In many ways this was more than just an album; it was a masterpiece from a woman who was overtly political, that was angry and who, above all, was fiercely intellectual.

DESTINY’S CHILD – THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL (1999)

The Writing’s on the Wall is largely credited as Destiny’s Child’s breakthrough, and has since become iconic. Spawning instant classics “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Jumpin’ Jumpin’”, the album was recorded before the band became a trio and eventually went on to sell over 8 million copies. Female empowerment was a common lyrical theme – from calling out boyfriends not making the effort (“Say My Name”) to dealing with clingy men and their relentless phone calls (“Bug a Boo”), the catchy melodies and message of independence resonated immediately. In a matter of months, the band scored its first no.1 single and gained a reputation for its sassy, up-tempo female anthems, laying the blueprint for one of the biggest success stories in R&B history.

BOYZ II MEN – COOLEYHIGHHARMONY (1991)

Think of Boyz II Men and your mind probably jumps straight to the date night classic “I’ll Make Love To You” (ruined by way too many cheesy guys on Take Me Out). However, it’s not the accompanying album II which features on this list, but its predecessor Cooleyhighharmony which spawned “The End of the Road”, one of the biggest hits in R&B history. The vast majority of songs on the lean 10-track original were written by the boyz themselves, and deal primarily with one key topic: love. There’s also the uber-infectious “Motown Philly” which sees the boys experiment with the musical stylings of new jack swing, as well as “In the Still of the Night (I Remember)” which incorporates the catchy ‘shooby-doo’ sound characteristic of doo wop.

AALIYAH – ONE IN A MILLION (1996)

The sugary vocals and laid-back production of One in a Million are quintessentially 90s, emblematic of Aaliyah’s signature style. Recorded over a 13-month period, the album fuses elements of soul, hip hop and funk, and includes highlights like the sassy “If Your Girl Only Knew” as well as a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up”. The LP also went on to become a defining career moment for both Missy Elliott and Timbaland, both of whom feature heavily not only on production credits, but also on the smooth “Ladies in Da House”. The success of One in a Million was unprecedented – the release was certified double platinum just a year after released, and later returned to the charts in 2001 in the wake of the star’s untimely death.

BRANDY – NEVER SAY NEVER (1998)

In a move rarely seen in today’s fast-paced music industry (with the exception of Frank Ocean), Brandy famously took four years to record the follow-up to her 1994 self-titled debut. Keeping herself busy as the star of sitcom Moesha, when Brandy did finally re-emerge she brought with her a mature, fully-formed slice of R&B which garnered critical acclaim. Her success was on shiny display in lead single “Top of the World” – suddenly the adolescent was gone, replaced by a fully-fledged star ready to tackle media bias, monogamy and that old R*B favourite – love. Never Say Never is the result, an LP packed with smooth love jams and assured, confident lyrics which cemented Brandy’s status as one of the decade’s biggest crossover successes.

MARY J BLIGE – MY LIFE (1994)

Another artist channelling her personal struggle into commercial success is Mary J Blige, whose 1994 album My Life was written against a backdrop of alcoholism, clinical depression and an abusive relationship. It’s title track shines particularly bright – ­lyrically, the song reads as aural therapy for Blige, who underscores a desire to fight for a better future whilst remaining true to her emotions. Produced largely by Puff Daddy, the album built on the success of her debut What’s the 411 and showed a softer side to the star, spawning career highlights such as megawatt ballad “I’m Goin’ Down” in the process. Musical influences range from hip hop and soul to old-school gospel, displaying a diversity which positions My Life as one of Blige’s greatest, and most astonishing, releases to date.