The Best Soul Music of 1997
Contents
A look back at the best soul music of 1997, including hits from Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, and Erykah Badu.
Introduction
The year 1997 was a very good year for soul music. Several established artists released new albums that were both commericially and critically successful, while a number of new talents also emerged. This was the year that Lauryn Hill’s debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, won five Grammy Awards (including Album of the Year) and cemented her status as one of the most important figures in R&B. Erykah Badu also released her debut album, Baduizm, to great acclaim, while D’Angelo continued to impress with his sophomore effort, Voodoo.
Other notable releases included Maxwell’sUrban Hang Suite, Usher’s My Way, Mariah Carey’s Butterfly, Whitney Houston’s My Love Is Your Love, and Monica’s Miss Thang. It was truly a great year for soul music.
The Best Soul Music of 1997
1997 was a great year for soul music. There were a lot of great albums released that year. Here are some of the best soul music albums of 1997.
Erykah Badu – “On & On”
“On & On” is a song by Erykah Badu from her debut album Baduizm (1997). Written by Badu and produced by her then-boyfriend Jay Dee, it features percussion by Questlove and bass guitar by Pino Palladino. The spacey, hypnotic track was one of the first songs completed for the album, and helped to establish the sound Badu was going for. It contains elements of jazz, neo-soul, and hip-hop, and features a laid-back groove. Rolling Stone ranked it as the number-one song of 1997.
Lauryn Hill – “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
As the lead single from her solo debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” was an instant classic. The song, which samples and interpolates several other tracks, including Fu-Schnickens’ “Ring the Alarm” and Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam,” is a masterclass in both songwriting and performance.
Hill’s vocals are both effortlessly cool and fiery hot, blending R&B, hip-hop, and pop into a sound that is uniquely her own. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks, making it the first ever rap song by a solo female artist to do so. It also won two Grammy Awards, for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.
Maxwell – “Fortunate”
“Fortunate” is a song by American singer Maxwell. It was released on February 18, 1997, as the second single from his debut album Urban Hang Suite (1996). The song peaked at number thirteen on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
“Fortunate” is a neo soul ballad written by Maxwell and produced by Musze and Hod David. The song features a guitar arrangement played by Musze. Lyrically, the song is about a man who is in love with a woman who is already in a relationship.
Critical reception for “Fortunate” was positive. AllMusic’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the song’s production and called it one of the highlights of Maxwell’s debut album. Music journalist touré described the song as “gorgeous” and wrote that it “epitomized” neo soul music.
In 1998, the song received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song.
D’Angelo – “Lady”
In a year when many of the biggest names in ’90s R&B fell silent, D’Angelo’s return with “Lady” was a much-welcomed jolt of electricity. It had been five years since he released his debut album, Brown Sugar, and in that time he’d become a virtual recluse, his name only appearing in headlines for stories about his addictions and other personal problems. But with “Lady,” he made it clear that he was still very much the same gifted singer, songwriter and musician who’d captivated listeners five years earlier. The song is a sensual slow-burner that finds D’Angelo at his most vulnerable, opening up about his struggles with depression and self-doubt. But it also feels like a triumph, as he comes out the other side stronger than ever before.
Aretha Franklin – “A Rose Is Still a Rose”
Aretha Franklin’s “A Rose Is Still a Rose” was released in early 1998, but it immediately became one of the defining soul tracks of 1997. Thematically, the song is about maintaining dignity in the face of adversity, with Franklin delivering a masterful vocal performance that conveys both the strength and fragility of the human spirit. Musically, the track is a perfect blend of old and new, with a classic soul arrangement underpinned by contemporary hip-hop production values. In short, “A Rose Is Still a Rose” is a masterpiece, and it remains one of Aretha Franklin’s most celebrated recordings.
Conclusion
What a great year 1997 was for soul music! We saw the rise of many new artists, the return of some classic soul sounds, and the continued evolution of contemporary R&B. While it would be impossible to list every great soul song from 1997, we’ve compiled a list of our favorites. From Busta Rhymes to D’Angelo, these are the songs that kept us moving all year long.
