May

29

2012

Music Minute!

Written by Trent | Filed under Music Minute

Anita Baker's 'Rapture' album cover.

Did you know that Anita Baker’s biggest-selling album, ‘Rapture’, only peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200?

Despite eventually being certified 5x platinum by the RIAA, ‘Rapture’ only peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200 in 1986. Additionally only one of the album’s singles cracked the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 - ‘Sweet Love’ climbed to #8 on the tally.

‘Rapture’ performed far better on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart where is nabbed the #1 slot. Moreover, four of the LP’s singles – ‘Sweet Love’, ‘Caught Up in the Rapture’, ‘Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)’ and ‘No One in the World’ - ranked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs lineup.

However, Baker’s next album, ‘Giving You The Best That I Got’, topped the Billboard 200 and become her second highest-selling album in the US. The record is currently certified 3x platinum.

Watch Baker perform ‘Sweet Love’ below:

Now you know!

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Keys: anita baker, music minute, rapture

5 Comments

1. Matthew Charlery-Smith says:

   May 29, 2012 at 10:00 am

   I’ve been thinking for AGES how it was possible even until the late 90′s to have an album chart poorly/mediocre or even disastrously but still achieve multi-platinum success. This includes artists that have been seen as leaders and innovators in their respective fields. Whitney’s “My Love is Your Love” #13, Ginuwine’s “The Bachelor” #26, Mary Mary’s “Thankful” #27 and Destiny’s Child’s first album #67!!! Even DC’s 2nd eponymous album sold 8 million but didn’t even reach #1 on either the Billboard 200 or RnB Chart. Music sales have drastically changed
2. DOMOdotSCORE says:

   May 29, 2012 at 10:41 am

   Sweet Love is such a classic song.

   @Matthew: The BB charts track sales weekly so just because an album peaks at 67 doesn’t mean that it’s not a hot seller. It just means that for that particular week, the album only sold a certain amount and 66 other albums outsold it that week, even if it’s only by a small amount. Overall, yes, the albums that you listed have sold millions but in each week that they charted, other albums outsold them, which is why they didn’t hit #1.
3. Ni says:

   May 29, 2012 at 11:48 am

   Ah Ms. Baker…. love her… her music is like a delicious hot caramel coca on cold winter day. She makes you feel so good inside… I hope she has new music coming out soon.
4. Jay says:

   May 29, 2012 at 1:41 pm

   LOVE me some Anita Baker! “Body and Soul” quite possibly may be my favorite song of all time
5. DRB says:

   May 30, 2012 at 7:55 pm

   I too find it interesting how average charting alums had long lifespans, are now seen as classics, and went multi platinum.