Reflections - A Retrospective

Infobox Album
Name = Reflections - A Retrospective
Type = greatest hits
Artist = Mary J. Blige


Released = December 12 2006
Recorded = July 1992–May 2006
Genre = R&B, soul, hip hop soul
Length = 65:57
Label = Geffen
Producer = Bryan-Michael Cox, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kendrick "WyldCard" Dean, Jerry Duplessis, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Kendu Isaacs, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Wyclef Jean, Mark Ledford, John Legend, Mark Morales, Chucky Thompson, Poke
Reviews = * "Allmusic" Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:25n20r1a348b link]
*musicOMH.com Rating|3|5 [http://www.musicomh.com/albums/mary-j-blige-2_1206.htm link]
Last album = "The Breakthrough"
(2005)
This album = "Reflections - A Retrospective"
(2006)
Next album = "Growing Pains"
(2007)

"Reflections - A Retrospective" is a greatest hits album by Grammy-winning American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released on December 12, 2006 (see 2006 in music) on Geffen Records. It was certified gold by the RIAA for selling 731,000 (according to the December 2007 Billboard Magazine issue) copies in the United States. The album has also sold an estimated 140,000 in the United Kingdom despite only reaching a peak of number forty—this was due to consistent sales of 40k+ over the Christmas weeks. As of May 25, 2008 worldwide sales are 1,381,375.

History

"Reflections - A Retrospective" was originally scheduled for release in November 2005 with the title "Reminisce... Until the Breakthrough" before the decision was made by Blige and Geffen Records to delay the release in favor of the new studio album, "The Breakthrough". [cite web |url=http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1513267/11082005/blige_mary_j.jhtml |title=Mary J. Blige's "Breakthrough" Is Coming Out This Year After All |accessdate=2007-11-15 |work=VH1 |date=November 8 2005] New songs that were due to appear on "Reminisce"—"Be Without You", "One", "MJB da MVP", and "Can't Hide from Luv"—were all transferred to the new album and the release date for the greatest hits was rescheduled to the spring of 2006. However, due to the commercial success of "The Breakthrough", the release of "Reminisce" never materialized. In October 2006, Geffen Records announced that the project would finally be released on December 4 2006 in the UK and December 12 2006 in the U.S., under the title of "Reflections - A Retrospective". [cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003346858 |title=Billboard Bits: Mary J. Blige, Saliva, iTunes Latino |accessdate=2007-11-15 |work=Billboard |date=November 1 2006]

New material

Although "Reflections - A Retrospective" is a retrospective collection of songs, writer Bryan-Michael Cox, who co-wrote and produced Blige's record-breaking single "Be Without You", confirmed that the release would feature four new songs, which includes the single "We Ride (I See the Future)" as well as "Reflections (I Remember)", "You Know", and "King & Queen", a duet with John Legend. The new material was originally intended to be part of a repackaged version of "The Breakthrough" to be released towards late 2006, but was transferred to the greatest hits release instead. [cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002914641 |title=Austin Eyeing Blige Duet For 'Ocean Drive' |accessdate=2007-11-15 |work=Billboard |date=July 28 2006]

Also although on the backcover of the album (UK/International editions) track #17: the hit single "One" with U2 although says on the backcover (Mary J. Blige and U2), it is actually a solo version (no Bono vocals). Mary also does the 1st bit of the song originally done by Bono. This solo version is exclusive to the greatest hits, the original version with U2 (Bono's vocals) is on "The Breakthrough"

Track listing

# "Reflections (I Remember)" – 4:06
# "We Ride (I See the Future)" – 3:57
# "You Know" – 3:52
# "King & Queen" (with John Legend) – 3:46
# "No More Drama" – 4:27
# "Family Affair" – 4:26
# "Real Love" (featuring The Notorious B.I.G.) – 4:27
# "No One Will Do" – 4:47
# "Be Without You" – 4:06
# "I'm Going Down" – 3:42
# "911" (Wyclef Jean featuring Mary J. Blige) – 4:19
# "Not Gon' Cry" – 4:50
# "My Life '06" – 5:07
# "Be Happy" – 5:38
# "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" (Razor Sharp Mix) (Method Man featuring Mary J. Blige) – 3:41

International edition

#

"As" (with George Michael) – 4:41
# "One" (solo version) – 4:20 (mislabeled as version with U2)
# "MJB da MVP" (featuring 50 Cent) – 4:10

Charts

Release history

References