So Many Ways

So Many Ways is the debut album by American R&B vocal group The Braxtons. Released on August 6, 1996, the album produced four singles; "So Many Ways", "Only Love", "The Boss" – which peaked at number-one in the Billboard Dance Charts – and "Slow Flow". "So Many Ways" peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts[2] and No. 3 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.[3]

For the song, see So Many Ways (The Braxtons song) and So Many Ways (Ellie Campbell song).
So Many Ways
Studio album by
The Braxtons
ReleasedAugust 6, 1996 (original version)
November 19, 1996 (later pressings)
RecordedNovember 1995 – April 1996
Length59:20
LabelAtlantic
Producer
The Braxtons chronology
So Many Ways
(1996)		 Braxton Family Christmas
(2015)
Singles from So Many Ways
  1. "So Many Ways"
    Released: July 23, 1996
  2. "Only Love"
    Released: January 25, 1997
  3. "The Boss"
    Released: March 17, 1997
  4. "Slow Flow"
    Released: July 2, 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Background

The Braxtons originally started out in 1989. They first signed as a fivesome to Arista Records which consisted of Toni Braxton and her four sisters, Tamar, Trina, Towanda and Traci. In 1990, they released their first single "Good Life". It would be their only single as a fivesome. "Good Life" failed to become a hit and The Braxtons were dropped from Arista Records. Despite the single's underwhelming performance, Toni Braxton's vocals caught the attention of Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds who were in the process of forming LaFace Records. Eventually, Toni signed as a solo artist and started her career in 1992. In 1996, three out of the four Braxtons, Trina, Tamar and Towanda reunited and released their album So Many Ways. Their older sister Traci, did not join them as she was pregnant at the time they signed a new contract. The album produced four singles: "So Many Ways", "Only Love", "Slow Flow" and "The Boss"; the latter peaked at number-one in the Billboard Dance Charts.

Singles

"So Many Ways" was released as the lead single from the album July 23, 1996.[4] On August 17, 1996, The Braxtons released the video for the song, it was directed by Cameron Casey and featured actor Mekhi Phifer.[5][6] The single was also used as the opening track for the soundtrack to the comedy film High School High.[7]

The song charted at 83 on Billboard Hot 100 and 22 on US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the US.[8][9] The song reached the top 40 in the UK charting at 32 and in New Zealand the song charted at 17.[10][11] The trio also performed a remixed version of "So Many Ways" with rapper Jay-Z on September 9, 1996 at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards.[12]

"Only Love" was released as the album's second single on January 25, 1997. The song charted at #52 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs spending fourteen weeks in total on the chart.[13] The song charted at #3 on New Zealand's Top 40 chart.[14] A music video for this song was also released.[2][15]

"The Boss" was released as the album's third single in early 1997. A music video was released to promote the song.[16] On February 1, 1997 the Masters At Work version topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for one week a #1 in the United States.[17] The song stayed in the chart for 14 weeks.[18] On March 29, 1997 the song debuted at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart.[19] The song spent a total of three weeks on the chart at numbers 50 and 69 respectively before leaving the Top 75 on April 12, 1997 becoming their second top 40 in the UK.[20][21]

"Slow Flow" was released as the fourth and final single from the album. Despite falling to chart in the U.S. the song charted at #26 on UK Singles Chart becoming their highest chart to date.[22][23] The song also charted in New Zealand at #38 on New Zealand Singles Chart.[24] The Braxtons also served as the opening act for Toni Braxton on the European Leg of her Secrets Tour in 1997.

Commercial performance

So Many Ways peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.[2] It reached #2 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.[3]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."So Many Ways"
  • Carl-So-Lowe
  • Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri3:54
2."Slow Flow"
  • Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
  • Sean "Sep" Hall
4:24
3."Only Love"
Allen "Allstar" Gordon4:25
4."I'd Still Say Yes"
Daryl Simmons4:42
5."L.A.D.I."
  • Stewart
  • Hall
4:10
6."Take Home to Momma"
Dupri4:29
7."Where's the Good in Goodbye"Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Hall
5:23
8."What Does It Take"
  • Joel Campbell
  • Andrea Martin
Gordon5:26
9."Girl on the Side"
  • Traci Braxton
  • Braxtons
  • London Jones
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Hall
4:42
10."In a Special Way"
  • Donald Parks
  • Emanuel Officer
  • John Howcott
4:55
11."Never Say Goodbye"
  • Howcott
  • Silena Murrell
  • Officer
  • Parks
  • Parks
  • Officer
  • Howcott
3:09
12."The Boss"
9:41
Japan bonus Track[25]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."24/7"
  • Parks
  • Officer
  • Howcott
4:29

Charts
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Dutch Albums Chart[26] 48
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[2] 26
US Heatseekers Albums[3] 2
US Billboard 200[27] 113

Release history
Region Date Format Edition Label Ref
United Kingdom August 6, 1996 CD Standard Atlantic Records [28]
Germany August 9, 1996 [29]
United Kingdom August 12, 1996 Cassette [30]
United States August 13, 1996 CD, Cassette [31]
United Kingdom September 9, 1996 CD Re-release [32]
Japan September 25, 1996 Japan Edition Atlantic Records
East West Japan Inc.		 [33]

References
  1. "So Many Ways - the Braxtons | Songs, Reviews, Credits".
  2. "The Braxtons - Chart history". Billboard.com. 1996-10-05. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  3. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (September 28, 1996). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books.
  4. "So Many Ways [Vinyl]". Amazon. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  5. Reynolds, J.R. "So Many Ways." Billboard Magazine. September 14, 1996: 30. Print.
  6. "The Braxtons - So Many Ways (Official Music Video) (1996)". Youtube. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  7. "Ira Newborn, Various Artists: High School High: The Soundtrack: Music". Retrieved 2015-07-08.
  8. "The Braxtons - Chart History Hot 100 Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  9. "HOT R&B HIP-HOP SONGS August 17, 1996". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  10. "UK Singles Archive Chart 01.02.1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  11. "New Zealand Charts November 24, 1996". The Official New Zealand Music Chart. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  12. "Soul Train Licensing Info". BET.com. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013.
  13. "HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS 25.01.1997". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  14. "New Zealand Music Chart April 6, 1997". The Official New Zealand Music Chart. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  15. "The Braxtons - Only Love (Official Music Video) (1997)". Youtube. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  16. "The Braxtons - The Boss (Official Music Video) (1997) HD". Youtube. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  17. "The Braxtons - Chart History Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  18. "Hot Dance Club Songs, Billboard.com, issue date February 1, 1997". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  19. "UK Singles Chart Archive 29.03.1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  20. "UK Singles Chart Archive 05.04.1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  21. "UK Singles Chart Archive 12.04.1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  22. "UK Singles Chart Archive 19.07.1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  23. "BRAXTONS | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  24. "New Zealand Charts October 12, 1997". The Official New Zealand Music Chart. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  25. "The Braxtons – So Many Ways (CD,Album) at Discogs". discogs.com. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  26. Hung, Steffen. "The Braxtons - So Many Ways". hitparade.ch.
  27. "The Braxtons Chart History". Billboard.
  28. "So Many Ways by The Braxtons on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  29. "So Many Ways The Braxtons: Amazon.de Musik". Amazon. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  30. "So Many Ways [CASSETTE]: Amazon.co.uk Music". Amazon. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  31. "So Many Ways Amazon.com Music". Amazon. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  32. "So Many Ways: Amazon.co.uk Music". Amazon. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  33. "The Braxtons So Many Ways (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
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