Secrets is the second studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on June 18, 1996, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 1997 Grammy Awards. Secrets has been certified eight-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Worldwide, the album has sold over 15 million copies. In support of the album, Braxton embarked on the Secrets Tour, playing dates in North America and Europe from August 1996 to October 1997.

Composition The album's first song "Come On Over Here" is a "finger-poppingly upbeat", sultry groove track produced by Tony Rich. It was described as "a neo-Motown composition". The second track and lead single, the airily funky "You're Makin' Me High", was produced by Babyface and Bryce Wilson. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. The third track "There's No Me Without You" is a romantic song. The fourth track and second single "Un-Break My Heart" is a ballad written by Diane Warren. Warren played the finished song to Arista Records president Clive Davis, who thought it would be perfect for Braxton. With background vocals by Shanice Wilson and production by David Foster, the song spent 11 weeks at number one on pop radio stations and 14 weeks at number one on adult contemporary radio in late 1996. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1997. It is a song of blistering heartbreak, as Braxton sings to her former lover, begging him to return to her and undo all the pain he has caused. The fifth track "Talking in His Sleep" is about adultery.

The sixth track "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" was co-written by Babyface and Braxton and features saxophonist Kenny G. Over a "lulling" ballad melody, the lyrics detail a lover's wayward behavior. "Let It Flow", included on the soundtrack to Waiting to Exhale, eventually became a staple of urban contemporary radio. The song is a sultry tune that requires the singer to reach down to her lowest register. On "Why Should I Care", Braxton ascends to a high, breathy croon, while on "I Don't Want To", R. Kelly provides the soft bump-and-grind sound, in a song about a romance in denial, and "I Love Me Some Him" was written by Andrea Martin and Gloria Stewart and produced by Soulshock & Karlin.

Singles The album's lead single, "You're Makin' Me High", earned Braxton her first number-one single on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. Its B-side, "Let It Flow", was an airplay success and was featured on the soundtrack to the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale. The second single, "Un-Break My Heart", became a commercial success worldwide, peaking at number one on the Hot 100 for 11 consecutive weeks, number one on the Hot Dance Club Play, and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while topping the charts in several other countries. The third single from the album, "I Don't Want To", reached the top 20 of the Hot 100 and the top 10 of the R&B chart. Its B-side, "I Love Me Some Him", was a major airplay success domestically. The fourth official single, "How Could an Angel Break My Heart", which features Kenny G on the saxophone, became another top-40 entry in the United Kingdom, while failing to enter the charts in the US.

Critical reception

Secrets received generally positive reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that Braxton's "vocal talent is what unites Secrets and makes it into a first-rate contemporary R&B collection. Braxton is a singer who can cross over into the smooth confines of adult contemporary radio without losing or betraying the soul that lies at the foundation of her music, and her talent burns at its brightest on Secrets." Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly praised the "core Braxton/Babyface collaborations" on the album as "diverse, witty, and exquisitely modulated", noting Braxton's "technical range" and "ability to deliver Secrets sermons of sensuality—little gospels of good and bad loving—with unusual eloquence." Robert Christgau, writing in The Village Voice, stated, "The apprentice diva of the debut was modest, composed, virtually anonymous. I'll take the right It Girl anytime—especially one who insists on getting her props." David Fricke from Rolling Stone commented, "As designer champagne 'n' anguish R&B goes, Secrets goes down nice and easy."

Commercial performance Secrets debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 (behind Metallica's Load) and at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 170,000 copies in its first week. The album was certified eight-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 3, 2000, and as of April 2011, it had sold 5,364,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It sold an additional 927,000 copies through BMG Music Club. In Canada, the album peaked at number four on RPMs albums chart, and was certified septuple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on December 31, 1997, denoting shipments in excess of 700,000 units.

The album debuted at number 54 on the UK Albums Chart for the week ending June 29, 1996, before peaking at number 10 in its 30th week on the chart, on January 25, 1997. On April 1, 1997, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified Secrets double platinum for shipments of over 600,000 copies. In continental Europe, the album topped the charts in Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland, while reaching the top five in Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Sweden, and the top 10 in Ireland. In Oceania, the album reached number 11 in both Australia and New Zealand; it has been certified double platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). By May 2010, Secrets had sold 15 million copies worldwide.

Track listing

Notes signifies an additional producer signifies a remixer signifies a remix producer

Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Secrets.

Musicians

Toni Braxton – lead vocals, background vocals ; all vocals ; vocal arrangement Tony Rich – arrangement, all instruments, background vocals Marc Nelson – background vocals Shanice Wilson – background vocals Randy Walker – MIDI programming Bryce Wilson – drum programming, keyboard programming Babyface – keyboards ; guitar ; background vocals ; drum programming ; acoustic guitar, electric guitar ; synthesizers Chanté Moore – background vocals Jakkai Butler – background vocals Reggie Hamilton – bass Luis Conte – percussion Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangement, string conducting David Foster – arrangement, keyboard programming Simon Franglen – Synclavier programming Dean Parks – acoustic guitar Michael Thompson – electric guitar ; guitar L.A. Reid – background vocal arrangement Tim Thomas – background vocal arrangement Keith Crouch – arrangement, B3 organ, all other instruments, vocal arrangement Sherree Ford-Payne – background vocals Greg Phillinganes – piano ; Rhodes Nathan East – bass Kenny G – saxophone Reggie Griffin – guitar R. Kelly – arrangement, background vocals, all instruments Soulshock & Karlin – arrangement Andrea Martin – background vocals

Technical

Tony Rich – production L.A. Reid – production ; executive production NealHPogue – recording Leslie Brathwaite – recording John Frye – recording assistance Jon Gass – mixing Babyface – production ; executive production Bryce Wilson – production Brad Gilderman – recording Russell Elevado – recording Paul Boutin – recording assistance Robbes Stieglitz – recording assistance Bryan Reminic – recording assistance "Bassy" Bob Brockmann – mixing Kyle Bess – recording assistance Brandon Harris – recording assistance Richard Huredia – recording assistance Ivy Skoff – production coordination David Foster – production Felipe Elgueta – recording Mick Guzauski – mixing Marnie Riley – mixing assistance Keith Crouch – production, recording Eugene Lo – recording Booker T. Jones III – mixing Jin Choi – recording assistance Jon Shrive – recording assistance Bill Kinsley – recording assistance Brad Haehnel – recording assistance Al Schmitt – string engineering Glen Marchese – recording assistance Larry Schalit – recording assistance R. Kelly – production, mixing Peter Mokran – recording, mixing John Merchant – recording assistance Frank Gonzales – recording assistance Ron Lowe – mixing assistance Soulshock & Karlin – production Manny Marroquin – recording Dave Reitzas – string engineering Herb Powers Jr. – mastering Toni Braxton – executive production

Artwork Toni Braxton – creative direction Davett Singletary – art direction D.L. Warfield – design Nigel Sawyer – design assistance Randee St. Nicholas – photography

Charts

Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for Secrets Chart (1996–1997) Peakposition Danish Albums (Hitlisten) 1 European Albums (Music & Media) 3 Greek Albums (IFPI) 2 Icelandic Albums (Tónlist) 5 Irish Albums (IFPI) 7 Italian Albums (FIMI) 15 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 65 Malaysian Albums (RIM) 7 Portuguese Albums (AFP) 3 Spanish Albums (AFYVE) 25Taiwanese International Albums (IFPI) 2

Year-end charts + 1996 year-end chart performance for Secrets Chart (1996) Position Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM) 11 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 12 European Albums (Music & Media) 46 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 65 Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan) 25 UK Albums (OCC) 26 US Billboard 200 23 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 9

+ 1997 year-end chart performance for Secrets Chart (1997) Position Australian Albums (ARIA) 36 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) 11 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) 19 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) 30Canadian Albums (SoundScan)23Canadian R&B Albums (SoundScan)2 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) 10 European Albums (Music & Media) 5 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) 9 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)9 Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan) 51 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) 6 UK Albums (OCC) 28 US Billboard 200 9 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 14

+ 1998 year-end chart performance for Secrets Chart (1998) PositionCanadian R&B Albums (SoundScan)58

+ 2000 year-end chart performance for Secrets Chart (2000) Position Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)The first list is the list of best-selling domestic albums of 2000 in Finland and the second is that of the best-selling foreign albums:

110

Decade-end charts + Decade-end chart performance for Secrets Chart (1990–1999) Position US Billboard 200 51

All-time charts + All-time chart performance for Secrets Chart Position US Billboard 200 (Women) 72

Certifications and sales

Release history + Release dates and formats for Secrets Region Date Format Edition Label United States June 18, 1996 CD Standard Germany June 24, 1996 BMG Japan July 10, 1996 United Kingdom July 15, 1996 Arista July 1, 2016 CD 20th Anniversary Funkytowngrooves Japan July 20, 2016 Solid

Notes

References