The Best of Brandy is the first greatest hits album by American singer Brandy. It was released on March 28, 2005 by Atlantic Records, completing her contract with the label after being signed since 1994. The album comprises nearly all of Norwood's 1994–2004 singles, compiling her first four studio albums Brandy (1994), Never Say Never (1998), Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), as well as songs she contributed to film soundtracks such as Waiting to Exhale (1995) and Set It Off (1996).

The album received generally favorable reviews from critics who noted the creativity of Norwood's back-catalog. It debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard 200, selling 26,000 units in its first week. Outside the United States, "Who Is She 2 U"–the second US single from Afrodisiac–was released as a single in support of The Best of Brandy. While it features no original material, the album includes rare tracks such as a 1995 cover of Michael Jackson's "Rock with You", her international single "Another Day in Paradise" and the single remix of "U Don't Know Me (Like U Used To)".

Release On November 1, 2004, four months after the release of Afrodisiac, her fourth studio album with Atlantic Records, Brandy's publicist Courtney Barnes announced that the singer had requested and was granted an unconditional release from her recording contract with the music label, her record company since 1994, as Norwood was at "a place where [she wants] some change in her life [and] wanted to move on" musically. Brandy was subsequently asked to complete her contract with the release of a greatest hits collection, a plan which she considered a true compliment and showcase for her development as a recording artist over ten years. "I'm really proud of it," Brandy said about the compilation album the following year. "When you get a chance to step back, you notice all these great things you've done and all these great people that you've worked with. The album is a celebration of me being in the industry for so long, and I'm still going." In addition, Norwood declared her satisfaction with the conclusion of her Atlantic era: "I just thought it was a great idea – to put 18 songs together of the best of everything that I’ve done made me feel really good. And also, it is giving me a reason to move on from everything I've done. I'm excited about putting it out and also putting it behind me."

Critical reception

The Best of Brandy received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Andy Kellman of AllMusic awarded the compilation four and a half out of five stars, describing it as a "straightforward and rather thorough" collection that compiles nearly all of Brandy's charting singles. He noted that while her last two studio albums did not yield major hits, they were "just as strong and fresh as the first two," concluding that the set, unlike many anthologies by her contemporaries, does not suggest a decline in creativity or popularity. Music Week similarly praised the album for "hitting the high spots of her musical career to date," highlighting signature tracks such as "The Boy Is Mine," "Never Say Never," and her cover of "Another Day in Paradise," while also commending the inclusion of more recent material like the “excellent” "Afrodisiac" and "Who Is She 2 U." Thomas Inskeep of Stylus was highly enthusiastic, praising Brandy's catalog of "killer singles" and likening the compilation to a "personal time capsule." He credited Brandy with helping to soundtrack both personal and cultural highs and lows, asserting that the pop and R&B landscape was richer for her presence.

In a more measured review for Slant Magazine, Sal Cinquemani criticized Warner Music and Atlantic Records for mishandling the promotion of Brandy's preceding studio album, Afrodisiac, as well as her subsequent label departure. Nevertheless, he responded positively to the track listing, praising the inclusion of non-album tracks such as the number-two hit "Sittin' Up in My Room" and covers of "Rock with You" and "Another Day in Paradise," ultimately deeming the compilation a must-have for devoted fans. He rated the album three and a half out of five stars. Less enthusiastic, Chris Taylor of musicOMH argued that the compilation demonstrated that Brandy was "a fine wine that has never quite fully matured," characterizing the overall result as a middling collection that often left the listener "fast-forwarding, wondering what could have been." Writing for Yahoo! Music UK, James Poletti was the most critical, labeling the album a “curate’s egg” that juxtaposed some of the most adventurous commercial pop of the decade with what he described as “frankly piss poor” material. While skeptical of its artistic consistency, he nonetheless suggested that Brandy’s legacy would remain secure through continued popular appeal.

Commercial performance In the United States, The Best of Brandy debuted at number 27 on the Billboard 200 and number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 26,000 units in its first week. It spent a total of five weeks on the Billboard 200.

Internationally, the album entered the top thirty in Australia and the United Kingdom only, where it reached numbers 25 and 24 respectively, but enjoyed short runs on the charts. In addition, the album reached number 92 on the European Top 100 Albums chart. In the United Kingdom, The Best of Brandy was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in October 2026, for sales and streaming figures in excess of 100,000 units.

The album was released on vinyl for the first time on February 11, 2022. It charted in the UK on the Official Hip Hop and R&B albums Chart Top 40 at number 17 on February 18, 2022.

Track listing

Notes denotes additional producer denotes vocals producer Sample credits "Who Is She 2 U" contains a sample of Jacqueline Hilliard's "Instant Love" (1968). "Talk About Our Love" contains a sample of Mandrill's "Gilly Hines" (1977) from the album We Are One.

Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Best of Brandy.

Dallas Austin – producer Babyface – producer Liz Barrett – project assistant Marc Baptiste – photography Mike City – producer Phil Collins – composer Keith Crouch – producer Sara Cumings – art direction, design LaShawn Daniels – composer Ginger Dettman – project assistant Malia Doss – project assistant Mike Engstrom – product manager Roger Erickson – cover photo, photography Alan Fletcher – project assistant David Foster – producer Annaliese Harmon – project assistant Dan Hersch – remastering Jacqueline Hilliard – composer

Robin Hurley – project assistant Bill Inglot – remastering Fred Jerkins III – producer Rodney Jerkins – producer Kipper Jones – producer Quincy Jones – producer Johnny de Mairo – producer Jonathan Mannion – photography Mark McKenna – project assistant Sonja Norwood – management QDIII – producer Ray J – performer Guy Roche – producer Timbaland – producer Becky Wagner – project assistant Kanye West – producer Corey Williams – project assistant Steve Woolard – project assistant

Charts + Weekly chart performance for The Best of BrandyChart (2005)Peakposition Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)5 European Top 100 Albums (Billboard) 92Japanese Albums (Oricon)28

Certifications

Release history + Release dates and formats for The Best of Brandy Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Germany April 4, 2005 Warner Music United Kingdom Atlantic Canada April 5, 2005 Warner Music United States Atlantic France April 12, 2005 Warner Music Japan April 27, 2005 Australia May 2, 2005 Various February 11, 2022 Atlantic

Notes

References