For good cause, Mary J. Blige is regarded as the “Queen of R&B music” by many.

In her more than 30-year career, Blige has sold over 80 million records globally, recorded 14 studio albums, and won nine Grammy Awards. She is renowned for having strong voice, writing songs that really speak to her audience, and having heartfelt words. Blige contributed to the definition of a new genre that combined soul, R&B, and hip hop. This piece will look back at some of Mary J. Blige’s most well-known tracks and albums that helped to establish her as one of the all-time great R&B singers.

Mary J. Blige’s Initial Steps

On January 11, 1971, Mary Jane Blige was born in the Bronx, New York. She was raised by an abusive father in a challenging family. Blige started using music as a release when she was young. Following her high school graduation, she started providing backing vocals for musicians such as U2. She first worked with producers Sean “Puffy” Combs and Andre Harrell in 1989.

What’s the 411?, Blige’s debut album, was published by Uptown Records in 1992. Blige’s stardom was solidified with the album, which was a huge hit. It had hits like “You Remind Me” and “Real Love,” which combined soul, hip hop, and honest, heartfelt lyrics sung by Blige’s powerful voice. Blige won two Soul Train Music Awards and the album went multi-platinum. What’s the 411? established Blige as the “Queen” of the new genre of “hip hop soul” and defined it.

Breakthrough Success with My Life (1994)

In 1994, Blige’s sophomore album My Life was released, building on the popularity of her debut. Even more intimate topics for Blige were covered on the album, such as her turbulent upbringing, battles with drugs and alcohol, and violent relationships. “You Bring Me Joy,” the lead single, peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. But Blige’s biggest hit at the time was “I’m Goin’ Down,” the album’s second song, which peaked at #6 on the Hot 100.

My Life included soul-baring lyrics over hip-hop-inspired beats, narrated by Blige’s powerful voice. Her fans were genuinely moved by the unadulterated emotion in her voice. Over two million copies of the record were sold in the United States alone. Blige won her first Grammy for Best R&B Album for it. My Life solidified Blige’s reputation as the “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” and is today regarded as one of the best R&B albums of all time. Because of the album’s popularity, Blige was able to reach a wider audience and gain a global following by candidly expressing her personal hardships.

Continued Success and Breakthrough Hit “Be Without You” (1995-1997)

In 1997, Blige released her third studio album, Share My World, on the success of her previous album, My Life. Blige became the first artist to have an album debut at number one on the R&B, hip hop, and mainstream charts when the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Included on it was the popular song “Not Gon’ Cry,” which brought Blige her second Grammy.

Blige wrote the song “Always on My Mind” for the Waiting to Exhale movie’s soundtrack in 1995. Over 14 million copies of the soundtrack record have been sold worldwide because to the moving performance of the Petula Clark song. Blige was made known to an even larger audience by it.

Blige released her fourth studio album Share My World in 1997, which featured the massive breakthrough hit “Be Without You.” The song spent 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Blige’s biggest and most successful single of her career at that point. “Be Without You” demonstrated Blige’s immense vocal range and raw emotion. It struck a chord with millions of fans around the world who related to the song’s themes of heartbreak, longing, and moving on from a past relationship.

“Be Without You” remains one of Blige’s signature songs and helped Share My World sell over 4 million copies in the U.S. The album’s success cemented Blige as not just a hip hop/R&B icon, but a mainstream pop star as well. She had truly broken through every boundary by this point in her career.

Continued Critical and Commercial Success (1998-2002)

Riding the wave after “Be Without You,” Blige released her fifth studio album Mary in 1998. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit singles “Love Is All We Need” and “Deep Inside.” Mary earned Blige her third Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

In 2001, Blige released her sixth studio album No More Drama. The album’s edgy title track “No More Drama” became another signature hit for Blige. No More Drama would go on to sell over 3 million copies worldwide. It demonstrated Blige’s continued growth as an artist and refinement of her signature hip hop soul sound. The album’s success earned Blige her fourth Grammy.

Blige released her seventh studio album Rainbow in 2001. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit singles “Family Affair” and “Dance for Me.” Rainbow earned Blige yet another Grammy for Best R&B Album. By this point in her career, Blige had cemented herself as not just a hip hop soul icon, but one of the best-selling artists worldwide with over 50 million records sold globally.

Continued Success and Iconic Collaborations (2003-2010)

In 2003, Blige recorded the song “He Think I Don’t Know” for the film The Fighting Temptations. The song was another signature hit for Blige that demonstrated her vocal range and storytelling ability. That same year, she recorded a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” for the film Beyond the Lights. Both songs further expanded Blige’s audience and showed her versatility as an artist.

In 2005, Blige released her eighth studio album The Breakthrough. The album’s lead single “Be Without You” became another major hit for Blige. She also recorded the theme song to the film Ice Cube’s BarberShop 2: Back in Business. That year, Blige was featured on the Kanye West produced hit single “You Don’t Know My Name” from his album Late Registration. The collaboration further cemented Blige’s relevance within the hip hop community.

In 2008, Blige collaborated with rapper Jay-Z on the single “You’re Still My Man” from his album American Gangster. The soulful duet demonstrated Blige’s continued growth as an artist. That same year, she released her ninth studio album Stronger with Each Tear. The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and featured hit singles like “Just Fine” and “Stay Down.”

In 2009, Blige recorded the theme song “I Can See in Color” for the film Precious. Her raw rendition of the song earned her critical acclaim. That year, she also collaborated with rappers Drake and Lil Wayne on the hit single “Miss Me” from her album Stronger with Each Tear. The song demonstrated Blige’s continued relevance within the hip hop world.

Later Career Successes and Iconic Status (2011-Present)

In 2011, Blige released her tenth studio album My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1). The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, making Blige the only artist to have a #1 album in the 2000s and 2010s decades. It featured the hit single “Twenty Years Later.” That same year, she was featured on the Dr. Dre single “I Need a Doctor” from his album Detox.

In 2012, Blige embarked on her 20th anniversary tour “Twenty” to celebrate two decades in the music industry. In 2014, she released her eleventh studio album “The London Sessions” which earned her a Grammy nomination. In 2016, Blige starred in the film Rock of Ages and released her twelfth studio album “Strength of a Woman” to critical acclaim.

In 2018, Blige was featured on the Kendrick Lamar single “All the Stars” from the film Black Panther soundtrack, further showing her continued relevance within the hip hop world. That year she also embarked on the “All the Way Stronger” tour. In 2022, Blige released her thirteenth studio album “Good Morning Gorgeous” to further acclaim.

Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, and nine Billboard Music Awards in her career. In 2022, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BET Awards. More than 65 movies have used her music. Blige received her induction into the Brooklyn Walk of Fame in 2021. With over 80 million records sold globally, the RIAA lists her as one of the best-selling artists of all time.