Rapture

I guess it’s good for what it is.

prob a 3.5 for me

Pretty much every song is good though none of it is GREAT Fav song: Caught Up in the Rapture maybe?

Rather bland, sounded like an 80s soundtack that needed to sound like soul but just didnt have any.

uuh sie cha singe und uuuh d songs sind mega mega jazzy und so. mega dan mega soul huere cool die erste zwei. ok been so long chillt nöd würklich mitem cheese hä. schono viel chäs. aso chani handle chani au fiire. aber jo dick uftreit. mystery ischmer denn irgendwenn gnueg mit de cheesiness. sehr viel. no one in the world isch au etz nöd gad subtil. seehr guet gschriebe gspielt und alles. aber find d production gad chli viel. same ole love mega fönky sehr cool. watch your step au saaauguete song. saxophon so cheesy im hintergrund haha. und es muess immer en DX7 no mitspiele oder? boh all star band jo! paulinho da costa paul griffin hallou. sax solo slappt. scho fast e vieri glaub. schono guet das album. production ischmer chli zu cheesy zum teil und d schnulze sind SCHNULZIG. aber guet.

sweet love kenntmer glaub? sehr schön und romaaaantisch aber au chli uf de seichte siite mE HAHAHAHAHA sorryyy aber s saxophon uf you bring me joy isch ja SOOO CHEESY aso es isch schön und alles aber fast scho e karikatur vo dere art vo r&b/soul caught up in the rapture kenni au! sehr offesichtlich scho recht es krasses album, ich los so musig ja würkli nöd aktiv joo scho fertig. sehr schön gsunge und alles aber für min gschmack doch seeeer schnulzig und seicht. guets 3 (wenni vorher nöd gad ledz es 3 geh hetti, wär das vlt au es knapps 4i worde)

Eh, it's fine. I saw another comment that summed it up...it makes me feel like I'm in a supermarket. This is not offensive. It just feels really dated. It's 2 in terms of "good music" (points for Anita's voice) as the keyboards and synth are boring - they sound like the basic track that comes with a casio keyboard. The lyrics are boring. Should not be on this list. ChatGPT argues with me and tells me that the boring, calmness is the point. Well, I'm not meditating here ChatGPT. I'm trying to find interesting, great albums that make me feel like I'm not in an overly produced 80s Hollywood movie.

Not my bag

Day649 - anita baker has such a smooth voice. rapture and sweet love are amazing

In one ear out the other

Very good.

Not offensive, just not my thing. Too generic and boring.

This was okay. She’s a great singer, the music sounded a bit artificial. Well, it’s the 80s.

It was predictable and peaceful, I probably won't listen again

Anita Baker has a nice voice, but the tracklist became weary before the halfway mark.

A smooth, pleasantly inoffensive enough soul album which became very boring very quickly. Anita Baker has a fairly accomplished voice, but never uses it in a vaguely captivating way. If The Black Keys were car advert rock, this is car advert soul.

Cool

It's halfway between Sade and Whitney, it's dated, but it's enjoyable

She definitely has a powerful, beautiful voice

Meh. Some classics, but very vanilla.

Not my taste but she’s talented. The opening instrumental part is a famous sample by MF DOOM

I grew up to this album and remember it being quite good. It still holds up even after discovering in my adulthood that I'm not a fan of R&B. But this album is well made even when the lead singer has such a deep voice it can become distracting. The lead single "Sweet Love" is the album's zenith but everything else is solid. Overall, very strong album in a genre I don't typically enjoy. No skips.

every time I listen to Anita I am in awe. Hers is one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard, the effortlessness, power and command are unrivaled and what comes out of her mouth is absolute poetic beauty

Love her voice. Amazing tone & control. You Give Me Joy is my fave. Just not a fan of every song being a hyper emotional love song.

‘Sweet Love,’ oh yeah! However, after that track, I had a hard time staying engaged with the one.

I tried. The voice is stellar. Songs are middling. I just can't get past the production. The mid 80s is where the 80s sound hit the ditch.

Ahhh Anita - Sweet Love

Anita has a beautiful voice that is well supported by the backing instrumentals. I wouldn't choose to listen to this because it doesn't fit the vibe of music that I listen to, but I'm not disappointed in the slightest. The album felt short, it didn't drag on longer than it needed to. I couldn't be happier.

Yeah, I really like this album. Very heavy on the piano and bass and that works perfectly here. Now, the star of the show is the amazing vocal performance. The lyrics might be pretty standard, but that doesn't matter when they sound amazing. I don't listen to this genre, but I would definitely come back to this album in the future. It sounds like music my mom would listen to and I like most of what she listens to, so that's good.

Scrolling through other's review of this album and reading a lot of 'elevator music'. I'd like to add 90's department store to that list. Nothing controversial to the ears but doesn't grip me with anything either.

7/10 Favourite: Sweet Love Least Favourite: Mystery

1. love -1.5 2. joy -1.5 3. rapture - 1.5 4. zame - 1

Nothing stand out about this album, was bored throughout.

Album, das von ihrer mächtigen Stimme lebt. Es ist schön, leider nicht so meins

Because I have been shopping in a department store, I have heard Sweet Love many, many times in my lifetime. To have this album on the list and not Whitney Houston is an absolute abomination. This is 80's light soul that I heard in my mom's station wagon on the way to run errands. This is by no means bad music but there are much more qualified and interesting artists making music at this exact period of time. Nothing against Anita Baker, but I feel like I didn't a-need-a her represented in this book. Bring Whitney Houston in the book and lose this one.

Sounded good but wasn’t in the mood for this.

Feels cliched

Some albums bring us back to a certain place and time, and this one absolutely does for me. If I had never heard of her, or heard this album many times, I can't imagine I would find it all that interesting other than her great voice. But, this album today brought a huge smile to my face, both when it came up on the generator as well as listening and singing along. Anita Baker was the romantic soundtrack of my life back when it came out, played over and over. And not just this album but her next few as well. No need to say anything more about it than that. I cannot be a good judge with this, as I know in my heart it's not a five star album, but that's what it's getting. Thanks for the good times Anita.

This is soul’s version of easy listening, all the rough edges have been filed down.

2/5 - Not awful, but I didn't really enjoy it. Love songs can be great but these seemed to have zero depth. Might be good in movies which I think is where I've heard some of them before.

Anita Baker is one of those standard-bearers of Soul. "Sweet Love" is such a classic, and I really enjoyed the album.

I'd bet money that this only popped up now because of the track "Caught Up in the Rapture" I could only listen to like half of the album on Spotify. It was okay R&B.

I appreciate the joke of listening to Rapture this week, but I appreciate the album a little bit less. Can’t deny any of the talent of the singer or the emotion of any of it, it just don’t hit me in any way.

Don’t care for soulful R&B

Sweet Love is a great 80s pop track and the last track Watch Your Step was good too, everything in between was pretty boring and generic but she has a good voice so it's fine to listen to, albeit not memorable.

not quite sophisticated enough for sophistipop

What an amazing talent!!

Well done, just a little too adult contemporary for my taste.

I'm really not sure why this one to Grammy awards

I'm sorry Anita, your voice is beautiful. The music is tired.

Very good voice, well put together.

I never listen to this genre, but if I did this album would be on my go-to list of albums.

A little Anita will definitely set this party off right. Slow jams for the soul

80's grocery store classic.

Pleasant! Very 80's in production and style of R&B, but it doesn't detract from the great tunes here. I honestly don't have a lot to say about this one, except the record company should give her the masters/rights back! Having it missing from streaming is terrible! 3.5

eh

I enjoyed

Lovely to listen to.

Some groovy moments but not really my jam, just ok

not my style, but good album, initially was a 3, but "same ole love" and "watch your step" at the end increased it to 4

meh

Very Sade. Which is a compliment

Technically beautiful but mostly forgettable. Production is late 80’s so sounds like everything else that was put out during that time. Glad to re-live it, but I’ve moved on.

Some people need this album prescribed to them. Anita’s voice is so soothing.

Very nice, as borat would say

Don’t quite know how to rate this one, there was definitely good things but on the whole it felt kinda a bit meh honestly. So I guess 3 stars

Tough rating!

first listen supremely mediocre

Tuvo bonito me robé una canción

It was fun tho it didn't stand out much

why haven't I heard of it before?

Perfectly listenable, very inoffensive, nothing too special but I liked the vibe

Very solid soul album

If 80s schmaltzy ballads are your thing then this would be a good album to listen to. If not then it’s ok

Nah

Seems more reserved than what she's probably capable of, but the smooth pop/jazz sound just hits my ear right

Very smooth, to the point that there wasn't much for me to grasp onto. It was well performed but I probably won't return. Mediocre ultimately.

Starts strong, midway is awful. Last 4 songs are strong.It is of its time but that's not a bad thing. Some tracks I will listen to again.

Sweet Love is the only track I was familiar with going into this album, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was indicative of the quality of the rest of the record. Anita Baker's voice is of course powerful and one of a kind, driving pretty much every song. Beyond that, there are lots of really clever and enjoyable moments in the arrangements - I particularly liked the sparse but extremely effective backup harmonies on 'You Bring Me Joy' - and there are cool bass/keyboard/guitar parts sprinkled throughout. There's a lot of harmonic depth to the music, as well; we're far out of three-chord pop music territory. However, the 80's synth sounds just haven't aged well to my ears, nor has the overly produced mix - the reverb drenched vocals seem very lonely, almost like the album was performed in an empty stadium. I'd really love to hear Baker in a more stripped down setting, or even with some sort of jazz ensemble (the scatting near the end of 'Been so Long' indicates she has the chops), not this sterile, corporate sounding environment.

This was wonderful. I'm not a huge fan of this genre (what is it? r&b?), but Anita is just a great singer and all of these songs were just so perfectly performed and put together that I couldn't help loving this album. The songs I knew (Sweet Love and Caught Up in the Rapture) were great nostalgia from my childhood when I would hear them playing on the radio or wherever, and all the rest of the tracks were almost equal in quality IMO and just a lot of fun to listen and hum along. Lots of musical surprises in here, and I have no notes. Five stars.

An enjoyable, pleasant listen. But not much more than that. Felt quite safe and middle of the road in terms of the soul style it draws on. Still, recognised a few of the songs on it.

Didn't love it but accoording to chatgpt (because I was too lazy): Songtitel | Wordcount „love“ Sweet Love | 5 You Bring Me Joy | 1 Caught Up In The Rapture | 5 Been So Long | 6 Mystery | 4 No One In The World | 1 Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year) | 9 Watch Your Step 0 (oh wow!) Total:31 ´Get some new topics maybe!

Sjunger helt magiskt. Utan tvekan. I övrigt är det rätt bra. Sweet love är bäst. Sen är det inte min favoritgenre. Rösten petar upp till fyra!

Hon har en fantastisk pipa och det börjar bra, men det lyfter inte riktigt för mig därefter. Det är lite för slätstruket, även om det fortfarande är bra. En stabil trea.

I like how the album feels like a handful of love letters, I think the best song in the album is "Sweet Love" but i think thats a common opinion. I had never heard her of Anita Baker before this, but her vocals are amazing. Overall glad I heard this album

Schöne Stimme. Leider mit so einer schlafmützigen 80er Soße garniert.

General thoughts: I was expecting nothing, I've heard of Anita Baker before but didn't know her songs nor her status as an artist. Anita's voice is delightful and matches the genre perfectly, this is very apparent the first instant you listen to Rapture. The tracklist is pretty solid. The sound is very classy, like r&b, very soulful, very 80s. I can [easily] see any of this album songs as a sample in one of these modern micro-genres, 'cause it also feels a lot like a less-funky citypop, probably because the chorus of all songs are delivered with a lot of emotion. Songs are always catchy, some may fall short during the verses. Sometimes songs that rely heavily in the voice and emotion tend to lose musical structure, this is not an issue here. I dont know how I would react to a second album with this same line of content though. I'm not the target. All the lyrics are about love, that can be chessy and tiring in the long run. If you are in the mood or see your love situation reflected in the lyrics this is potentially magic though and probably resonates with a lot of people. This is probably a great album for sex lol. Outstanding song(s): Watch Your Step, Sweet Love Weakest song(s): None particularly Cover: I like the classiness and fragility that the posture express, a bit sorrowful even. Its very fitting of the genre and general tone of the album. Real rating: 4.18

The cheesy 80s instrumentation absolutely kills this for me. Of all the great soul recorded this being on here is baffling to me

Chill easy little quicky.

Most songs are even available. Incomplete

Pulls you in. Holds your hand. Throws you back in a time you didn't exist. Makes me wanna drink whiskey and smoke cigars in a suit.

This is absolutely not my thing.... It's excruciatingly boring to me.

Sometimes you just accept something wasn't made for you.

pretty instrumentation and great vocals but it just drags

Soulful and beautiful

Dull generic soul/pop

No standouts, inoffensive smarm

baszos zene

Nekem semmi extra + nem is az én világom

What a lovely voice, what a very 1980s ballads album. It’s huge, romantic, glossy, and fun to listen to, but also homogeneous in tone and production. It has its moments and I appreciated my listen, but I didn’t find anything revelatory in it.

Pure class. Simple and sweet with an impeccable voice and skilled and tasteful (if safe) playing throughout. Easy listening it may be but ease (and calm) is a vastly underappreciated musical quality today.

decent

Per tornar a escoltar. No és el meu estil però és molt bona música i jo ho gaudeixo.

Easy listening but not memorable

This album has some keepers! The production is amazing. Almost like City Pop echoes

It's fine for someone, just not me

🕊 Rapture – Anita Baker (1986) This album doesn’t walk into the room. It floats in, wrapped in velvet, holding a glass of wine it poured itself. Anita Baker’s voice? It’s like crème brûlée for the soul—smooth, a little bittersweet, and definitely the reason someone’s mom fell in love in 1987. This is not background music. It is the mood. The genre? Grown. Rating: 4.8/5 Short Review: Elegant, sincere, and dipped in candlelight. Favorite Track: “Sweet Love” – the sonic equivalent of getting slow-danced by someone who knows your middle name.

There are parts that sound a bit dated (duh it was made in the 80s) but some gems on here too. 7/10

Easy listening, so much soul. Opens with Sweet Love. Great vibes

Didn't do much for me.

This was about like I expected. Good voice but not really my style.

Soul that feels larger than life. Despite a lull in the middle, this is overall super consistent and the kind of album anyone can enjoy.

First song got me excited but what followed was a little too screamish for me. Like the instrumentals though

Great voice, some decent beats, easy listen, just not a re listen

I feel like this would be popular today, if it was a Japanese lady singing in Japanese, riding this fake japano 80s retro nostalgia. However, this is actual authentic jazzy City-Pop Soul from America. Lovely, but forgettable.

Album No. 0011 on my list. Before listening to this album, I had never heard of Anita Baker. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this album, so this was a nice new discovery. Baker’s voice is very good. It reminded my amateur, not very jazz-familiar ear of Whitney Houston, but with a more mature, dark, and jazzy (whatever that means) touch. Beyond this, I found this to be an album with solid, decent songs on it. Some (“Caught in the rapture”, “Been so long”) I liked more than others. But none of the songs were really outstanding to me (also, again compared to Whitney’s first album). Because Baker’s voice is so great, it’s still 3/5 stars for me.

Beautiful voice. Easy to listen to this music.

Pretty and nice but not a hard hitter as far as soul goes. Liked but didn’t love. Found myself zoning out

Not many songs from the album are available on Spotify, but I was familar with them.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Anita Baker before, but I’ve thought that about other artists, and then wound up recognizing their work (David Gray and Everything But The Girl). I love listening to eighties music, so maybe I’ll recognize a song or two off of this album. Either way, I’m excited to listen to a new artist today! I think Anita Baker is a talented singer, but this album wasn’t really up my alley. There were some great bass lines throughout Rapture, but there wasn’t much variety in the sound, and the keyboard and synthesizer arrangements were pretty forgettable. For a soul album, this album didn’t feel like there was any emotional weight to it. I’ll admit that there are plenty of soft rock songs from the eighties that I enjoy, but an album full of feather-weight pop tunes without any catchy melodies isn’t really my thing. The last three songs of the album the best part of the album, but even then, those songs were relatively forgettable. I can understand how this album won a couple of Grammy awards, but Rapture isn’t an album I’ll be coming back to.

The windchimes, the soft yet powerful voices, the chill vibes… All of this reminds me of the adult contemporary that my dad always put on (and still does) during a lazy afternoon. Usually a candle would be lit, flickering somewhere. In a way, this is the sound of my childhood. I’m not sure if this particular collection of songs are necessarily stunning or memorable or anything, but they are pleasant. Not sure I had to listen to this before death, but I’m not upset about it.

Not that this is bad. her voice is incredible, but it's got those cheesy 80's keyboard sounds. when i think of super cheesy and overwrought 80's R&B this is a perfect example.

This was a great R&B album that was full of soulful and beautiful songs! I definitely remember my mom playing and singing “Sweet Love” when I was little and it’s still a bop. I would definitely vibe to this album again in the future depending on my mood!

I feel like this wasn't made to pay attention to? Like it's good music, but it doesn't work well as the main focus, more as a backing track, and admittedly a good one.

Thought it was groovy. Hanna hated it. Need to give it another closer listen

Amazing for what it is, just not sure I'd play it again.

When I was working in a mall, Anita's songs were played on loop resulting in me linking these songs to capitalism and entitlement. Not her fault but I just can't.

++: Sweet Love, You Bring Me Joy, Been So Long, Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year), Watch Your Step +: Caught Up in the Rapture +-: Mystery, No One in the World 7,7/10

A good singer but not much else for me here.

Smooth-jazzy analog zu Sade. Easy listen. Schöne Baselines. Gute Hintergrund und Arbeitsmusik. "Caught Up in the Rapture" intro ähnlich zu "Turn of a Friendly Card" von Alan Parsons Project.

Love the smooth jazz vibes. Good after work listen. Good songs to vibe to, but a bit too upbeat for my liking.

8/11/2025 - Very classic 80's R&B record. Enjoyed my listen. 7/10

Rapture is a smooth and sophisticated work, built around Anita Baker’s vocals with minimalist arrangements. In a way, it sounds both older (lacking typical ‘80s signifiers) and modern in its timelessness. Anita Baker joins the ranks of gorgeous singers I feel I should love more. Her voice is beautiful: soothing, sensual, impeccably controlled. Yet soul music rarely moves me beyond aesthetic admiration, it seldom reaches that deeper emotional resonance.

Short and sweet

Great vocals

Holy pipes

Anita is great singer 👍🏻👍🏻

dawno nie bylo czegos tak generycznego dla swojego gatunku, tym razem wylosowalo latwe granie w stylu r&b, dzisiaj sie dowiedzialem, ze radio przyjazne r&b mialo podgatunek quiet storm, gdzie zaciaga bardziej coolowym jazzem niz soulowymi ciagotami, to nagranie z 86 jest drugim krazekiem w dyskografii pani baker, jak przystalo na gwiazde r&b to jest ona glosem plyty i na czesci utworow jest creditowna jako autorka, co do pozostalych nie jestem pewien ktore to covery, a ktore orginalne kompozycje pisane specjalnie na ten albumik, bo lista creditsowa jest dluga i szeroka, a to zaledwie 8 kawalkow w 36 minutach, ale na kazdym prawie ktos inny stuka w klawisze, czy brzdaka delikatnie po gitarce, nawet bez sluchania a sam rzut oka na tytuly jasno nakresla zawrtosc liryczna zawarta na tym krazku, wiec smutne romansowanie od poczatku do konca, jestem pewny, ze sporo sporo intrumentali z tego krazka slyszalem samplowanych w latach 90, no i u pana dooma, bo jestem prawie pewny, ze te klawisze ze sweet love na jakiejs metalowej masce slyszalem, chyba zbyt zmeczony jestem na latwe sluchanie dzisiaj, bo po przesluchaniu czuje sie jeszcze bardziej sprasowany niz przed, no i jeszcze kwestia tytulu rapture ktory nawiazuje do traka caught in the rapture, to slowko rapture chyba zawsze bedzie mialo silniejsze polaczenie z czyms smutnym starym i zrozpaczonym przez bioshocka, ciekawe jak slowa nabieraja swoich znaczen przez wlasne doswiadczenia, teraz na repeacie polecialo been so long i moge potwierdzic podejrzenia, ze bylo samplowane u dooma na special herbach z tej plyty, ten utwor na zatarze, na plejke dodam wspomniane rapture

Undoubtedly a great singer, just not really excited about this 1980s smoothness here. 2 stars

Wow. Incredible voice. Great songwriting. This is a flawless 80s Soul/RnB album. I can see it being too smooooooth (and slick, production-wise) for some, though. 5 stars.

Meh, it was okay.

I'm not all that sure about this inclusion. There are numerous 80s and 90s female pop/soul vocalists who have surely produced more valuable and influential albums. It was 'nice' enough, but mehh.

★★★½

Great voice, not really my kind of music.

“I mean…I guess I’m ok with it.” - John H.

strong start, beautiful vocal performance

Very nice, sweet-voiced singer and easy listening songs

What can I say. Smooth, classy; Anita Baker. Great album. Maybe a bit too smooth for me tho

SO GOOD. This came just in time as the last few albums just didn’t seem like they really belonged, but Anita’s talent makes her inclusion on this a no brainer.

Nothing here for me - I think this kind of adult contemporary is just not my thing at all. Baker's vocal performance might be good but absent any interesting songs it's like breaking out the fancy dishware to eat plain yogurt.

Beautiful voice! Reminded me of Toni Braxton, who I'm sure must have looked up to Anita.

Just not for me!

I liked this album. Her voice is really great and the instrumentation keeps a smooth style throughout. Especially the bass and the use of saxophone. Nothing super groundbreaking and not as good as something like Sade but still solid 80’s soul/R&B. Favorites were Sweet Love, Same Ole Love, and Watch Your Step.

a deeper voice than I expected! sweet love is a good song but this just isnt my type of music .. 5/10

It's nice to know her music and found this to be pleasant. Does it wow me? No, but it's hardly bad. Just raises the question as to why this was so impactful that it had to be part of this list. 6/10.

1986 pop and R&B - miss those days

I love song 1 and 7

Pretty goof

Not gonna lie I was cleaning so i could not hear it that well

Favorite Track: You Bring Me Joy

Spotify only has 4 of the 8 songs on the album, but it seems pretty soulful. Great vocalist

An enjoyable enough late night album, she has good soft voice, and the music is inoffensive and calm though really not memorable. The production is over the top for my taste, very mid-80s. Overall a fine listen but not good enough for a stronger 3 stars.

This variation of soul music generally doesn’t do much for me. I did find myself wondering at times when the album would end, because it didn’t really get me excited or catch my attention much. That being said, I’m pretty sure that Sweet Love was the song played at my parents’ wedding, so I couldn’t help enjoy that one. It got a bonus point for that.

The album was truly amazing and I would like to hear more from her

'I'm caught up in the rapture of love / Nothing else can compare.' Not as smooth as Sade, or as dynamite as Smokey Robinson, Anita Baker still spawns two classic tracks: 'Sweet Love' and 'Caught Up in the Rapture.' The other songs are not as memorable, tho her voice is, w/ underrated scatting abilities and a sexuality to boot: a quiet storm, perhaps, but also tempestuous, full-bodied. 'Mystery' reminds me of Eddie Holman's 'Lonely Girl'; the rest, of what's to come in R&B. For that, I'd happily listen again. Specially, w/ red wine and not a whole lot to wear.

Very smooth and nice but I don't think it's likely that I will remember it and return to it ever on purpose Standouts Caught Up in the Rapture No One in the World 3/5

started with an MF DOOM sample

Just not for me.

It's alright

80s mom cleaning the house music

terrible human

She has a great voice but the songs all kind of sound the same.

Nice voice

Her voice is solid, not my favorite R&B voice. The songs kinda blur together after a while. Great background music but not something I’d ever request.

she's got a fantastic voice-great tone & control. just wish there was a bit more variety on the album. every song is a heartfelt love song at a similar tempo..... still, overall nice album 3.5 stars

Good soul - Caught Up In The Rapture, Been So Long, Same Ole Love.

Så mysig, bra!

Best Song: Sweet Love. Nice sultry voice, with a soaring chorus. Worst Song: Watch Your Step. I think I had maybe just grown tired of these kinds of ballads by this point in the album. Overall: An album that feels both dated and sanitized. Something about the "softness" of the ballads undercut any attempts they made at evoking any emotion. There is a sort of quiet groove that runs through the album, but it's not enough to engage your attention for very long.

The end of the 80’s.

Got Anita Baker booming

Back when people really be singing

FINAL REVIEW 4/5. A dreamily produced, sensual, and romantic album made by a vocalist whose passion can be felt in the sound of her voice. I think what I wrote in my last note really captures how I feel about this album, so I'm not going to repeat myself lol. NOTES 5:51 am - ive heard this name before, but i dont know anything about her. time to check it out, then!! 5:52 am - this album isnt on spotify :( i will check youtube then 5:55 am - only like a minute in and i love it. i actually know this song too??? lol idk from where. but this is the kind of r&b i really love, so lush and dreamy~ 6:13 pm - i didnt end up listening to the album last night (morning?) bc i got tired, so i just did now, and uuughhhhh it's so pretty. i wish we had half-ratings, bc to me this is a 4.5. like its pretty much perfect, but like my five star standard is "is it was good as the albums on this list that i've heard before this project and would call a 5/5" (ftr, those are pet sounds by the beach boys, hounds of love by kate bush, heaven or las vegas by cocteau twins, discovery by daft punk, and to pimp a butterfly by kendrick lamar) and it doesn't quite reach that. but, nonetheless, it is an absolutely beautiful album, and anita baker's voice is just so powerful and emotive and incredible. the lush, sensual production and yearning lyrics highlight it so perfectly. i can absolutely understand why this style was called "quiet storm", as it really does bring to mind the feeling of staying inside during a storm, curled up with someone you love. i'm honestly just going to do my second listen right now. this might even get a third. who knows.

Pleasant listening. 2.5/5

This record is full of CVS bangers. Soft rock, supermarket-core, adult contemporary. Whatever you want to call it, it is smooth, silky, and ultimately, quite forgettable. I read this record scored Baker 2 Grammys and sold upwards of 8 million copies. The 80s were a crazy time! I don't hate this record at all, it's a very pleasant listen. I also LOVE smooth rock, so that might be why. Anyways...it's a fine record. Not great. You DEFINITELY don't need to hear this before you die. 3/5

I love her voice! This is timeless romantic soul

Exceptional vocals and great instrumentation. The lyrics are a bit trite at times, but it's nothing egregious.

Nope

I’m not into R&B as a genre, and Rapture doesn’t change that. Anita Baker undoubtedly has a beautiful voice and delivers everything with elegance and control, but for me, it just becomes too dull over time. The album is filled with love songs, and there’s only so many of those I can take in one sitting, especially when the tempo and mood barely shift. I can understand why it resonates with others, but it doesn’t connect with me. 2/5

BEST SONGS: - You Bring Me Joy - Been so Long - Mystery

3.5

Okay, but not for me.

Not for me. 1/5

Only listened to half of it. May be worth a listen on YouTube.

Feel bad for the Americans as apparently it’s not available in the US. But I’m from the Uk! This is soul filled music that also taps into the 80’s sound. 3/5

this is pretty damn good! she has an outstanding voice and some solid song writing but it just got a little repetitive for me.

she has a fab voice and this was a nice compact album but i fear it is not for me

Beautiful 80s production, amazing voice; you'd have to be a bit soulless to not enjoy this on any level. Favourite tracks: Sweet Love (it's incredible), Caught Up in the Rapture, Been so Long, Watch Your Step (I swear this reminds me of a Sonic 3 song, but can't quite place which).

Have never liked this phony-sounding type of music. Nothing stands out as special or interesting here - why is it on the list?

Nice powerful voice.

I wasn't a big fan going in, but the "Caught Up In The Rapture" got my attention. Pretty good, but a little generic at times. Probably wouldn't listen to these songs regularly, but they're not skips either.

Decent but nothing memorable

Short and sweet love!

Nicht meine Musik, aber super umgesetzt und es macht Spaß, das zu hören. Gute Songs.

Sweet Love is gorgeous and the rest of the album holds up. Rapture feels like the kind of R&B/pop album that has gone on to be super influential and listening to it has so many echoes of future artists to come.

Nice to listen to, but not too much more than that.

Unfortunately had to go to YouTube for this one, but Anita baker crooning over beautiful toons that span the emotions makes it worthwhile.

Very little to say on this one … not really my thing but pleasant enough as background music.

MMM pff

Well… i really like it. Not because it's iconic or very memorable but it does exactly what it was made for, creating a mood. I never heard about the "Quiet Storm" which kinda feels like the chill version of Yacht rock.

Fantastic voice. She has a lot of talent, but I just couldn’t get interested in the music. It’s like bad 90’s R&B. 2.5/5 Won’t listen again

Sweet Love is a great song, lovely opener and the only thing of note on this run of the mill soul album that descends into scatting and aimless warbling. It's all a pretty sound but it's short of any depth

Enjoyable easy listening, but nothing very standout.

What a voice. This blew me away. I dont think I ever heard of her before, but wow. It is so soulful, especially the parts with the gospel. Loved every second of it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Maybe it was the steel pan band that Frances was playing at full volume in the office during my listening, but this just did not hit as strongly as I expected. Also could have been my mood.

Good 80s soul

Great vocals, but otherwise a little bit bland/uninteresting for a soul album.

I was a senior in high school when this came out and even after listening to it I don't remember it. Utterly forgettable

From the opening 30 seconds I knew I was in for a good time with this one. Realised the opening track is the sample for Hoe Cakes by MF DOOM, listened to that album again, then came back to this one. If anything, the album was a bit generic. Pretty much the average 80's r&b/soul/jazz album. Notable Tracks: Sweet Love, Been So Long

Anita Baker has the pipes and all, but the music on this album is a toothless, gutless version of R&B that's unlistenable.

NICE

I am sure this is great as far as 80s soul go, but I just do not care about it at all, and it did nothing for me.

Cool

Fun and short little ep that contains the magical sample for one of my favorite rap songs ever.

Album 795 of 1089 Anita Baker - Rapture (1986) Rating : 3 / 5 Enjoyed more than I expected. Great voice, songs and production. Love the jazzy element.

I was excited because the first track is so killer. But the rest felt like filler. It's fine, but she's done better on other albums.

I was 9-10 years old when this album came out and very much attuned to what was on the radio. Nothing more annoyed my soul than when Anita Baker came on - the musical equivalent of waiting in Jo-Ann Fabrics with your mother for two hours. Now that I am a lover of all things soft rock in my elder years, I appreciate this a good deal more. But not tons more.

A bit too dated and 80s sounding for my tastes but I can't deny she's got an incredible voice.

eigentlich wirklich nice musik, aber leider einfach nicht meins

I nearly gave it a 1, as this is really not my style. But it gets an extra point for some tasty basslines.

Never heard of this artist before, maybe heard 1 song, but I was pleasantly surprised, especially by songs "Mystery" and "Same Ole Love"

VERY smooth but not my ideal cup of tea, Sweet Love though? Chefs kiss

its good but it just don't excite me that much. She can sing great and had good songs on it but it doesn't stand out to me. (2.5/5.0)

This is exactly what I needed that evening.

sweet love really did it for me 😌

Was good. One or two greats. But same same in others

This album was perfectly fine and pleasant to listen to…nothing to love or hate about it. I wasn’t crazy about Sweet Love back in the day, but hearing it again after all these years gave me a sense of nostalgia. It is a three star album for me.

Solid album for sultry soul.

Very 80s production but the voice is amazing. Turn down the lights.

Every song sounded the same.

Not for me

I mean it was fine? Spotify had removed like 75 percent of the album though so I don't really feel like I listened to it lol

Fond memories of taking Mom to see this tour.

The legendary Anita Baker man whew! One of the phenomenal vocalist of all time and she put on a clinic in this album. Definitely cleaning the house to this one today! How the hell did someone on here call this unremarkable?? How do you listen to Mystery and come to that conclusion? I’m sensing a lack of rhythm and taste.

Complete

I don't like it at all. It doesn't sound like they mean it. Maybe she does, but the band doesn't. They know how to play, but they sound uninspired. Favorite song: sweet love.

Great voice. Bored me to tears.

I zoned out for all of it. There was finally a song that caught my attention but it was Spotify playing the Spinners after the album ended

A solid soul album but compared to other albums on that list I don't see it standing out.

3.5/5

She has a beautiful voice, but nothing else was super special to me.

Smooth as whipped butter. And SO mid 80’s. My 12 year old self hated this music. My 50 year old self begs to differ. I have no doubt that many a baby has been made to this music. Anita’s voice exists in its own universe much like Sade and Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. When you find a voice that resonates with your soul, it’s sometimes hard to accept that they are the only person who sounds like that.

Weird that this album isn't on Spotify, but YouTube with the save again! I love the soul she brings to her music, and Sweet Love is a lovely classic. I like No One In The World too. Overall though, this kinda bored me as it went on, and there wasn't anything else that really grabbed me.

2.5 Pretty slick production, typically there are some pretty talented session musicians on these 90's R&B albums, this is no different. Just don't think this will find a place in my rotation

love the soul sound of this album! 4/5 #musicsky #albumsky

Y'know, I'm no enemy, exactly, to Quiet Storm — or even softer styles of pop in general, for that matter. As much as I wanna act like I have serious, sophisticated taste in music, sometimes I just want something lighter and maybe a bit chintzy. And, I mean, like, sure, this kind of music might be softened down significantly from what soul in the 70's was, and it might even be a little gentrified depending on how you look at it... But damn it, sometimes you get cravings, and stuff like this can hit that exact spot for me. Seriously, you can hate this kind of production for being dated, but for me, it ain't no thing. I love that kind of 80's soft pop sound — I mean, do you think I like "Versace On The Floor" as much as I do for nothing? And heck, I'd almost argue this is the platonic ideal of it. Honestly now... Like, look, this is the kind of music where you're not supposed to expect too much going into it. Or heck, you're maybe not even supposed to completely listen to it. It's wallpaper for baby-making, and while you could argue that there's better material for it... Well, I'm never gonna have first-hand experience, but I doubt it wouldn't work just fine and dandy. And even outside of that context, it's just nice stuff to vibe and lightly groove to. And if nothing else, Anita Baker **does** have a lovely voice. I'unno if she has a spot on the list of all-time female soul greats, and certainly I don't have the experience to make that kind of call myself, although I wouldn't be surprised if she was on that list. Now, I don't wanna inflate this thing up too much; it's still soft pop, and if you're just not in the frame of mind to just chill to it... Well, I'unno what to tell you. For my money, however, yeah. It didn't rapture me, but I'll still give it my full endorsement. Good stuff. (Shame, by the way, that apparently this full album isn't on Spotify in America? One of the many pluses to being Canadian, I guess — or a minus, depending on how much you like this album. I mean, us having this on Spotify is sure better than us having SPY HARD on Disney+, let me tell you...)

Overall, just some pretty good R&B. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 4. I knew I recognized the name Anita Baker from something; Sweet Love is what MF DOOM sampled for Hoe Cakes. I don’t know why it didn’t click until listening to it. Past that though, how does Anita Baker actually stack up as an R&B artist within that sort of pseudo ”quiet storm” prototype phase, before it went ballistic in the ‘90s? Well, I think she did pretty good. Ultimately, her vocals sound great, the instrumentals are really nice (if a bit repetitive when paying too much attention), and the general structure of each track finds a pretty nice groove. I liked a lot of this album. I’ll admit, a few tracks took multiple listens to really click for me here, but I think my approach to listening was a little too methodical at first. I didn’t really give myself that room to just relax and enjoy the songs for what they were, because I found myself too focused on the “flow” of each track (i.e., a little too focused on lyrics/structure). I’m glad I made the adjustment to literally just chill out, because the vibe of each track came through way more clearly, and it allowed my ears to pick up on a lot of nuances I was missing otherwise. With all of that said, there are points where you can tell the outros are heavy on padding, or the breaks between choruses/verses are a bit long. However, those moments don’t detract from the songs at an individual level too badly. They just build up over the course of the album to a point where it becomes a nuisance, and that’s partially why I’m at a 4. I’m also at a 4 because for as nice as this is, this does tread over the same ground a few times, and the general instrumentation does feel sort of the same for a good chunk of the album. There’s lots of great production tricks to sort of disguise that, and each track does feel really nice to listen to, but the spectacle of Anita Baker’s voice can only cover those little spots up for so long. So, yeah, I’m at a 4, but it’s a pretty nice 4. At the very least, it’s some damn smooth R&B – perhaps a little overproduced, and not quite at the same pure emotional level as someone like Aretha Franklin, but I think that comparison is a bit unfair to begin with. I feel like 80s R&B is a different style entirely, with the shadow of Quincy Jones’ production on Thriller hanging over a lot of the decade. Comparing it to the 60s or even the 70s feels sort of unfair. Regardless, I enjoy this style a lot, and I’m a pure sucker for it. Hence, the 4.

...

American city pop Jokes aside very very groovy. A bit short and the last song is the best

This was nice enough but not quite a style I gravitate toward. 2.5

this had a really difficult time holding my attention. also 365 days a week is too many.

I had heard this name but didn't recognize any of the songs, nor do I still remember them now. It just makes me think of that meme format: "Mom, can we have Sade? But darling, we already have Sade at home. Sade at home: "

Nice one

Cheesy, dated 80s r&b sound. Baker has a stunning voice and there’s some cool bass, but overall this is something I’m just not interested in.

Lækkert soulet album, catchy, måske lidt for skummet

anita baker has a nice voice but this is super boring

normal

Such a voice

Solid R&B

I bought this album at the time, and the tracks Sweet Love and Rapture are still excellent examples of 80s soul. But the dry as dust production does her no favours, and on the whole it's an underwhelming listen. 2.5 but rounding up for the nostalgia.

Awesome

Anita Baker has a gorgeous voice but this album sure doesn’t showcase it.

1. Sweet Love - 8/10 2. You Bring Me Joy - 10/10 3. Caught Up in the Rapture - 8.5/10 4. Been so Long - 8.4/10 5. Mystery - 8/10 6. No One in the World - 8/10 7. Same Ole Love (365 Days a Week) - 8.5/10 8. Watch Your Step - 8/10 8.5/10

First listen. Familiar with the hits: Sweet Love and Caught Up in the Rapture. Brilliant voice. Songs are all fine. However, the 80s instrumentation and flourishes don't hold up today, unless that's your thing. Feel bad giving it a two. Might be higher if it was more my thing.

To make a classic album, you cannot please everyone. I was not pleased. My tastes are for up-tempo stuff like metal and punk; this album simply was not made with me in mind and that's OK.

De opener "Sweet Love" is echt ziek, met die MF Doom-sample. "Caught Up in the Rapture" ken ik ook als sample, net als "Been So Long" (mijn persoonlijke favoriet van de plaat). "Mystery" is ook fantastisch. Allemaal uitstekende quiet storm. De afsluiter "Watch Your Step" valt daardoor ietwat uit de toon, maar over het algemeen is dit een welkome afwisseling na alle nerdrock van de afgelopen week.

This is exactly what I needed on a chaotic Thursday morning. While this isn't anything that would have been playing in my home growing up as a kid, the sound is still very nostalgic. It's almost impossible to deny really good 80s Soulful R&B. Let the gentle waves wash over you, drawing you further out to sea on a peaceful Sunday afternoon.

While ultimately enjoyable, this is middle of the road 80's soul music that just happens to have a great voice over the top. It's pretty soulless and lifeless listening to it. If I asked an AI to create 80's soul music it would spit out this specific music bed.

Could only find partial album on Spotify

This was such a beautiful album, truly a treat. Baker's voice is incredible, she really came out of nowhere with an instant classic.

Definitely the kind of album that will appeal more to the people who were around when it came out. Not really sure there's anything special here, but I enjoyed listening to it. Just below 4 stars but I'm rounding up

Not my cup of pee

Just a fantastic album!

Not something I'd choose to listen to - a bit smooth. But she does have a great voice, and sometimes the slickness appeals

Good but a little inconsistent

Didn’t love every song, it’s mostly forgettable, but I enjoyed it. There’s some kick ass bass and “Sweet Love” is a top track. It’s a high 3, low 4.

Incredible voice and wonderful songwriting. Did not expect to love this so much.

A soundtrack for all the drug stores out there.

Итс файн. Лучшая песня - Sweet Love.

6/10 I remember all of these songs. from where? don't know. Why? don't know. I don't hate it and its pleasant enough. 4-8-2025

No terminé de conectar

It's very 80s R&B/soul that kind of reminds me of soft rock in a lot of ways. Sweet Love is definitely the highlight for me. Even though the album feels very competently done, it's not something I found particularly interesting or enjoyable.

A Häagen-Dazs® ad's idea of horny music. Smooth and sweet, sensual but vanilla, mass-produced and bland, but with an unstoppable rubbery bass tone.

3.2 That was alright actually. Kind of thing I can imagine my mum loving. Extremely inoffensive. Most tracks erred on the side of dull, but there were a few I quite enjoyed, including the opener. Not my kind of music but glad I heard it.

OMG! This album doesn't appear on Spotify. But in the process of finding this out, I found an account called "1001 Album Club" . About: Friends make a pact to listen and discuss 1001 of the best albums in a basement tiki bar. Which sounds better than this album probably does. Rude of me, yes. Looks like I need to rate it in order to get my next album, so I'm going middle of the road.

Ist echt gut, empfehlenswert Genrerepräsentierend

One top hit, the rest was fairly forgotten.

I am a big RnB fan, but quiet storm is not a subgenre I listen to much. I prefer a bit of grit in my soul and RnB, and the essence of quiet storm is 'schmick'. And Rapture is probably the Everest of the quiet storm genre. It is super smooth, perfectly played and produced to provide a sophisticated and consistent listen all the way through. I like the balance of real instruments and synthesised; the synthesizers provide a sheen to the proceedings, while maintaining the feel of really great players. And over it all is the wondrous voice of Anita Baker. Apparently she wanted to make a jazz album, but was talked into to this, and it is perfect. It feels like her vision, what with her vocal control over the song dynamics and co-writing and production credits throughout. Hard to believe se was only in her late 20s when this was recorded; there is a maturity and power to her voice. I'm pretty sure I have a copy of this album lurking in my vinyl somewhere, I should pull it out to spin more often. Fave track: Sweet Love

Good 80s R&B

A reminder that 1001 albums is a LOT of albums and it would be impossible to like all of them.